Setting up a monitoring device in OBS Studio is essential for ensuring your audio levels are correct and that your audience hears exactly what you intend. By default, OBS Studio outputs monitor audio to your system's default playback device, but you can easily change this to a dedicated monitoring setup like headphones or studio speakers.
Why Monitor Your Audio?
Monitoring your audio allows you to:
- Verify Audio Quality: Listen for any background noise, distortion, or unwanted sounds.
- Adjust Levels: Ensure all audio sources (microphone, desktop audio, game audio) are balanced and not too loud or too quiet.
- Check Sync: Confirm that audio is perfectly synchronized with your video.
- Prevent Feedback: Especially crucial when using speakers, monitoring through headphones helps prevent audio feedback loops.
Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up Your Monitoring Device
To change the monitoring output device in OBS Studio, follow these simple steps:
| Step | Action | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Open OBS Studio Settings | Launch OBS Studio, then click on File > Settings in the top menu bar, or locate the Settings button usually found in the Controls dock. |
| 2. | Navigate to the Audio Tab | In the OBS Studio settings window, you'll see a list of tabs on the left-hand side. Click on the Audio tab. |
| 3. | Locate 'Monitoring Device' | Scroll down within the Audio settings until you find the Monitoring Device dropdown menu. This setting is typically located under the "Global Audio Devices" section. |
| 4. | Select Your Desired Device | From the dropdown menu, select the specific audio device that monitored audio will play back over. This should be your headphones, dedicated studio monitors, or an audio interface connected to your monitoring setup. |
| 5. | Apply and Confirm | After selecting your preferred device, click Apply and then OK to save your changes. |
Practical Tips for Audio Monitoring
- Use Headphones: For the most accurate monitoring, especially during live streams or recordings, always use headphones. This eliminates room acoustics and prevents audio from being picked up by your microphone (echo or feedback).
- Dedicated Monitoring Devices: If possible, use studio headphones or dedicated studio monitors. These are designed to provide a flat frequency response, giving you an uncolored, true representation of your audio.
- Check Individual Source Monitoring: While the
Monitoring Devicesetting is global, OBS also allows you to set monitoring modes for individual audio sources (e.g., "Monitor Only," "Monitor and Output"). This can be found by right-clicking an audio source in the Audio Mixer and going to "Advanced Audio Properties." - Test Before Going Live: Always perform a test recording or a dry run before going live to ensure all your audio is routed correctly and sounds good through your selected monitoring device.
By correctly configuring your monitoring device, you gain full control and insight into your audio, leading to a more polished and professional output for your audience.
