In OBS, select where monitored audio should play under Settings → Audio → Monitoring Device, then choose a monitoring mode for each source in Advanced Audio Properties. The right mode depends on how that source already reaches the stream: use Monitor and Output to hear it locally and send it to the stream, or Monitor Only when another OBS capture path already includes it. Test the actual setup with a recording before worship begins; a duplicate audio path can create echo or doubled sound.
Map the audio paths before changing settings
Monitoring is a local listening route: it determines where OBS plays a source for the operator. It does not, by itself, confirm that the source is included in the outgoing stream. First identify how each sound reaches OBS and where the operator will listen.
- Do microphones and instruments enter OBS from a soundboard or audio interface?
- Is computer playback captured as Desktop Audio or another output source?
- Will headphones connect to the computer, the interface, or a mixer/monitor output?
- Are any devices selected both globally in OBS and again as scene sources?
This matters especially for prerecorded videos. If their audio already reaches OBS through computer-output capture, monitoring the video source to another output that OBS captures again can send the same sound through two paths. A church livestream forum discussion illustrates this routing distinction, but the correct choice depends on the actual signal chain.
Choose where OBS sends monitored audio
- Open Settings → Audio in OBS.
- Find Monitoring Device and select the output the operator will use: the computer’s headphone jack, an interface headphone output, or a connected mixer/monitor output.
- Apply the setting and confirm that the selected output is physically connected to the operator’s headphones or monitor speakers.
OBS’s official Audio Mixer Guide advises listening at the device output where available and also checking audio through OBS monitoring. Device names and behavior can differ by operating system, OBS version, interface, and mixer, so confirm the selected device on the church computer.
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Set monitoring mode for each source
- In the OBS Audio Mixer, open Advanced Audio Properties (typically from the mixer’s settings or gear menu).
- Locate the source to check, such as a media source, VLC video source, microphone, or interface input.
- Choose the monitoring mode that matches its route:
| Mode | What it does | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Monitor Off | Does not send that source to the OBS monitoring output. | The operator does not need to hear that source through OBS. |
| Monitor Only | Sends the source to the local monitoring output, not to OBS’s stream mix through this monitoring setting. | The source is already included in the stream through another capture path and is needed locally for listening. |
| Monitor and Output | Sends the source to the local monitoring output and the OBS stream output. | The source needs to be heard by the operator and included in the stream through this route. |
For example, if a video’s audio is already reaching OBS as Desktop Audio, a church-specific community recommendation is to try Monitor Only on the media source; if OBS is not capturing the computer’s output, try Monitor and Output. Treat that as a starting point, not a universal rule: make a short test recording and verify both what the operator hears and what the recording contains.
Prevent echo and doubled audio
OBS warns that adding a scene-level Audio Input/Output Capture for a device already selected globally in Settings → Audio can cause echo. Choose one capture route for each device unless you have a deliberate, tested reason to use more than one.
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- Check whether the same interface, microphone, or computer output is enabled globally and as a scene-specific source.
- Check whether monitored computer playback is being captured again as desktop or output audio.
- If the recording contains an echo or a louder doubled sound, mute one of the duplicate capture routes and record again.
OBS’s Audio Input/Output Capture source is available on Windows and macOS. The OBS Audio Sources guide directs Linux users to ALSA or PulseAudio sources instead. Exact labels and available devices vary by platform.
Check meters, channels, and clipping
Watch the OBS meters while someone speaks, sings, and plays representative music. OBS uses stereo as its default channel configuration; verify that left and right assignments are correct and that a source is not unintentionally audible on only one side.
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The OBS Audio Mixer Technical Details guide defines 0 dBFS as the digital maximum and warns that stream or recording audio at or above the ceiling can clip. Its meter guidance describes -20 dBFS as the Alignment Level and -9 dBFS as the Permitted Maximum Level. These are references for the OBS meter model, not universal loudness targets for every platform or a substitute for listening. Keep peaks below 0 dBFS and assess intelligibility and balance by ear as well as by meter.
The OBS Audio Mixer Guide says its peak indicator holds the loudest meter reading over a 20-second period. A momentary peak can therefore remain visible after the sound has passed; watch the live meter and listen rather than treating the held indicator as the current level.
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Rehearse and listen to a recording before going live
- Use the actual worship scene, microphone and instrument inputs, and computer-playback cues.
- Record a representative segment, including scene changes and any prerecorded video playback.
- Listen to the file from beginning to end. Check speech clarity, music balance, left/right routing, missing sources, echo, and doubled playback.
- Correct the source mode or capture path, then make another recording to confirm the change.
The OBS Project’s Audio Mixer Guide, dated 2026-04-03, specifically recommends recording a session as usual and listening back before going live. This is the most direct way to check what the stream mix actually contains; meters alone cannot reveal every routing or intelligibility problem.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot common monitoring problems
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| The operator cannot hear a source. | No monitoring device is selected, the selected device is not the connected headphone output, or the source is set to Monitor Off. | Check Settings → Audio → Monitoring Device, the physical output connection, and that source’s mode in Advanced Audio Properties. |
| The operator hears audio, but the recording is silent for that source. | The source is only being monitored locally, or it is not otherwise routed to the stream mix. | Check the source mode and all capture paths; use a test recording to confirm the stream mix. |
| The recording has echo or doubled playback. | The same device or computer playback may be captured through more than one route. | Check for a device selected both globally and as a scene source, and whether monitored playback is captured again as desktop audio. Disable one duplicate route and retest. |
| Audio is only on the left or right. | Channel assignment or stereo routing may not match the source. | Inspect the source’s channel routing and OBS’s stereo configuration, then listen to a new recording. |
| Audio sounds distorted or clipped. | Digital peaks may be reaching or exceeding 0 dBFS. | Lower the relevant source or input level and record again, keeping peaks below the digital maximum. |
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