Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteIn OBS, open Edit > Advanced Audio Properties and choose a monitoring mode for each audio source. Use Monitor Off to send audio to the stream without playing it locally, Monitor Only to hear it locally without including it in stream output, or Monitor and Output to do both. Then select the intended monitoring device in OBS and test the routing before leaving a children’s stream unattended.
Choose the right monitoring mode
Audio monitoring is configured per source; it is not a global preset for a 24/7 stream. The source’s monitoring mode determines whether OBS plays it through the configured local monitoring device and whether it is included in stream output.
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| Mode | Heard locally through the monitoring device? | Included in stream output? | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monitor Off | No | Yes, if the source is otherwise routed to the stream | The source should reach viewers, but an operator does not need local playback. |
| Monitor Only | Yes | No | An operator needs to hear the source locally, but it should not be sent to viewers. |
| Monitor and Output | Yes | Yes | The source should be audible to both the operator and viewers. |
OBS’s Audio Mixer Guide, dated 2026-04-03, describes the monitoring control as playback through the device configured for monitoring. Menu wording and device behavior can vary by operating system and OBS version, so verify the choices on the computer that will run the stream.
Set up and verify the audio path
- Identify the source. In the OBS mixer, confirm which source supplies each sound you need to check, such as the video’s audio or a scene-specific input. Make sure the intended source appears and its meter responds when audio is present.
- Check for duplicate capture. If an audio device is added as a scene-specific Audio Input/Output Capture source, check whether that same device is also selected under Settings > Audio. OBS warns that capturing the device in both places can cause echo; if using the scene-specific source, disable the corresponding global device. See OBS Audio Sources.
- Choose the per-source mode. Open Edit > Advanced Audio Properties. Set each relevant source to Monitor Off, Monitor Only, or Monitor and Output according to whether local playback and stream output are both wanted.
- Select and listen on the monitoring device. Choose the intended monitoring device in OBS audio settings, connect the headphones or speakers you plan to use, and play the source. OBS recommends listening as early in the signal path as possible and again when audio reaches OBS. Its guide mentions a device’s headphone output or monitor jack where available; a particular accessory is not required.
- Check the meters, then check the sound. OBS’s mixer guide describes green as a broad zone for background music and effects, yellow for speech or other content depending on the mix, and red as close to clipping. Meter color is not a substitute for listening: sources that look equally loud on screen may not sound equally loud to viewers.
- Make a test recording and play it back. Use the intended scene and routing, record representative content, and listen to the file. Separately confirm that local monitoring is audible as intended. OBS recommends a record-and-playback check before going live.
Prevent clipping and interpret OBS’s meter references
OBS defines dBFS relative to digital full scale and warns that recorded or streamed audio above 0 dBFS can clip. Keep the output below 0 dBFS. The Audio Mixer Technical Details page, dated 2022-02-13, gives -20 dBFS as an Alignment Level and -9 dBFS as a Permitted Maximum Level in its meter explanation. These are technical meter references, not universal loudness targets for every children’s programme or a substitute for listening to the mix.
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Fix common monitoring problems
- You hear an echo or hollow duplicate: Check whether the same device is captured globally in Settings > Audio and again as a scene-specific capture source. Disable the global device if the scene-specific source is being used. Also check that the monitoring output is not being fed back into another OBS audio input; this is a practical routing check to prevent a loop.
- The operator cannot hear a source: Confirm that its mode is Monitor Only or Monitor and Output, that OBS has the intended monitoring device selected, and that the headphones or speakers are connected to that device. Play the source and check the device as well as the OBS meter.
- Viewers cannot hear a source: Monitor Only deliberately excludes that source from stream output. Change it to Monitor Off or Monitor and Output, as appropriate, then record and play back a test to confirm the stream mix.
- The meter moves but the audio sounds wrong: Listen to a test recording. Meter activity shows signal, not whether the content is balanced, intelligible, or free of unwanted duplicate audio.
What monitoring settings can—and cannot—do for a 24/7 stream
Monitoring settings control local listening and source routing; they do not provide a special 24/7 preset or guarantee that OBS, the computer, the network, or a platform will stay online. OBS’s Audio/Video Formats Guide, dated 2023-03-26, discusses resilient local recording formats, not a 24/7 stream-uptime configuration. Test the complete setup on its intended operating system, hardware, OBS version, and audio routing before relying on it unattended.
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Rank #2
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- All you need to record, mix and master your music: Includes industry-leading recording software and a full collection of record-making plugins
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