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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Start the lecture playing and watch the OBS audio meter for the source that should capture it. If the meter does not move, OBS is not receiving audio from that source; if it moves, follow the signal through monitoring, a local recording, and the YouTube encoder to find where sound disappears. The exact capture setup depends on whether the lecture plays in a browser, an OBS media source, or another app—and on your operating system.
Diagnose the audio path one step at a time
Use the same lecture playback and OBS scene involved in the silent stream. Check each stage in order rather than changing several settings at once.
- Play the lecture and watch the relevant OBS meter. If it stays still, check that the video is playing with sound and that OBS is capturing the correct application or desktop audio device. The right capture source depends on the playback method and operating system; application audio, macOS desktop audio, and OBS media sources have distinct setup guidance in the OBS Knowledge Base.
- If the meter moves, test OBS monitoring. In the Audio Mixer, open Edit → Advanced Audio Properties and inspect the source’s monitoring setting and selected monitoring device. Check that the source is not muted, its fader is not turned down, and no filter is suppressing the sound. OBS’s Audio Mixer Guide explains source meters, mute and monitoring controls, and checking audio at the device and in OBS.
- Make a short local recording and listen to it. OBS recommends recording and listening back before going live. If monitoring sounds correct but the recording does not, check the selected audio output or track and the recording configuration.
- Check the sound in the encoder or live stream. If the local recording has audio but YouTube does not, compare which audio sources and tracks reach the stream output, along with mute and fader states. This difference points toward live routing or output as the next place to investigate; it does not identify a confirmed cause by itself.
YouTube’s live-stream troubleshooting guidance recommends checking sound directly in the encoder and local archive. If the encoder output has sound but a viewer hears none, compare playback on another device or connection and check YouTube’s live metrics before changing your OBS capture setup.
Use the test result to choose the next check
| What you observe | What it suggests | Next check |
|---|---|---|
| Lecture plays, but the OBS source meter does not move | The capture or input path is not reaching that OBS source. | Verify playback output, selected capture source or device, source type, and platform-specific capture steps. |
| Meter moves, but OBS monitoring is silent | The source, filters, or monitoring-device path may be wrong. | Check mute and fader states, filters, monitoring device, and Advanced Audio Properties. |
| Monitoring works, but the local recording is silent | Recording output or track configuration may differ from monitoring. | Check the selected audio output or track and recording configuration. |
| Local recording has sound, but the live stream does not | Live output or stream routing may differ from local capture. | Check the encoder’s live output and which source or track reaches the stream. |
| Encoder output has sound, but a viewer reports silence | The issue may be specific to that viewer’s playback or connection. | Compare another viewer, device, or network and check YouTube live metrics. |
These are diagnostic interpretations, not proof of a specific fault. YouTube notes that a problem reported by one viewer may be on that viewer’s computer or connection; reports from multiple viewers on different connections can point toward the encoder.
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- Pro performance with great pre-amps - Achieve a brighter recording thanks to the high performing mic pre-amps of the Scarlett 3rd Gen. A switchable Air mode will add extra clarity to your acoustic instruments when recording with your Solo 3rd Gen
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When the OBS meter is not moving
OBS’s meter is the first useful checkpoint: its Audio Mixer technical guidance says that when the input-level indicator is missing, audio is not reaching that OBS audio interface. The guidance is documented in an OBS technical page last updated in 2022, so labels may differ in your installed OBS version. See OBS Audio Mixer Technical Details.
- Confirm the lecture itself is playing with audible sound through the intended playback output.
- Confirm the OBS source is meant to capture that playback method. Browser audio capture, desktop audio capture, and an OBS media source are not interchangeable instructions.
- Check that the selected device or application is the one actually producing the lecture audio.
- If the problem is intermittent, note when sound stops and whether playback, the selected device, or application changes at that moment.
When the meter moves but the stream is silent
A moving meter establishes that a signal reaches that OBS source; it does not establish that viewers receive it. Inspect the source’s mute and fader state, filters, monitoring device, and whether that source or track is included in stream output. Compare what you hear in OBS, what you hear in the local recording, and what the encoder sends live. YouTube describes poor stream sound as potentially involving the audio or video sources routed to the encoder in its troubleshooting guidance.
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What 24/7 operation changes—and what it does not
A 24/7 schedule does not establish a different first-line audio diagnosis: begin by checking whether OBS receives the lecture audio, then trace it through monitoring, recording, and encoder output. For a failure that starts after the stream has been running, record when it happens and check whether the lecture playback remains active and whether the selected application or device changes. The title alone does not establish your operating system, OBS version, source type, or whether the fault is continuous, so a single universal device-setting walkthrough would be unreliable.
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- The new generation of the artist's interface: Connect your mic to Scarlett's 4th Gen mic pres. Plug in your guitar. Fire up the included software. Start making your first big hit
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- PLUG IN AND HEAR SOUND IN SECONDS - USB Type-A connector with a 3.5mm stereo headphone output and a separate 3.5mm mono microphone input. No drivers, no software, no external power - the adapter is USB bus-powered and is recognized as a standard USB audio device.
- WORKS ON WINDOWS, MAC AND LINUX - Driverless on Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP/Server 2003/Vista/7/8, Linux and Mac OSX, and compliant with the USB Audio Device Class 1.0 specification, so any system that supports class-compliant USB audio will see it. Select it as the sound output and input device after plugging it in.
- TWO JACKS, TWO JOBS - The green jack is stereo OUT for headphones or powered speakers; the pink jack is mono microphone IN for a 3.5mm mic. It does NOT support 4-pole headsets on a single combo plug, it does NOT power passive speakers, and it does NOT add surround sound - it is a stereo 2-channel adapter.
- FOR LAPTOPS AND DESKTOPS THAT NEED AN AUDIO PORT BACK - Adds a headphone and mic port to a laptop, desktop, or mini PC whose onboard jack has failed or was never there. Managed and work-issued computers can block new USB audio devices by policy - check with your IT department before ordering for a company machine.
- SABRENT SUPPORT AND WARRANTY - What is in the box: one USB audio sound adapter. Backed by a 1-year limited warranty, extended to 2 years when you register within 90 days on the manufacturer's website.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
