Best Audio Settings for OBS: The Complete Configuration Guide

Best Audio Settings for OBS: The Complete Configuration Guide

Think your stream is ready? Let's give your OBS audio settings another quick look because those few minutes can make a huge difference in how you sound. OBS comes with safe default settings that favor compatibility over top-notch audio quality. So, many streamers unknowingly start with sound that could be much better. This guide explains every important setting, from audio configuration to filters and mixer levels. You'll also find practical values you can apply and start using right away.

Why OBS Audio Settings Are Worth Getting Right

Studies on streaming viewer retention consistently show that bad audio drives people away faster than bad video. A viewer will tolerate a low-resolution stream, but choppy, noisy, or distorted audio causes people to close the tab within seconds.

OBS’s defaults are designed to work, not to sound good. The default sample rate, bitrate, and absent filter chain all leave significant quality on the table. A few minutes of configuration can be the difference between audio that sounds amateurish and audio that sounds professional.

The good news is that you do not need expensive hardware or a recording studio to fix most audio problems. The right software settings handle the bulk of the work.

Start Here: Global Audio Settings in OBS

Navigate to Settings > Audio in OBS before touching anything else. These foundational settings affect every audio source in your setup, and getting them wrong creates problems no filter can fully correct downstream.

Sample Rate: Choose 48 kHz

OBS gives you two options: 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz. Choose 48 kHz.

44.1 kHz is the CD audio standard and is common in music production. 48 kHz is the broadcast and video production standard used by virtually every streaming platform, camera, and capture card. When your OBS sample rate does not match your audio source or your platform’s ingest rate, OBS must resample the audio in real time — a process that can introduce subtle pitch drift, sync issues, and quality degradation.

Recommended setting: 48 kHz

Audio Channels: Stereo or Mono?

Use Stereo for most streaming setups. Stereo preserves the spatial audio in game sound, music, and desktop audio, which gives your stream a fuller, more immersive feel.

Mono is only worth considering if you are running a voice-only podcast where bandwidth is severely constrained, or if your microphone is a single-capsule mono device and you want to consolidate the signal. For any setup that includes game audio or background music, Mono will noticeably flatten the sound.

Recommended setting: Stereo

Configuring Your Audio Devices

Once the sample rate and channels are set, assign your audio devices in the same Settings > Audio panel. Here is how to do it cleanly:

1. Set Desktop Audio to your primary output device (usually your headphones or speakers; this captures what is playing on your PC).

1. Set Mic/Auxiliary Audio to your dedicated microphone input.

1. Avoid setting either to “Default” — if Windows switches your default device, OBS will follow and silently start capturing the wrong source.

2. Leave any unused Mic/Auxiliary slots set to Disabled to prevent phantom signals from appearing in your mixer.

Note: If your microphone records natively at 48 kHz, such as the Hollyland LARK MAX 2, which captures at 48 kHz / 32-bit Float, OBS does not need to resample the input signal at all. That keeps the audio path clean from source to stream and reduces the corrective work your filter chain has to do.

Best Audio Bitrate Settings for Streaming and Recording

Bitrate is the most frequently searched OBS audio sub-topic, and the right answer depends on what you are streaming and where.

Streaming Audio Bitrate

Higher bitrate means better audio quality, but only up to the point your platform actually accepts. Sending a 320 kbps audio stream to a platform that re-encodes it at 128 kbps wastes bandwidth for no gain.

For voice-heavy streams (talking, podcasting), 128 kbps is acceptable. For most gaming and variety streams, 160 kbps is the practical standard. If your stream features live music performance or DJ sets, push to the platform's maximum, usually 192 kbps.

In OBS, set this under Settings > Output > Audio Bitrate (Simple mode).

Recording Audio Bitrate

For local recordings that you plan to edit before publishing, use 320 kbps AAC as a minimum. If you intend to do significant post-production audio work, consider switching your recording container to MKV and your audio encoder to a lossless format. You can always re-encode down for upload; you cannot recover quality from a lossy source file.

Recommended recording bitrate: 320 kbps AAC or higher

Setting Up Audio Sources in OBS

Audio sources in OBS are added per scene but can be made global. For most streamers, the cleaner approach is to separate each source:

1. Click the + button under the Sources section or right-click inside your Sources panel and select Add Source > Audio Input Capture for your microphone.

1. Add Audio Output Capture for desktop audio if it is not already appearing as a global source.

1. If you use a browser source for alerts or music, add it as a separate Browser Source so you can control its volume independently.

1. Label each source clearly, such as “Mic,” “Game Audio,” “Alert Audio,” so that mixer management is intuitive during a live stream.

Keeping sources separated also enables per-track recording (covered in Advanced Settings), which lets you isolate microphone audio in post-production editing.

The Best OBS Audio Filters and How to Apply Them in Order

This is where most audio quality problems get solved. OBS’s built-in filter chain is powerful, but order matters. Applying a compressor before a noise gate, for example, will compress the noise you’re trying to gate out, making the gate less effective.

Correct filter order: Gain → Noise Gate → Noise Suppression → Compressor → Equalizer (optional)

To add filters, right-click your microphone source in the mixer and select Filters.

Gain: Fix Your Input Level First

Add the Gain filter first. 

Before any other processing, your microphone signal needs to be at a healthy level. If your input is too quiet, every subsequent filter has less signal to work with, which amplifies problems rather than fixing them.

Target a peak level around -12 dB to -6 dB on the OBS mixer meter while speaking at your normal streaming volume. Start the Gain filter at 0 dB and increase gradually until your peaks land in that range.

Starting value: 0 dB — adjust in 3–5 dB increments until peaks hit -12 dB to -6 dB

Noise Gate: Cut Silence Between Speech

A Noise Gate automatically silences the audio signal when your volume drops below a threshold, which means it cuts room hum, fan noise, and ambient sound during pauses between words.

Set the Close Threshold just above your ambient noise floor and the Open Threshold just below your normal speaking level. If the gate cuts the beginning of your words (“p” and “t” sounds disappear), lower the Open Threshold slightly or increase the Attack Time.

Pro Tip: Record 30 seconds of silence in your streaming environment and watch where the meter sits. Set your Close Threshold about 3–5 dB above that level for a clean gate.

Noise Suppression: Remove Background Noise

A Noise Suppression filter lowers steady background sounds during your recording. It helps reduce fan noise, air conditioners, and keyboard sounds. Unlike a Noise Gate, it also lowers noise while you are talking.

OBS offers two options:

• RNNoise (Speex ML/AI-based): Uses a neural network to identify and remove noise. Handles variable noise well. Recommended for most users.

• Speex: A rules-based filter. Less CPU-intensive but less effective on complex or shifting noise profiles.

Choose RNNoise if your computer has enough processing power available. It can make a noticeable difference in audio quality. Avoid adding both noise suppression filters together. Doing that may create unwanted audio artifacts instead of a cleaner sound.

Recommended: RNNoise for most setups; Speex on low-end systems

Compressor: Even Out Your Volume Dynamics

A compressor reduces the volume of loud peaks and can be set to bring up quiet passages, keeping your voice at a consistent level throughout a stream.

Start with these values and listen to a playback. If your voice still spikes into the red during louder moments, lower the Threshold by 2–3 dB. If everything sounds too squashed and lifeless, raise the Ratio toward 2:1.

3-Band Equalizer: Optional Polish

The OBS 3-Band Equalizer changes audio levels in decibels, also called dB. Each control changes volume within a certain frequency range. They do not change the frequencies themselves.

• The High control affects voice brightness and fine speech details. Sounds like S, T, and F are mostly changed here. Increase it by 1 to 2 dB if your voice feels flat. Reduce it by 1 to 2 dB when sharp sounds become uncomfortable. This can also soften strong sibilance from your microphone.

• The Mid control shapes the main part of your voice. Most changes happen around the 700 Hz range. Reducing it by 1 to 3 dB often removes nasal tones. It can also make a thin or metallic voice sound more natural. Increase it by 1 to 3 dB only when your voice lacks presence. This helps voices that sound overly muffled.

• The Low control changes bass tones and low room noise. Increase it by 2 to 5 dB if your voice feels weak. This adds more warmth and depth to your sound. Decrease it by 2 to 4 dB when the bass becomes too heavy. It also helps if your voice hides other sounds in the mix.

Audio Monitoring: Hear Yourself Without Creating Feedback

Audio Monitoring lets you hear your sources through your headphones during a stream. To access it, click the three vertical dots button  next to any source in the mixer and select Advanced Audio Properties.

OBS offers three monitoring modes:

• Monitor Off: Default. You do not hear the source through your headphones, but it goes to the stream. Use this for most sources during a live stream.

• Monitor Only (mute output): You hear the source through your headphones, but it does not go to the stream. Use this when testing filters or setting levels before going live.

• Monitor and Output: Both you and the stream hear it. Use this only for desktop audio or music sources when you need to hear them in your headphones while streaming — never use this on your microphone source.

The most common mistake is accidentally setting a microphone to Monitor and Output, which sends the mic signal to both the stream and your headphones, often causing a feedback loop or a doubled reverb effect in your audio.

Headphones are essential for monitoring during a live stream. Speakers will feed back into your microphone almost immediately.

Balancing Audio Levels in the OBS Mixer

Even with perfect filter settings, poorly balanced levels create a bad listening experience. The goal is for your voice to be clearly dominant, with game and desktop audio sitting comfortably behind it.

Watch the color of the OBS mixer meters:

• Green: Healthy signal level.

• Yellow: Getting loud but still acceptable for peaks.

• Red: Clipping — reduce this source immediately. Red means your audio is distorting at the output stage, and no downstream processing can fix it.

Use the volume sliders in the OBS mixer to set relative levels between sources. Make adjustments while playing your actual game or content at a realistic volume to get an accurate read.

Advanced Audio Settings Worth Knowing

Once your core settings are dialed in, a few additional options can extend your control:

• Audio Tracks: Under Settings > Output (Advanced mode), OBS supports up to six separate audio tracks for local recordings. Assign your microphone to Track 1 and desktop audio to Track 2. After recording, you can edit every audio track on its own. This makes podcast editing and YouTube production much easier.

• Sync Offset: If a camera or capture card introduces audio delay, go to your audio source in Advanced Audio Properties and enter a positive millisecond offset to realign video and audio.

• Audio Encoder: AAC is the standard for streaming and is platform-compatible. MP3 is functional but slightly less efficient at the same bitrate. Stick with AAC unless you have a specific reason to change it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best audio bitrate for OBS streaming?

For most gaming and variety streams, 160 kbps is the standard recommendation. It delivers clear audio without exceeding what most platforms accept. If your stream features live music or DJ performance, use 192 kbps on platforms that support it. For local recordings only, 320 kbps gives you the flexibility to edit without quality loss.

Should I use 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz in OBS?

Choose 48 kHz because nearly all video and streaming equipment expects it. This includes streaming platforms, cameras, and most capture cards. Set OBS to the same sample rate as your devices. Contrarily, audio-only projects can still sound ideal at 44.1 kHz. Mixing 44.1 kHz with 48 kHz devices makes OBS convert audio. That extra processing may increase CPU load and create audio sync problems.

Why does my OBS audio sound muffled or distorted?

Muffled or distorted OBS audio usually comes from a few common problems. OBS and your audio device may use different sample rates. Strong noise suppression can also remove parts of your voice. Input levels that are too high may cause audio clipping. Check the Global Audio settings before changing your filter values.

What audio filters should I use in OBS for a clean voice?

For clear voice audio, start by adding the Gain filter first. Next, use a Noise Gate to mute quiet background sounds. After that, apply RNNoise to reduce unwanted noise. Finish with a Compressor to keep your voice volume more consistent. Add an Equalizer only if your voice still needs tone adjustments.

Does OBS audio quality affect stream quality?

Yes, good audio quality plays a big part in every live stream. Many viewers accept lower video quality without leaving the stream. Poor audio often makes people stop watching almost immediately. Streaming platforms also compress audio before viewers hear it. Because of that, any problems in your original audio become easier to notice.

What is the difference between Monitor Only and Monitor and Output?

Monitor Only plays the audio through your headphones or speakers. Your stream will not hear that audio during playback. This setting is helpful while testing your setup before going live. Monitor and Output send the same audio to you and viewers. You can use it with your microphone to hear yourself. Echo or feedback usually comes from incorrect audio routing or duplicate Desktop Audio sources.

Conclusion

• Think of these settings as your first setup, not the final one. Small changes will always depend on your microphone and recording space. Test everything before your next live stream begins. Record a short sample with every audio filter turned on. Play both versions and listen for any noticeable differences. Watch the OBS audio meters during normal gameplay volume. Keep your microphone levels between the green and yellow zones. After several streams, fine-tune the Compressor and Noise Gate settings. Base those changes on the background noise you actually hear.

Facts Index

Who Is This For

• RNNoise (Speex ML/AI-based): Uses a neural network to identify and remove noise. Handles variable noise well. Recommended for most users.
• RNNoise (Speex ML/AI-based): Uses a neural network to identify and remove noise. Handles variable noise well. Recommended for most users.

Frequently Asked Questions

Audio Channels: Stereo or Mono?

Use Stereo for most streaming setups. Stereo preserves the spatial audio in game sound, music, and desktop audio, which gives your stream a fuller, more immersive feel.