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Check a 24/7 Gurbani stream in three places: at the audio source, in OBS, and on YouTube playback. OBS’s mixer helps spot peaks, while listening through headphones and from a separate viewer device catches problems a meter cannot—such as a quiet passage, a bad loop seam, or audio missing from one stereo channel. There is no established Gurbani-specific loudness target; aim for clean, balanced sound and verify what viewers actually hear.
Use a three-point monitoring workflow
A meter and a listening check answer different questions. The meter helps reveal peak level; your ears help assess clarity and balance; playback from YouTube confirms the outgoing stream reaches viewers as intended.
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- Listen before the encoder. Play the source through its player, mixer, or audio interface. If it is distorted or too quiet there, changing an OBS output fader will not fix the upstream problem. OBS recommends checking early in the device chain and then listening again to the signal that reaches OBS through Audio Monitoring. OBS audio mixer guide.
- Watch OBS’s meter on representative material. Observe the main colored bar and its peak-hold marker through louder and quieter passages. Do not assume that a moving meter, or one that stays out of the red, proves the stream sounds balanced.
- Listen to OBS’s monitored signal. In OBS, open Settings > Audio and select a monitoring device under Advanced if one is not already selected. In the Audio Mixer, use the channel’s gear menu and choose Advanced Audio Properties; set the relevant source’s Audio Monitoring option to Monitor and Output. Listen on headphones or a monitor output for distortion, hum, abrupt jumps, excessive quiet, and left-right imbalance. Confirm the source’s channel routing if only one stereo channel is active. OBS notes that monitoring should be checked through the signal path rather than inferred from the meter alone. OBS audio mixer guide.
- Preview and listen at YouTube. Before starting, check the preview in YouTube Live Control Room. Once live, listen to the watch page from a separate device if possible, at a moderate volume. This checks received playback, not just the local encoder signal. YouTube advises creators to monitor audio and video quality continuously. YouTube streaming tips.
- Repeat during the broadcast. Check transitions between recordings, loop seams, quiet sections, and any point where the source may end or change level. Recheck viewer-side playback periodically so a stream that began correctly does not go unnoticed if sound later disappears.
Understand what OBS’s meters show
Peak level is useful for clipping risk
OBS’s main mixer bar is a sample-peak meter. In digital audio, 0 dBFS is the maximum representable level; a final signal that reaches or exceeds it can distort. Watch the peak-hold marker during the loudest material and leave headroom rather than letting peaks hit the ceiling. OBS’s meter colors and margins help indicate level, but they do not create a special target for Gurbani programming. OBS Studio overview guide.
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OBS also displays a black VU-style indicator. It represents RMS level integrated over 300 ms, a different measurement from the main peak bar and not a standards-based integrated loudness reading. A safe-looking peak reading does not tell you whether one devotional passage sounds much quieter than another. Compare passages by listening, and use a loudness measurement when you need to quantify changes over time. OBS Studio overview guide.
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Use specialized metering when you need loudness or true peak
Integrated loudness and true peak require more specialized analysis than OBS’s standard mixer provides. ITU-R BS.1770-5 specifies an objective programme-loudness algorithm and a method for indicating true-peak level. ITU-R BS.1770-5. An optional OBS Loudness Dock plugin listing describes momentary, short-term, and integrated loudness, LRA, and true-peak readings; it is listed for OBS Studio 28.0 or later. Check the publisher’s page for current compatibility and download details. Loudness Dock.
Choose a sensible target without inventing a Gurbani rule
The available guidance does not establish an official YouTube live-stream loudness target or a Gurbani-specific LUFS requirement. Do not treat a single LUFS number as a rule for this kind of stream. Instead, prevent clipping, keep passages reasonably consistent by listening, and verify the result on YouTube. YouTube’s stream-health display is useful for delivery status, but its documentation does not describe it as an audio loudness meter. YouTube streaming tips · YouTube live encoder settings, bitrates and resolutions.
Rank #2
- The new generation of the songwriter's interface: Plug in your mic and guitar and let Scarlett Solo 4th Gen bring big studio sound to wherever you make music
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Diagnose problems by checking the signal path
| What you notice | Where to check | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Distortion is audible before OBS. | Source player, mixer, interface, or its input level. | Correct the upstream level or source problem first; lowering OBS’s output fader cannot repair distortion already present in the incoming audio. |
| OBS peaks look safe, but one section sounds too quiet. | Compare the actual passages by listening; the peak meter does not measure perceived or integrated loudness. | Check source levels across the recordings and transitions. Use loudness metering if you need an objective comparison over time. |
| Only one stereo side is heard. | OBS source channel routing and the monitored output. | Confirm that the source’s stereo channels are assigned as intended, then listen again through OBS and YouTube. |
| OBS sounds correct, but viewers report poor or missing audio. | Live Control Room preview, public watch-page playback, encoder output, and—if available—the local archive. | Listen to the outgoing stream from a separate device and inspect the encoder and archive to locate where the problem enters the path. YouTube live-stream troubleshooting. |
| Audio disappears or changes unexpectedly later. | Source ending, silent gaps, playlist transitions, or loop seams; then confirm on viewer-side playback. | Check representative transitions and revisit the stream periodically instead of relying only on a pre-live check. |
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Best Value
- 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
- Studio-quality sound: With a huge 120dB dynamic range, the newest generation of Scarlett uses the same converters as Focusrite’s flagship interfaces, found in the world's biggest studios
- Never lose a great take: Scarlett 4th Gen's Auto Gain sets the perfect level for your mic or guitar, and Clip Safe prevents clipping, so you can focus on the music
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- 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.
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