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Find which source is clipping
In OBS, identify the mixer channel carrying the fireplace sound. It may be a live microphone or other device, a media source, desktop or application audio, or audio routed through hardware. Adjust only the channel carrying the problem.
The fix depends on the source. For a media source, inspect the recording and its playback level. For a live input, check the microphone or device, any interface or mixer, and its gain controls. OBS’s Audio Mixer Guide recommends tracing levels from the device toward OBS; it also notes that device controls vary and may require vendor software or the device manual.
Listen and check the OBS meter
Play a representative section of the fire sound, including its loudest crackles. Listen at the device or source monitor if available, then use OBS Audio Monitoring to hear what OBS receives. Watch the mixer meter and its peak indicator, which retains a recent peak so a brief transient is easier to spot.
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If distortion is audible in the original file or at the device before OBS, reduce that source’s level or investigate its recording and hardware path. If the source sounds clean but the OBS monitor distorts, check the controls between the source and the OBS mixer. Correct the earliest overloaded stage: turning down a later fader or limiting the output cannot restore detail already lost to clipping.
Lower gain in stages
- Check the source. For a recording, listen to the file itself and lower the media or playback level if it is too hot. For a live input, check the device’s physical gain where applicable.
- Check upstream controls. Review the operating-system device level and any application, interface, or mixer controls in the signal path. Make a small change, then listen and meter again in OBS.
- Balance in OBS. Once upstream levels are reasonable, adjust the affected source’s OBS mixer fader if you still need to change its level relative to the rest of the mix.
- Check the recording output. OBS identifies 0 dBFS as the digital maximum; audio above it in the final recording or stream clips. Its technical guide also describes -9 dBFS as a permitted-maximum reference in its meter discussion, not a fireplace-specific target or a destination-platform rule. Keep peaks below the digital ceiling and judge the result by listening to a recording.
There is no universal meter target for every fireplace track. The right level depends on the source and listening context; OBS’s mixer guidance distinguishes speech from background music and other content. Avoid turning the source down so far that the fire becomes inaudible, and do not raise it again just to chase a particular number.
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Use OBS filters only if needed
Open the affected source’s filters and add dynamics processing only after correcting excessive source or input gain. OBS’s Filters Guide lists audio filters including gain, noise suppression, and noise gate.
Compressor: reduce peaks above a threshold
A compressor reduces levels above its threshold and is typically placed near the beginning of the filter chain. OBS documents default values of a 10:1 ratio, -18 dB threshold, 6 ms attack, 60 ms release, and 0 dB output gain. These are filter defaults, not recommended fireplace settings. Adjust while listening and watching the gain reduction; heavy compression can make the ambience sound unnatural. See OBS’s Compressor Filter documentation.
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Limiter: catch peaks at the end
Place a limiter last in the filter chain so it can provide a final peak ceiling. OBS lists a default threshold of -6 dB and a 60 ms release; treat those as defaults, not guaranteed settings for your source. A limiter catches peaks at its output, but cannot undo distortion earlier in the chain. See OBS’s Limiter Filter documentation.
Gain, noise suppression, and gates
- Gain: Adding gain can make clipping worse. Use an OBS Gain filter only after diagnosing the signal and setting upstream levels.
- Noise suppression or noise gate: These are not clipping fixes. They can damage or chop off quiet fire sounds, so avoid microphone-oriented noise processing unless you have a specific problem it solves and have listened carefully to the result.
Record and verify before leaving the stream on
- Record a representative segment containing quiet ambience and the loudest crackles or transitions.
- Listen back to the recording, not just the live monitor. Check that the sound remains clean through both quiet and loud sections.
- If the source is stereo, confirm that left and right channels behave as expected.
- Make sure audio monitoring is not routed back into the stream in a way that creates a feedback loop.
For a 24/7 stream, observe the source long enough to hear its natural peaks before treating the setup as verified. Periodic checks can help catch a changed source or level, but OBS does not specify a required monitoring interval for this use.
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Troubleshoot by symptom
| What you hear or see | Likely place to check | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The source file already crackles when played outside OBS. | The recording or playback path. | Inspect the file and reduce playback level if that is the overloaded stage. A downstream OBS limiter cannot clean up distortion baked into the recording. |
| The device monitor distorts before the signal reaches OBS. | Device gain, interface, mixer, or other hardware. | Lower the relevant hardware gain and check device-specific controls or its manual. |
| The source sounds clean, but OBS monitoring distorts or the meter reaches the top. | Controls between the source and OBS, or the OBS source level. | Reduce levels in stages, then recheck the OBS meter and monitor. |
| Brief crackles clip even though the meter looks safe most of the time. | Short transients in the source. | Watch the peak indicator during loud sections, record a longer representative sample, and consider moderate compression followed by a final limiter. |
| The ambience disappears or sounds chopped after adding processing. | Noise suppression or a noise gate. | Disable the filter and listen again; these filters can remove quiet fire texture and do not solve clipping. |
| The stream sounds louder, but distortion remains after adding a limiter. | An earlier stage in the signal chain. | Find and lower the first stage that distorts. A limiter controls output peaks; it cannot repair already-clipped audio. |
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Quick Recap
Best Value
- 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
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