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To hear a source locally while streaming, select a monitoring device in OBS → Settings → Audio → Monitoring Device, then choose that source’s monitoring mode in Advanced Audio Properties. The right mode depends on how sound already reaches OBS: monitoring is a local listening route, and it does not by itself mean the source is included in the stream. Map the audio paths first, then verify the result with a rehearsal recording.
How OBS audio monitoring works
OBS monitoring sends audio from a source to a local output, such as a computer headphone jack or an interface’s headphone output. The stream mix is a separate route. Depending on the source and your setup, you may need to enable monitoring, stream output, or both.
For a church service, the distinction matters when OBS plays a pre-recorded video while the room’s soundboard or computer output is also being captured. If the same sound reaches OBS by two routes, viewers may hear it twice. Labels and behavior can vary with your operating system, OBS version, interface, and mixer, so treat the rehearsal recording—not a menu choice alone—as the final check.
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1. Map the existing signal paths
Before changing settings, write down how each sound reaches OBS and where the operator listens:
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- Do microphones and instruments enter OBS through a mixer or audio interface?
- Is computer playback captured as desktop or output audio?
- Does a media source in OBS play the pre-recorded video?
- Are headphones connected to the computer, interface, or a mixer/monitor output?
This map helps you choose a monitoring mode that fits the actual routing rather than accidentally adding a second capture path.
2. Choose the monitoring output device
- In OBS, open Settings → Audio.
- Find Monitoring Device and select the output the operator will use: for example, the computer’s headphone output, the interface’s headphone output, or a connected mixer/monitor output.
- Apply the setting and listen for monitored audio at that output.
Select an output that is physically connected to the operator’s listening point. Changing this setting selects where OBS plays monitored sources; it does not establish that those sources are in the outgoing stream.
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3. Choose a mode for each source
- In the OBS Audio Mixer, open the gear or options menu and choose Advanced Audio Properties.
- Find the relevant source, such as a media source or a VLC video source, and set its monitoring mode:
| Mode | What to use it for |
|---|---|
| Monitor Off | Do not send that source to the local monitoring output. |
| Monitor Only | Hear the source locally when another route already sends the same sound into OBS’s stream mix. Check that the source is in fact present in the mix. |
| Monitor and Output | Send the source to the local monitoring output and to OBS’s stream output. |
These modes describe routing, not a guarantee that your complete service mix is correct. A church-streaming forum answer dated May 13, 2020, gives the same practical distinction for a media source: use Monitor Only if OBS is already capturing the room or computer output carrying that audio; use Monitor and Output if OBS is not hearing that output elsewhere. That advice applies to the described signal path, so confirm your own routing with a recording.
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OBS can capture a device through global audio settings or through a scene-specific Audio Input Capture or Audio Output Capture source. Avoid selecting the same device in both places unless you have deliberately configured and checked that routing. OBS warns that configuring a device globally and adding it again as a scene source can cause echo.
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Audio Input/Output Capture sources are available on Windows and macOS. For Linux, OBS’s audio sources guidance directs users to ALSA or PulseAudio sources. Which capture method is appropriate depends on the platform and equipment; do not assume a setting from another operating system maps directly to yours.
Check levels, stereo routing, and the actual recording
Watch the meters while exercising the full mix
Speak into microphones, sing, play instruments, and run representative video playback while watching the OBS meters. OBS’s default channel configuration is stereo, so check left and right assignment: a source routed to one side by mistake can sound incomplete or unbalanced to viewers.
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The OBS meter guide describes 0 dBFS as the digital maximum and warns that audio at or above that ceiling can clip in a stream or recording. Keep peaks below 0 dBFS. The guide also describes -20 dBFS as its Alignment Level and -9 dBFS as its Permitted Maximum Level. These are references in OBS’s meter model, not universal loudness targets for every platform or a substitute for listening to the mix.
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The OBS Audio Mixer Guide dated April 3, 2026, says the peak indicator holds the loudest meter level over 20 seconds. Use that indicator to notice peaks, but remember that meters cannot tell you whether speech is understandable, music is balanced, or a source is doubled.
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Record and audition a rehearsal
- Run a representative service segment with the actual scene changes, microphones, instruments, and video playback cues.
- Record it in OBS using the setup you plan to use for the broadcast.
- Listen to the recording from beginning to end, including transitions and media playback.
- If audio is missing, doubled, one-sided, clipped, or unexpectedly quiet, revisit the source’s capture path and monitoring mode, then record and check another segment.
This check reveals what the recorded mix contains, including potential duplicate computer audio or missing media playback. OBS’s official Audio Mixer Guide recommends recording a session as usual and listening back before going live.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common monitoring problems and fixes
| What you notice | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| You hear an echo or doubled playback in the recording. | The same device or sound may be entering OBS through more than one path—for example, a scene capture plus a global device, or a media source plus captured desktop audio. | Trace the signal paths. Remove an accidental duplicate capture or choose the monitoring mode that matches the route already feeding the stream. Verify with another recording. |
| The operator hears a source, but it is missing from the recording. | It may be monitored locally without being sent to OBS’s stream output, or a different source may be included than expected. | Check the source’s mode in Advanced Audio Properties and confirm its presence in a test recording. |
| The source appears in the recording but the operator cannot hear it. | The monitoring device may be set to the wrong output, or the source may be set to Monitor Off. | Check Settings → Audio → Monitoring Device, confirm the selected output is connected, and inspect the source’s monitoring mode. |
| Sound comes through only the left or right side. | The source or output may have an unexpected channel assignment. | Check OBS’s stereo channel configuration and listen to a recording through the same kind of playback setup viewers will use. |
| Peaks sound harsh or distorted. | The digital signal may be reaching or exceeding 0 dBFS. | Lower the relevant source or mix level so peaks stay below 0 dBFS, then make and listen to another test recording. |
Build monitoring checks into a continuous-stream preflight
A continuous stream needs a repeatable check before broadcast, especially when scenes or media playback change. Keep a short preflight list beside the streaming workstation:
- Confirm the selected monitoring device is the output the operator will actually use.
- Check each important source’s monitoring mode and verify which route puts it into the stream mix.
- Look for duplicate global and scene-level device captures.
- Exercise microphones, music, and playback while watching the meters.
- Record and listen to a representative rehearsal before going live.
These steps verify the configured audio paths; they do not guarantee that a long-running stream will remain available or that every operating system, interface, and mixer will behave identically.
Or let it run in the cloud
OBS monitoring is the do-it-yourself choice when you need to hear a live church service’s microphones, instruments, or computer playback. StreamNeo is different: it loops videos you upload to a YouTube channel, so it is not a camera or live-room-audio monitoring tool. If your continuous stream is based on uploaded recordings or a playlist, you can upload the video, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. Nothing has to stay on at home; StreamNeo sends the uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, and automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly: $9.99 per month. See StreamNeo or start the free day.
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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.
