In OBS, choose where monitored audio should play under Settings → Audio → Monitoring Device, then set each source’s monitoring mode in Advanced Audio Properties. Use Monitor and Output when the source must be heard locally and sent to the stream; use Monitor Only when another active route already sends that sound to OBS. Test the actual setup with a recording: monitoring is a local listening route, and a second capture path can make the stream sound doubled.
Map the church’s audio paths before changing OBS
Write down how each sound reaches OBS and where the operator listens. For example, worship microphones and instruments may enter through a soundboard and audio interface, while pre-recorded video audio may play through the computer. Headphones might connect to the computer’s headphone jack, the interface, or a mixer/monitor output.
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- Identify whether OBS captures computer playback as desktop or output audio.
- Identify which sources enter OBS directly through an interface or mixer.
- Note which output feeds the operator’s headphones or monitor speakers.
This map determines whether monitored playback needs to be sent to the stream as well. A routing choice that works when OBS is not capturing computer output may duplicate audio when that output is already captured.
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Choose the monitoring device and source modes
1. Select where OBS plays monitored audio
- Open Settings → Audio in OBS.
- Choose the intended output under Monitoring Device: the computer headphone output, an interface headphone output, or a connected mixer/monitor output.
- Apply the setting and confirm that the chosen output is connected to the operator’s listening point.
The exact device names and behavior depend on the operating system, OBS version, interface, and mixer. OBS’s Audio Mixer Guide recommends checking the signal at the device output and through OBS audio monitoring.
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2. Set monitoring for each relevant source
- In the Audio Mixer, open the menu from the gear icon and choose Advanced Audio Properties.
- Find each source the operator needs to hear, such as a media source or a microphone/interface input.
- Choose the monitoring mode that matches the signal map below.
| Mode | Local monitoring | Sent to OBS stream output | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monitor Off | No | Depends on the source’s ordinary stream routing | The operator does not need to hear that source through OBS. |
| Monitor Only | Yes | No, through this monitoring route | The operator needs to hear it locally and another route already places it in the stream mix. |
| Monitor and Output | Yes | Yes | The source needs to be heard locally and included in the stream mix. |
These labels describe OBS routing, not a guarantee that the sound is present exactly once in the final mix. A church-streaming discussion on the OBS forum gives the setup-dependent example: use Monitor Only for media playback if OBS already captures the room/computer output; use Monitor and Output if OBS is not capturing that output. Verify either choice with a recording.
Prevent echo and doubled playback
Echo or doubled sound can happen when the same device is captured twice—for example, once as a global device in Settings → Audio and again as a scene-level Audio Input/Output Capture source—or when OBS captures the output to which it is sending monitored audio. OBS warns that configuring the same device globally and as a scene source can create echo.
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- Choose either global capture or a scene-specific capture for a device unless you have a deliberate, tested reason to use both.
- Check whether computer playback is already entering OBS as desktop/output audio before enabling Monitor and Output on a media source.
- Record a short test with the exact playback and scene arrangement, then listen for doubled speech or music.
OBS’s Audio Sources guide documents the duplicate-device warning. It lists Audio Input/Output Capture for Windows and macOS; for Linux, it directs users to ALSA/PulseAudio sources. Available labels and routing can vary by platform and installation.
Check meters, channels, and clipping
Watch the OBS meters while someone speaks, sings, and plays representative music. OBS uses stereo as its default channel configuration, so confirm left and right assignment: a routing mistake can leave a source audible on only one side. Meters show level and peaks, but they do not tell you whether speech is intelligible or the music balance is right; listen to the output as well.
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Keep digital peaks below 0 dBFS, the maximum digital level described in OBS’s Audio Mixer Technical Details. Audio at or above that ceiling can clip in a stream or recording. The same OBS guide describes -20 dBFS as its Alignment Level and -9 dBFS as its Permitted Maximum Level in the meter model. Treat those as OBS meter references, not universal loudness targets for every destination. The OBS Audio Mixer Guide says its peak indicator holds the loudest meter level for 20 seconds.
Rehearse the complete service and listen back
- Use the actual scenes, transitions, microphones, instruments, and playback cues planned for the service.
- Watch the OBS meters while each sound source is active; check both channels and keep peaks below 0 dBFS.
- Record a representative segment, including media playback and at least one scene change.
- Listen to the recording before going live. Confirm that the stream mix contains the intended sources, playback is not doubled, and speech and music are understandable and balanced.
OBS’s Audio Mixer Guide, dated 2026-04-03, specifically advises recording a normal session and listening back before going live. A rehearsal can reveal routing problems; it does not establish that a particular setup will remain reliable indefinitely.
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Troubleshoot common monitoring problems
| What you hear or see | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| The operator hears a source, but the recording or stream does not. | The source is monitored locally but is not reaching the stream mix, or its ordinary output routing is disabled. | Check its mode in Advanced Audio Properties and inspect a recording. Use Monitor and Output if it must be sent through OBS’s monitored route. |
| The stream recording contains echo or doubled media audio. | The same computer/device output may be captured globally and as a scene source, or monitored audio may be captured again as desktop/output audio. | Map the paths, remove accidental duplicate capture, and test Monitor Only when another route already sends the sound to the stream. |
| The operator cannot hear monitored sources. | The monitoring device may be unset, disconnected, or not the output where the headphones are connected. | Recheck Settings → Audio → Monitoring Device and audition the selected device output. |
| Audio appears on only one side. | Channel assignment or stereo routing may not match the source and output. | Inspect the left/right assignment and listen to a test recording on the intended playback system. |
| The meter reaches or exceeds 0 dBFS. | The digital signal is at or beyond the ceiling and may clip. | Reduce the relevant source or mix level, then record and listen again. |
Device names, capture options, and routing differ across operating systems and OBS releases. If a fix changes the signal path, verify it again on the church’s actual computer, interface, and mixer.
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