To hear a prerecorded clip in the church room while OBS sends it to YouTube, select the local output under Settings > Audio > Monitoring Device, then set the clip’s monitoring mode in Advanced Audio Properties. Choose Monitor and Output if OBS is not capturing the computer’s playback separately. Choose Monitor Only if OBS captures that same playback through Desktop Audio. Test a short recording: the right setting depends on the signal path, and capturing the clip twice can make stream audio sound doubled.
Choose the output volunteers should hear
- In OBS Studio, open Settings > Audio.
- Find Monitoring Device and select the output volunteers will use: for example, the computer’s headphone output, speakers, or an audio-interface output.
- Select Apply and OK. Play audio through the intended route and confirm it is audible there.
The device names depend on the computer and connected hardware. If the desired headphone or interface output is not listed, check that it is connected and recognized by the operating system, then reopen OBS’s audio settings.
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Set the prerecorded source’s monitoring mode
- In the OBS audio mixer, open Advanced Audio Properties using the mixer gear or the Edit menu.
- Find the row for the prerecorded clip’s Media Source.
- Choose a monitoring mode based on whether OBS is already capturing the computer’s playback output:
| Audio route | Media Source mode | What the mode does |
|---|---|---|
| OBS is not capturing the clip’s playback through Desktop Audio or another output-capture source; the clip should be heard in the room and on stream. | Monitor and Output | Sends the source to the selected local monitoring device and to OBS output. |
| OBS captures the same playback output through Desktop Audio; the clip should be heard in the room and reach the stream through that captured output. | Monitor Only | Plays the source locally, but does not send that Media Source itself to OBS output. The separately captured playback path must carry it to the stream. |
| The source should be in the stream or recording, but should not be played through the selected local monitoring device. | Monitor Off | Does not locally monitor the source; check the recording to confirm it is in OBS output. |
Monitor Only is not a general way to keep a source in the stream. It removes that source from OBS output. It works in the second case only because another OBS path—such as Desktop Audio—is capturing the playback. Conversely, Monitor and Output does not inherently cause duplication; duplication occurs when the same sound reaches OBS output through both the Media Source and another captured path.
Check the actual signal path before the service
A prerecorded Media Source can reach viewers directly through its OBS output, or indirectly if its playback is audible on an output that OBS captures as Desktop Audio. Identify which route your scene uses before choosing a mode. The church-specific example described in an OBS forum answer uses Monitor Only when Desktop Audio captures the room playback; it is an example, not a universal setting for every computer or church wiring setup. OBS forum discussion on capturing video audio.
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Also check whether the same device is enabled globally and added again as an Audio Input/Output Capture source in the scene. OBS warns that configuring a device in both places can cause echo. Disable the redundant capture route if appropriate, then make another test recording. OBS audio sources guidance.
Verify levels and listen to a test recording
OBS’s Audio Mixer provides source status, faders, meters, mute controls, and monitor controls. Meters help you see whether a source is active, but they do not confirm that the right signal reaches the room or the final recording. OBS recommends listening at the device as early in the chain as possible, then again through OBS Audio Monitoring, and recording and listening back before the real session. OBS Audio Mixer Guide.
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- Play the prerecorded clip in the actual scene and confirm it is audible through the intended room output.
- Watch the relevant OBS meters as it plays. Check for an unintended mute or clipping indication.
- Record a short test with the service’s usual OBS settings and listen to the resulting file. Confirm the clip and other program audio are present, audible, and not doubled.
- If the recording is silent or doubled, trace whether Desktop Audio or another output-capture source carries the same clip before changing the Media Source mode.
Use headphones connected to the selected computer or interface output if that is the available way to listen closely; the connector must match the output you selected. A separate interface is not automatically required.
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| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| The volunteer cannot hear the clip. | The Monitoring Device is set to a different output, or the selected output is unavailable. | Recheck Settings > Audio > Monitoring Device, the connection, and whether audio is audible at that device. |
| The clip is audible locally but absent from the recording. | The source is set to Monitor Only or Monitor Off, and no other OBS path is capturing its playback. | If there is no separate captured playback path, use Monitor and Output. Record again to verify. |
| The clip plays twice or sounds like an echo on stream. | The Media Source and Desktop Audio or another capture source may both be sending the same sound to OBS; a device may also be configured globally and again as a scene source. | Identify the duplicate route, remove or disable the redundant capture as appropriate, and test another recording. |
| The clip is missing from the room but present in the recording. | The source may not be monitored locally, or the selected monitoring output may not be the one connected to the room system. | Check the source’s monitoring mode and the selected output, then listen at the intended device. |
Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is to keep prerecorded videos playing as a 24/7 YouTube stream, StreamNeo is a cloud alternative to maintaining a computer at the church. Upload the recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. StreamNeo loops uploaded video in the cloud; it does not stream from a camera or to other platforms.
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The monthly option is $9.99 per month. Visit StreamNeo for details, or start the free first day.
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