To mix audio in OBS, balance each source at its device and application first, then adjust OBS mixer faders while monitoring and listening. Add filters only to solve a specific problem: use a compressor to control changing loudness, a limiter to catch peaks, noise suppression for mild background noise, and a compatible VST2 plugin when you need equalization. Record a typical session and listen back before streaming.
1. Set up and balance your sources
Open OBS Studio and look at the Audio Mixer to identify the microphone, game, music, and other active inputs. Start upstream: adjust the microphone or mixer itself, then check operating-system volume and the individual application’s audio controls. OBS’s Audio Mixer Guide says, “Always start at the device in question.” Device behavior varies, so consult its documentation if a control behaves unexpectedly. Once those sources are in a sensible range, use the OBS faders to make the final balance. See the OBS Audio Mixer Guide (published April 3, 2026).
Use meters as a guide, not a loudness verdict
OBS describes its mixer meters as green, yellow, and red zones. Its broad guidance is for speech to reach the lower end of red, gameplay or other content to sit in yellow, and background music or alert effects to remain in green. These are not universal targets: meter readings do not always match perceived loudness, and the right relationship depends on your sources and listening context. Monitor the audio in OBS and judge by listening as well as watching the meters.
Check monitoring and channel routing
If your microphone or mixer has a headphone output, listen there while setting its input level. Then listen to the signal in OBS using Audio Monitoring. Check that a stereo source reaches both channels: if only the first channel is active, listeners may hear it only on the left unless you downmix it. The OBS Audio Mixer Guide covers monitoring and channel behavior.
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2. Add filters for specific problems
OBS audio filters are available through the relevant source or device’s filter controls. The built-in options include Gain, Expander, Compressor, Limiter, Noise Gate, Noise Suppression, and Invert Polarity; a VST 2.x Plugin filter provides a route to third-party processing. The OBS Filters Guide describes the available filter types. Avoid stacking filters without a reason: each should address an audible problem.
Compressor: control changing levels
A compressor reduces louder portions above a threshold. It can help when a microphone is generally well set but sometimes gets much louder. OBS recommends placing it at or near the beginning of a filter chain. The official filter’s documented defaults are ratio 10:1, threshold -18 dB, attack 6 ms, release 60 ms, and output gain 0 dB; these are interface defaults, not guaranteed voice settings. Adjust by listening rather than assuming the defaults suit your microphone. See the OBS Compressor Filter documentation.
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Compressor ducking: lower desktop audio under speech
To make game or music audio dip when you speak, put a compressor on the desktop-audio source and set the microphone as its sidechain source. OBS gives this as a starting example: ratio 32:1, threshold -36 dB, attack 100 ms, release 600 ms, and output gain 0 dB. The threshold determines when ducking begins; attack and release affect how quickly it starts and recovers. Treat these values as a starting recommendation and tune them by ear so the background does not pump unnaturally or remain too loud. Details are in the OBS Compressor Filter documentation.
Limiter: catch peaks at the end
A limiter sets a ceiling for peaks that might otherwise exceed a chosen level. OBS recommends placing it last in the filter chain. Its documented default threshold is -6 dB, with a 60 ms release. A limiter is a final safeguard, not a substitute for sensible input gain, a balanced mix, or a recording check. See the OBS Limiter Filter documentation.
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Noise suppression: reduce mild background noise
OBS’s built-in suppression targets mild noise such as fan noise; it is not a fix for a very noisy room. RNNoise is described as higher quality but more CPU-intensive, while Speex is configurable. The documented Speex suppression default is -30 dB. Stronger suppression can distort the voice, so compare the processed sound with the original and back off if speech becomes unnatural. See the OBS Noise Suppression Filter documentation.
3. Equalize in OBS with a compatible VST2 plugin
OBS’s filter guide does not list a native parametric equalizer. To use EQ, add the VST 2.x Plugin filter to the audio source and select a compatible VST2 equalizer installed on your system. This route offers EQ control, but adds compatibility and CPU considerations; it is optional, not required for a clear mix.
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The OBS VST documentation says this filter supports VST2, not VST3. It also lists VST1.x, MIDI control/input, and shell VST plugins as unsupported by this filter. Individual plugins can crash OBS or use substantial CPU. Back up your OBS settings before experimenting, and verify that a plugin works in your setup. OBS names REAPER ReaPlugs and Melda Production as plugins used while developing and testing VST support in its environments; that is not a guarantee of current availability or compatibility with every system. See the OBS VST 2.x Plugin Filter documentation and its Plugins Guide.
There is no universal EQ curve established by OBS’s guidance. What helps depends on the microphone, room, voice, and other sources in the mix. Make small changes while monitoring, then compare the result with an unprocessed version at a similar listening level. If the EQ makes speech less clear or natural, remove or reduce the change.
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4. Choose the right processing tool
| Tool | Best suited to | Key trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Compressor | Reducing variation when a source gets louder than usual; can also duck desktop audio under speech. | Threshold and timing need adjustment; over-compression can make the mix sound unnatural. |
| Limiter | Catching occasional peaks above a ceiling. | It does not balance the mix or correct a poor input level. |
| RNNoise suppression | Mild background noise where higher-quality suppression is preferred. | OBS describes it as more CPU-intensive. |
| Speex suppression | Mild background noise where a configurable option is useful. | Stronger suppression can distort speech; its documented default is -30 dB. |
| Native OBS filters | Common level control, dynamics, and noise-suppression tasks using OBS’s built-in filters. | OBS’s filter guide does not list a native parametric EQ. |
| VST2 equalizer | Adding EQ control through a third-party plugin. | VST2 support does not mean VST3 support; plugins may be incompatible, crash, or use substantial CPU. |
These distinctions follow the compressor, limiter, noise-suppression, and VST filter documentation.
5. Record and review before going live
- Monitor each source in OBS while speaking, playing typical game audio, or running the music and alerts you plan to use.
- Make a short recording of a representative session using your intended mix and filters.
- Listen to the recorded file, not only the live monitoring signal. Check speech clarity, game and music balance, left-right routing, distortion, and whether ducking or suppression sounds distracting.
- If a level is wrong, adjust the source or OBS fader; if a specific processing problem remains, adjust or remove that filter. Record again and compare.
A test recording reveals what the output actually sounds like and helps catch problems that a meter alone cannot. The balance should suit your microphone, room, game, music, and audience; OBS does not prescribe one EQ curve for every setup.
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