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Yes. In OBS Studio, add the video file and the audio-only file as separate Media Sources in one scene, enable Loop for each, then send the combined scene to your YouTube Live event. The files remain independently controllable in OBS; viewers receive one mixed live program, not separate selectable audio and video files.
What this setup does—and what viewers receive
OBS Studio plays the local video and audio sources together and encodes them as a single feed for YouTube. You can adjust or mute the sources independently in OBS, but this workflow does not deliver the files as separate tracks for viewers to choose between. OBS’s multiple-audio-track guidance concerns recording and later editing; standard video players generally play one audio track at a time. OBS Sources Guide · OBS Multiple Audio Track Recording Guide · YouTube encoder setup
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Before you start
- OBS Studio: Install OBS on a computer that can remain on and connected to the internet for the broadcast. A software encoder is a supported option; special streaming hardware is not inherent to this local-file setup. YouTube encoder setup
- Local media files: OBS Media Source documentation lists common video formats including MP4, TS, MOV, MKV, AVI, GIF and WebM, and audio formats including MP3, AAC, OGG and WAV. Supported formats can depend on the installed OBS version and system. OBS Media Sources
- Eligible YouTube channel: YouTube requires channel verification and no live-streaming restrictions in the previous 90 days. First-time live-stream activation can take up to 24 hours. YouTube get-started page
- Rights to the material: Confirm that you may use both the video and audio in a public live stream and any resulting archive. YouTube stream settings
Set up the loop in OBS
- Create a scene. In OBS, create or select a scene for the broadcast. The scene is the program OBS will encode and send to YouTube.
- Add and loop the video. In the Sources panel, select + → Media Source, create a source, and browse to the video file. Enable Loop in its properties. Resize or fit the source so it fills the canvas as intended. OBS documents Loop as replaying the file after playback completes. OBS Media Sources
- Add and loop the audio file. Select + → Media Source again, create a separate source, choose the audio-only file, and enable Loop. In the Audio Mixer, make sure the source is not muted and its meter moves during playback.
- Check playback and levels. Play the scene and listen for the intended audio. Confirm the video is visible, the audio is audible, and levels are not clipping. OBS recommends checking audio and output settings before relying on a setup. OBS Quick Start Guide
Connect OBS to your YouTube Live event
- Create or schedule the event. In YouTube Studio, open the Live Control Room and create or schedule a stream. Choose Public, Private or Unlisted according to whether the broadcast is public, a private test or an unlisted rehearsal. YouTube get-started page · YouTube stream settings
- Copy the ingest details. In the Live Control Room, copy the stream URL and stream key, then enter them in OBS’s stream settings. A stream key is credential-like: do not share it, and reset it in YouTube Studio if it is exposed. YouTube stream settings
- Set the encoder output for YouTube. Use an OBS YouTube service preset where available and match resolution, frame rate, codec, keyframe interval, audio settings and bitrate to YouTube’s current encoder recommendations for your chosen resolution and protocol. YouTube recommends RTMPS for an encrypted connection. Because recommended settings can change, check the current table rather than copying a bitrate from an unrelated resolution or an old tutorial. YouTube encoder settings
- Allow network headroom. Your sustained upload capacity should exceed the stream’s combined bitrate; YouTube recommends 20% headroom. If your connection fluctuates or other devices use the upload bandwidth, reduce the output settings or reserve more capacity. YouTube streaming tips
- Start the encoder and verify the preview. Start streaming in OBS, then wait for the feed and preview in YouTube’s Live Control Room. Start the YouTube broadcast only after the preview and stream health are acceptable.
Rehearse, monitor and end the stream
For a scheduled event, YouTube advises configuring the stream at least two hours ahead and starting the encoder at least 15 minutes before the event. Use the rehearsal to check the opening, the audio/video sync, the loop boundary, audio audibility and YouTube’s stream-health indicators. YouTube live streaming tips
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- Keep OBS running and monitor the Live Control Room while the stream is live.
- Check that the audio remains audible and that the picture has not frozen or gone black.
- If you are also recording locally, check that the recording is being written as expected.
- When finished, end the broadcast in YouTube and then stop streaming in OBS.
YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. For a longer loop, do not assume one continuous broadcast will produce a complete archive; plan a stop-and-restart workflow if you need an archive with a defined duration. YouTube encoder setup
#1 Best Overall
Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen USB-C Audio Interface
- Pro performance with great pre-amps - Achieve a brighter recording thanks to the high performing mic pre-amps of the Scarlett 3rd Gen. A switchable Air mode will add extra clarity to your acoustic instruments when recording with your Solo 3rd Gen
- Get the perfect guitar and vocal take with - With two high-headroom instrument inputs to plug in your guitar or bass so that they shine through. Capture your voice and instruments without any unwanted clipping or distortion thanks to our Gain Halos
- Studio quality recording for your music & podcasts - Achieve pro sounding recordings with Scarlett 3rd Gen’s high-performance converters enabling you to record and mix at up to 24-bit/192kHz. Your recordings will retain all of their sonic qualities
- Low-noise for crystal clear listening - 2 low-noise balanced outputs provide clean audio playback with 3rd Gen. Hear all the nuances of your tracks or music from Spotify, Apple & Amazon Music. Plug-in headphones for private listening in high-fidelity
- Everything in the box: Includes Pro Tools Intro+, Ableton Live Lite, Cubase LE, and Hitmaker Expansion: a suite of essential effects, powerful software instruments, and easy-to-use mastering tools
Choose between separate loops, a playlist or one master file
Use two looping sources when the files can repeat independently
Each Media Source loops when its own playback ends. If the files have different durations, their loop points will not necessarily coincide; audio and picture may drift or restart at different moments. That follows from the independent per-source loop controls, rather than a YouTube synchronization guarantee. If exact synchronization at every repeat matters, align the durations or make a single synchronized master file before streaming. OBS Media Sources
Use a VLC playlist for a rotating sequence
For multiple video files that should play in sequence, OBS’s VLC Video source supports playlists and a Loop Playlist control. VLC must be installed for this source to appear in OBS. This is a playlist workflow, distinct from pairing one video with a separately looping audio-only file. OBS Media Sources
Rank #2
Focusrite Scarlett Solo 4th Gen USB-C Audio Interface
- 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
- 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
- Find your signature sound: Scarlett 4th Gen's improved Air mode lifts vocals and guitars to the front of the mix, adding musical presence and rich harmonic drive to your recordings
- All you need to record, mix and master your music: Includes industry-leading recording software and a full collection of record-making plugins
- Everything in the box: Includes Pro Tools Intro+, Ableton Live Lite, Cubase LE, and Hitmaker Expansion: a suite of essential effects, powerful software instruments, and easy-to-use mastering tools
Common problems and fixes
- No audio in the stream: Check that the audio Media Source is not muted, that its mixer meter moves during playback, and that OBS output audio is configured as intended. Confirm the Live Control Room preview before going live.
- Video or audio does not repeat: Reopen that source’s properties and verify Loop is enabled. Each source has its own setting.
- Picture and sound fall out of sync near a repeat: Compare the file durations. Independent loop boundaries can occur at different times; use matched durations or create a single synchronized file if repeat-level sync is essential.
- The preview is missing or the event does not receive OBS: Check that OBS is streaming to the correct event with the current stream URL and key, then inspect the Live Control Room’s preview and stream health. Reset a compromised key in YouTube Studio.
- Dropped frames or unstable stream health: Check sustained upload capacity and other network use. YouTube recommends upload bandwidth with 20% headroom over the stream bitrate; lower output settings if the connection cannot sustain the chosen rate.
- VLC source is unavailable: Install VLC, then reopen OBS and check the Sources menu for VLC Video.
Or let it run in the cloud
With StreamNeo, upload the recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. StreamNeo loops uploaded video from the cloud, so your computer and home connection do not have to stay on. It streams to YouTube, not from a camera or to other platforms.
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Quick Recap
Bestseller No. 1
Bestseller No. 2
Bestseller No. 4
Bestseller No. 5
Best Value
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen USB-C Audio Interface
- 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
- Find your signature sound: Air mode lifts vocals and guitars to the front of the mix, adding musical presence and rich harmonic drive to your recordings
- With Scarlett 4th Gen, you have all you need to record, mix and master your music: Includes industry-leading recording software and a full collection of record-making plugins
Rank #4
M-AUDIO M-Track Duo USB Audio Interface
- Podcast, Record, Live Stream, This Portable Audio Interface Covers it All - USB sound card for Mac or PC delivers 48kHz audio resolution for pristine recording every time
- Be ready for anything with this versatile M-AUDIO interface - Record guitar, vocals or line input signals with two combo XLR / Line / Instrument Inputs with phantom power
- Everything you Demand from an Audio Interface for Fuss-Free Monitoring - 1/4" headphone output and stereo 1/4" outputs for total monitoring flexibility; USB/Direct switch for zero latency monitoring
- Get the best out of your Microphones - M-Track Duo’s transparent Crystal Preamps guarantee optimal sound from all your microphones including condenser mics
- The MPC Production Experience - Includes MPC Beats Software complete with the essential production tools from Akai Professional
Rank #3
SABRENT USB External Stereo Sound Card Adapter, Plug & Play (AU-MMSA)
- PLUG IN AND HEAR SOUND IN SECONDS - USB Type-A connector with a 3.5mm stereo headphone output and a separate 3.5mm mono microphone input. No drivers, no software, no external power - the adapter is USB bus-powered and is recognized as a standard USB audio device.
- WORKS ON WINDOWS, MAC AND LINUX - Driverless on Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP/Server 2003/Vista/7/8, Linux and Mac OSX, and compliant with the USB Audio Device Class 1.0 specification, so any system that supports class-compliant USB audio will see it. Select it as the sound output and input device after plugging it in.
- 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.
- FOR LAPTOPS AND DESKTOPS THAT NEED AN AUDIO PORT BACK - Adds a headphone and mic port to a laptop, desktop, or mini PC whose onboard jack has failed or was never there. Managed and work-issued computers can block new USB audio devices by policy - check with your IT department before ordering for a company machine.
- SABRENT SUPPORT AND WARRANTY - What is in the box: one USB audio sound adapter. Backed by a 1-year limited warranty, extended to 2 years when you register within 90 days on the manufacturer's website.
- One flat price per slot for any uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps, with no re-encode or quality tiers.
- Automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream.
- The first day is free, with no card required; one free day per account.
- Monthly: $9.99 per month.
See StreamNeo or start the free first day.
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