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To hear your sleep-sounds audio locally while keeping it in the stream, choose a monitoring device in Settings > Audio, then set the source to Monitor and Output in Edit > Advanced Audio Properties. To repeat a local file, enable Loop in its Media Source properties; looping and monitoring are separate settings.
What audio monitoring does—and does not do
OBS monitoring is the operator’s local listening path: the source plays through the monitoring device selected in Settings. It does not, by itself, determine whether viewers receive the audio. The per-source monitoring mode controls local playback and whether the source also goes to stream or recording output.
The OBS Audio Mixer Guide describes the monitor control as allowing a source’s audio to play back through the monitoring device configured in Settings. For a sleep-sounds stream where you want to hear the source and send it to viewers, the intended mode is Monitor and Output. Mode labels and routing behavior have also been described in OBS forum guidance, but that is user-contributed and may be version-specific; check the labels and confirm the result in your installed OBS build.
Set up monitoring and looping in OBS
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Add the sound source
For audio in a local file, add a Media Source and select the file. OBS lists
.mp3,.aac,.ogg, and.wavamong its supported audio formats. For audio coming from a device, a scene-level Audio Input/Output Capture source may be appropriate. OBS lists that capture source for Windows and macOS; on Linux, it points users to ALSA or PulseAudio sources. See the OBS Audio Sources guide.Recommended Free Tools
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Select where you will listen
Open Settings > Audio and choose the monitoring device. Headphones are a straightforward way to listen without playing the sound into the room, but any suitable output device available on your system can be used. The devices shown depend on the computer and attached hardware. OBS’s Audio Mixer Guide explains that the monitor control uses the device configured here.
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Choose the source’s monitoring mode
Open Edit > Advanced Audio Properties (or use the mixer’s settings menu) and find the relevant source’s audio monitoring option. Choose Monitor and Output when you want to hear the source locally and send it to the stream or recording. In commonly described mode labels, Monitor Off means no local monitor feed, while Monitor Only (mute output) is local listening without audience output. Confirm the exact label and behavior in your OBS version before going live.
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Make a file or playlist repeat
For a single Media Source file, open its properties and enable Loop. OBS defines this as playing the file again after playback completes. For a playlist, use a VLC Video source and enable Loop Playlist; VLC must be installed for that source option to appear. The two approaches are different: a Media Source loops one file, while VLC Video can loop a playlist. See the OBS Media Sources guide.
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Prevent duplicate capture and echo
Echo can occur when the same device is captured as a scene-level Audio Input/Output Capture source and is also selected under Settings > Audio. If you add devices directly to scenes, disable duplicate global audio devices. Also avoid capturing the monitoring playback back into OBS as another input. OBS documents the duplicate-device warning in its Audio Sources guide.
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Test what viewers will receive
Watch the OBS mixer meters, listen through the source and monitoring path, then make a short recording and play it back. A meter showing activity does not prove the audience output is routed correctly. OBS recommends testing with a recording or stream before going live; its Quick Start Guide also advises checking audio before a broadcast.
Choose a looping setup that fits the audio
| Setup | Best suited to | What to configure |
|---|---|---|
| One Media Source file | A single long sleep-sounds recording | Enable Loop in the Media Source properties. |
| VLC Video playlist | Several recordings played as a sequence | Install VLC, add a VLC Video source, and enable Loop Playlist. |
Both setups still need the source’s monitoring mode configured separately if you want to listen locally. A looping file can be sent to the audience without being monitored locally, and monitoring does not make a file repeat.
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Check levels without mistaking meter references for a target
The OBS mixer meter is useful for spotting silence or peaks approaching clipping. OBS’s Audio Mixer Guide says its peak-hold marker shows the loudest meter level over 20 seconds. Red on the meter indicates audio close to clipping, which can distort the sound.
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Troubleshoot common monitoring problems
- You hear nothing locally, but the stream may have audio: check that the correct monitoring device is selected under Settings > Audio, and that the source is not set to Monitor Off. Confirm the device is available and selected as an active system output.
- You hear the sound, but viewers do not: check that the source uses Monitor and Output, not a local-only mode. Make a short recording or private test stream and play it back to verify the audience path.
- You hear an echo or doubled sound: check whether the device is captured both globally in Settings > Audio and as a scene-level capture source. Disable the duplicate route and ensure the monitoring output is not being captured as another input.
- The sound stops after one play: enable Loop on the Media Source. If using a playlist, verify that you are using VLC Video with Loop Playlist enabled and that VLC is installed.
- The meter moves but playback sounds distorted: reduce the source or mix level and make another test recording. The OBS meter’s red zone indicates proximity to clipping; activity alone is not proof of clean audio.
- The monitoring option or source is missing: check the installed OBS version’s menus and available sources. Capture-source availability varies by operating system; for Linux, OBS points to ALSA or PulseAudio sources rather than Audio Input/Output Capture.
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