Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
To hear your ASMR microphone in OBS while viewers hear it too, set the monitoring device in Settings > Audio > Advanced, then open Edit > Advanced Audio Properties and enable monitoring for the source without muting it from the output. Do not select Monitor Only (mute output) for audio that belongs in the live mix: that setting lets you hear the source but mutes it for viewers.
How OBS audio monitoring works
OBS monitoring is a local listen-back route: it plays a source through the monitoring device you choose. It is separate from the mixer meter, which shows signal level but does not let you hear how the source sounds. For a live ASMR microphone, the goal is usually to send its audio both to your headphones for monitoring and to the OBS output mix for YouTube.
OBS interface labels can vary by version. In Advanced Audio Properties, choose the mode that enables monitoring while keeping the source in the output mix; the interface may call this Monitoring Enabled. Monitor Only (mute output) is the audience-muted mode. Use it only when you specifically want to hear a source locally while excluding it from the stream mix. Monitor Off disables local monitoring.
Set up monitoring in OBS
- Choose where monitored audio plays. Open Settings > Audio > Advanced and select the intended headphones or other listening output under Monitoring Device. Confirm that the selected device is connected and that you can hear other audio through it.
- Choose the microphone’s monitoring mode. Open Edit > Advanced Audio Properties. Find the live microphone and any other ASMR sources you want to hear. Select the mode that enables monitoring while retaining the source in the output mix. Avoid Monitor Only (mute output) for a source viewers need to hear.
- Check the stream audio track. In Advanced Audio Properties, confirm that each required source is assigned to the audio track used by your stream. A source can be audible in your local monitor yet absent from the stream if it is not included on the relevant output track.
- Prevent duplicate capture. Check both Settings > Audio and the sources in your scene. Capturing the same device globally and again as a scene source can create an echo. Remove the unintended duplicate route rather than trying to fix it by changing the monitoring mode.
- Listen, record, and review. Speak or make the quiet sounds you expect to use during the stream. Listen through the configured monitoring device, watch the mixer meters as a basic signal check, and make a short local recording. Play it back and check for clipping, unwanted noise, echo, and whether quiet details are actually audible. Meter readings alone do not establish how loud or clear the audio will seem to a listener.
- Test the YouTube stream before the long session. Run a test with audio and movement similar to the planned broadcast. Check the Live Control Room preview and stream health, and verify the sound from the viewer-facing output. During the event, keep checking audio and video quality rather than assuming a successful initial setup will remain trouble-free.
Audio settings for YouTube are separate from monitoring
Monitoring controls where you hear OBS sources; they do not set the stream’s encoding format or improve the source by themselves. YouTube’s encoder guidance lists AAC or MP3 audio, 44.1 kHz, and 128 kbps for stereo audio. These are general encoder recommendations, not ASMR-specific performance targets or monitoring settings. Follow the current guidance in YouTube’s help documentation and confirm that your encoder is configured accordingly.
#1 Best Overall
- 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
The official guidance cited here does not establish a universal monitoring delay, ideal ASMR loudness, preferred microphone, or hardware setup that applies to every operating system. Check the labels and behavior in your installed OBS version, and judge the result with a representative recording and stream test.
Fix common monitoring problems
- You can hear the mic, but viewers cannot. The source may be set to Monitor Only (mute output) or may not be assigned to the stream’s audio track. Choose the mode that retains output and check the track assignment.
- Viewers hear the mic, but you do not. Confirm the intended device is selected under Settings > Audio > Advanced > Monitoring Device, then check that monitoring is enabled for the source in Advanced Audio Properties and that the listening device is working.
- The mic echoes or sounds doubled. Look for the same device captured both globally in Settings > Audio and as a scene source. Remove the duplicate capture route, then make a new test recording.
- The meters move, but the recording sounds wrong. A meter is only a level check. Listen through OBS and review a recording; check the mic signal, source routing, and the output track instead of relying on meter activity alone.
- The local recording sounds fine, but the YouTube preview does not. Verify the source’s output-track assignment and the stream’s audio configuration, then test again in YouTube’s Live Control Room. Local monitoring by itself does not prove the audience is receiving the same mix.
Or let it run in the cloud
If the recording is already made and you want a continuous YouTube stream without leaving OBS or a computer running at home, StreamNeo is a cloud option for looping uploaded videos. Upload the recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It plays uploaded video, not a live camera feed, and audio monitoring in OBS is still the relevant workflow when you are producing the live mix yourself.
Rank #2
- 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
- Nothing at home has to stay on for the cloud stream to continue.
- Each slot streams the uploaded quality as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot rather than quality tiers.
- It automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream.
- The first day is free with no card required; one free day is available per account.
Monthly: $9.99 per month. Start a StreamNeo free day.
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteQuick 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
- 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
- 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
- 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.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
