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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallTo stop clipping on a YouTube Live radio stream, find the first point in the audio chain that overloads and lower its gain there. In OBS, watch the source and final-mix meters during the loudest representative material, then put OBS’s Limiter last in the filter chain as a safety ceiling. Test the full route before going live: a limiter cannot repair distortion that has already been clipped upstream.
What clipping is—and why the first overloaded stage matters
Digital audio has a maximum level, described as 0 dBFS. OBS says streamed or recorded audio should stay below that ceiling; exceeding it can produce audible clipping distortion. The distortion may begin in the radio player or automation, a mixer, an audio interface, a software source, or the final streaming mix. Lowering a later stage’s fader does not undo clipping that has already happened earlier.
Follow the signal from its source toward YouTube and correct the earliest overloaded point. OBS’s meter can help identify excessive levels, but OBS notes that its PPM may indicate a peak 3 dB higher than the displayed reading. Do not treat a meter reading just below the ceiling as generous safety margin. OBS Audio Mixer Technical Details
Find and reduce excessive gain in the radio signal path
- Play representative material. Include the loudest music, station IDs, transitions, and any live microphone segment. A quiet song alone is not a useful level check.
- Check the radio source first. Inspect the automation or player output level. If it is already distorted or overloaded, reduce its output before the signal reaches the next device.
- Check mixer and interface levels. Inspect channel gain and master output on a physical mixer, plus the audio-interface input gain. OBS identifies these upstream controls as places to set levels; device controls differ, so consult the device manual when needed.
- Watch OBS source meters and the final mix. Play the loudest material while watching each relevant source and the overall mix. Check whether a source, fader, or filter is adding excessive gain. OBS’s source input indicator is after filters; temporarily disabling filters can help inspect the incoming level.
- Lower the earliest hot stage, then check downstream again. Make a small adjustment at the point where the signal first becomes excessive and repeat the test. Avoid compensating for a distorted input only by turning down the final output.
OBS’s Filters Guide describes its audio filters and their use in a source’s signal chain.
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Add OBS’s limiter as a final safety net
In OBS, select the audio source or mix you need to protect, open its filters, add Limiter, and move it to the end of that filter chain. OBS says the limiter prevents peaks above its threshold that can cause clipping and distortion; it should be last in the chain.
The documented OBS defaults are a threshold of -6.00 dB and a release of 60 ms. These are the filter’s defaults, not a universal target for radio loudness. A lower threshold can leave more peak margin, but if the limiter is working frequently it may cause audible gain reduction. Correct hot source or interface gain rather than relying on constant limiting. A limiter also cannot restore audio already clipped in hardware or earlier software. OBS Limiter Filter
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Preflight the complete stream before going live
- Use the actual routing. Test the same player, mixer, interface, OBS sources, filters, and encoder route you plan to use on air.
- Use demanding program material. Include loud passages and transitions, and speak into the microphone if the show uses one.
- Listen to the encoder output and a local archive if available. If either is distorted, trace the source routing and gain through the chain. If those sound healthy but YouTube playback does not, investigate the outbound connection and platform path.
- Watch stream health while testing. YouTube advises testing with audio and movement similar to the live event and monitoring the stream. Its troubleshooting guidance also recommends comparing encoder output and a local archive when diagnosing poor sound.
YouTube’s live encoder settings guidance, streaming tips, and live-stream troubleshooting provide platform-specific setup and monitoring advice.
Set YouTube audio delivery settings separately
For stereo audio over RTMP/RTMPS, YouTube’s current encoder guidance lists AAC or MP3, a 44.1 kHz sample rate, and a stereo audio bitrate of 128 Kbps. These are delivery and compatibility settings, not clipping controls. Changing codec, sample rate, or bitrate will not repair distortion that has already been recorded or introduced earlier in the signal path. Confirm the current encoder guidance and OBS messages during setup, since settings and interfaces can change.
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Troubleshoot the symptom you hear
- Distortion is present in the radio source before OBS: Lower the player or automation output and check the following mixer and interface inputs.
- One OBS source is distorted, but other sources are clean: Inspect that source’s incoming level, filters, and routing. Temporarily disable filters to check the level before processing.
- The source sounds clean but the combined OBS mix distorts: Watch the final mix while the loudest sources play together. Reduce excessive source or mix gain and put the limiter last in its chain.
- The encoder output or local archive is distorted: Trace the audio source routing and gain stages; codec or bitrate changes will not fix an already-clipped signal.
- The encoder output and local archive sound healthy, but YouTube playback does not: Investigate the outbound connection or platform path, and check YouTube stream health and troubleshooting guidance.
- The signal becomes distorted only at transitions or microphone handoffs: Rehearse those moments with the same routing as the live show. Check changes in source level and keep an operator monitoring audio during the event.
Or let it run in the cloud
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