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To hear an ASMR microphone in OBS while viewers also hear it, set a monitoring device in Settings > Audio > Advanced > Monitoring Device, then open Edit > Advanced Audio Properties and set the source to Monitoring Enabled. Do not select Monitor Only (mute output) for audio that belongs in the live mix: that mode lets you listen locally but mutes the source for viewers.
What OBS audio monitoring does
Monitoring routes a source’s audio through the listening device you choose, such as headphones. It is a local listen-back feature; watching the mixer meter is not the same as hearing how the source sounds. For a continuous ASMR broadcast, monitor the microphone and any other sources you need to hear without routing speaker playback back into the microphone.
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OBS menu wording can vary by version. Check the labels in your current Advanced Audio Properties window and confirm the source’s routing outcome before going live.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteChoose the right monitoring mode
| OBS mode | What you hear | What viewers hear | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monitor Off | No monitor feed from that source | Depends on whether the source is included in the output mix | You do not need local listen-back. |
| Monitor Only (mute output) | The source through your monitoring device | The source is muted in the output mix | You want to hear a source privately, not send it to viewers. |
| Monitoring Enabled | The source through your monitoring device | The source remains in the output mix | You and viewers both need to hear the source. |
For a live ASMR microphone intended for the audience, choose Monitoring Enabled and verify that the source is assigned to the audio track used by the stream.
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Set up monitoring in OBS
- Select the listening device. Open Settings > Audio > Advanced > Monitoring Device and select the headphones or other output where you want to hear the monitor feed. Confirm that the selected device is the one you will actually use.
- Set each source’s mode. Open Edit > Advanced Audio Properties. Find the microphone and any additional ASMR audio sources. Set each audience-bound source to Monitoring Enabled. Avoid Monitor Only (mute output) for a source viewers should hear.
- Check stream-track assignment. In Advanced Audio Properties, make sure each audience-bound source is assigned to the audio track used by your stream. Monitoring alone does not establish that a source is included in the live output.
- Prevent duplicate capture. Check both Settings > Audio and your scene’s audio sources. OBS warns that capturing the same device globally and again as a scene source can cause echo. Remove the unintended duplicate route.
- Listen and record a sample. Watch the mixer meters, listen to the source through OBS, and make a short local recording of representative ASMR audio. Listen back before broadcasting; meter levels alone do not tell you how loud or clean the audio sounds.
- Run a YouTube preflight. Test with audio and activity similar to the planned broadcast. Check the Live Control Room preview and stream health, then continue checking audio and video quality during the stream.
Audio settings for a typical YouTube live stream
YouTube’s encoder guidance lists AAC or MP3, 44.1 kHz, and 128 kbps stereo audio for a typical stereo live stream. These are encoder recommendations, not special OBS monitoring settings, and they do not establish an ideal ASMR loudness target or guarantee a particular sound. Check the current YouTube guidance and your Live Control Room when configuring an encoder.
Troubleshoot monitoring and echo
You can hear the microphone, but viewers cannot
- Check that the source is set to Monitoring Enabled, not Monitor Only (mute output).
- Confirm that the source is assigned to the audio track selected for the stream.
- Check the YouTube preview and stream health to verify the audience-facing signal.
Viewers hear the microphone, but you cannot
- Confirm that Monitoring Device points to the intended headphones or listening output.
- In Edit > Advanced Audio Properties, set the source to Monitoring Enabled.
- Check the device itself and listen to the source through OBS; a visible meter alone is not proof that the monitor route is audible.
The microphone echoes or sounds doubled
- Check whether the same microphone is captured both in Settings > Audio and as a source in the active scene; remove the unintended duplicate.
- Use headphones or another listening route that does not feed monitor playback back into the microphone.
- Record and review a short sample to identify whether the doubling is present in the OBS output.
The stream sounds wrong despite normal-looking meters
Record a representative sample and listen back rather than relying on meter levels alone. Repeat a test using the kind of sound and activity planned for the broadcast, and check both the YouTube preview and stream health. The documentation does not establish a universal monitoring delay or one ideal loudness target for ASMR; check the actual setup you will use.
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Or let it run in the cloud
OBS is the do-it-yourself option when you want to manage a continuous stream from your own computer. If your goal is to keep uploaded ASMR recordings playing on YouTube around the clock without leaving a computer or home connection on, StreamNeo runs the stream in the cloud: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It plays uploaded videos rather than broadcasting a live camera.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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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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