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First find out where the audio disappears: at the ambience file’s loop point, between OBS and YouTube, or only on one viewer’s device. Those are different problems. Check the OBS source’s loop and audio-track settings, then compare OBS’s audio meter, your local monitoring, and the actual YouTube playback before changing codecs or rebuilding the stream.
Find out where the audio stops
During the next loop, check whether viewers hear silence in the YouTube live playback or archive, or whether the problem is only in your headphones or speakers. Watch the relevant OBS audio meter at the same time. A moving meter or audible local monitoring does not prove that YouTube is receiving the audio; a 2025 OBS forum report describes audio audible in OBS but missing from the stream (OBS forum discussion).
- Silence begins at the file or playlist boundary: inspect the source’s loop setting, audio track, and media arrangement.
- OBS shows audio, but YouTube does not: check the source’s stream routing and verify with a controlled test.
- Only one viewer hears silence: test playback on another device or connection before changing the broadcast setup.
- Audio repeats or echoes instead of stopping: look for a monitoring feedback path.
Note exactly when it fails: at the loop boundary, after a scene transition, or only on a particular playback device. Change one setting at a time so you can identify which change matters.
Check the OBS source and its loop settings
For an OBS Media Source
Open the Media Source properties and check Loop. OBS describes this option as replaying the file after playback completes. Confirm that the source points to the intended ambience file and that the audio is part of that file if you expect the video and sound to loop together. OBS’s documentation does not promise gapless or glitch-free audio for every file or format (OBS Project: Media Sources).
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For a VLC Video Source playlist
Open the VLC Video Source properties. Check Loop Playlist and confirm the intended Audio Track is selected. The loop option is enabled by default according to OBS documentation, but inspect the actual source settings rather than relying on the default. VLC must be installed for VLC Video Source to be available in OBS; as OBS puts it, “It requires that VLC be installed on your system to show up as an available source in OBS Studio.”
If video loops but sound does not
Determine whether the sound is embedded in the ambience video or comes from another source or playlist item. If audio is separate, check that source’s playback and loop behavior independently. Do not assume the visible video and audible track are aligned just because they appear together on screen.
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Verify that audio reaches the YouTube output
If you can hear the source locally but YouTube is silent, treat monitoring and stream output as separate checks. Inspect how the source is routed to the stream output, then make a short test recording or private/unlisted stream and listen to the result. A local monitor setting controls what you hear; it does not by itself verify what the stream contains.
- Play the ambience file through the point where it loops.
- Watch the source’s audio meter in OBS as playback reaches the boundary.
- Listen to the actual YouTube output from another device, or review the test recording, rather than relying only on OBS monitoring.
- If the meter remains active but the output is silent, check routing and repeat the test after changing one relevant setting.
If the issue persists, record your OBS version, operating system, source type, media format, routing settings, and whether the live playback or archive is affected. Include an OBS log when seeking help; the cause cannot be identified reliably without those setup details.
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Rule out monitoring feedback if audio repeats
If the symptom is repeated or echoing audio rather than silence, close the YouTube stream playback on the streaming computer while diagnosing. Also check whether OBS monitoring and desktop capture use the same device, which can create a feedback path. OBS forum guidance identifies both as possible causes of continuously looping desktop audio, but this community advice does not establish the cause of silence at a media loop point (OBS forum discussion).
Check the viewer’s YouTube playback
If the transmitted output is intact but one viewer hears no sound, test on another supported device or connection. YouTube Help recommends trying another connection or device and troubleshooting the app or software; it also notes that network congestion can affect live programming. Depending on the viewer’s setup, useful checks include restarting or updating the app or device, clearing the app cache, switching networks, and manually adjusting playback quality. These checks help isolate viewer-side problems; they will not explain a source that stops at the same loop boundary for everyone (YouTube Help: Troubleshoot streaming & video issues).
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Test file or version differences carefully
Historical OBS issue reports describe an audio-only Media Source monitoring problem in a particular setup and an AAC file that reportedly failed to loop while remuxed M4A/MP4 files worked in that setup. These reports are leads for controlled testing, not proof that current OBS versions share the same defect or that converting a file will fix your stream (OBS issue #3806; OBS issue #6715).
If you test a remuxed or alternate file, preserve the original and compare the results using the same source and routing. Record the OBS version and whether the audio fails in local playback, the test recording, or YouTube. Change only one variable at a time; otherwise, a successful test will not show what fixed the problem.
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Keep a 24/7 YouTube ambience stream running without a home computer
For an ambience stream that must keep running while your computer is off, StreamNeo keeps uploaded videos looping from the cloud. It is YouTube-only and plays uploaded videos rather than broadcasting a live camera. It comes first as an alternative to a locally maintained setup because it runs continuously from the cloud, supports any uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, and offers a free first day.
Or let it run in the cloud
- Upload your recording or build a playlist.
- Add your YouTube stream key once.
- Go live; StreamNeo loops the video from the cloud.
Nothing has to stay on at home; there are no OBS or home-connection requirements for the stream to keep running. Every slot supports uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one price, and StreamNeo automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly billing is $9.99 per month. See StreamNeo or its plans, then start your free day.
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