Audio Monitoring causes a loop that keeps getting louder.

[Ludonarrian]

I am new to recording with a mic and headset combo, and I would like to be able to hear what my mic hears in real time so I can adjust settings on my mixer to make things sound better. I tried using the Monitor and Output setting, but the audio keeps repeating and getting louder each time. How do I fix this?

Thank you.

 

[hyperreal]

You need to examine your signal path and figure out where the feedback loop happens. Try drawing a block diagram if it helps you to visualize your setup and routing.
Also, read this post.

 

[Ludonarrian]

I'm sorry, but I am very new to this and that made no sense to me. I have a headset and mic combo plugged into a mixer and the mixer is plugged into my computer via USB. The audio input capture is set for my mixer. Settings > Audio > Advanced > Monitoring Device is set to the headphones. Disable Windows audio ducking is checked and Low Latency Audio Buffering mode is not checked.

 

[SpacemanSteeeeve]

are you using OBS's monitoring (in the settings menu) or are you using the Audio Monitor plugin? Depending on which you're using, you'll be using a radically different audio setup. also, notably, Mac and Windows have very different audio setups.. more info may help, if you can elaborate (Headset used, any audio plugins, screenshots etc.)

 

[Ludonarrian]

I believe I am using the monitoring in the gear button in the audio mixer window. Using Windows 11, a Debra SI-4UX mixing console, the Audio-Technica BPHS1 Broadcast Stereo Headset with dynamic cardioid boom mic. The headset has a cable that splits and one plugs into the 3-pin XLRM and one plugs into the 1/4" headphone jack. The mixer is plugged into the laptop with a male to male USB cord. The FX on the mixer are muted. In the audio mixer window of OBS is just the Audio Input Capture. In the File > Settings > Audio > Global Audio Devices all are disabled. File > Settings > Audio > General the Sample Rate is 44.1 kHz and the Channels are set to Stereo. in File > Settings > Audio > Advanced the Monitoring Device is set to the Speakers (SI-4UX audio) with the Disable Windows audio ducking checked and the Low Latency buffering mode is unchecked. Is there any other info that will help? Thank you.

 

[Ludonarrian]

Can anyone help?

 

[hyperreal]

In the screenshot, you have your audio interface set as the monitoring device.
This means that you are outputting audio from OBS to the audio interface.
If you then have the same audio interface set as an input device - whether it's a global input or an Audio Capture source - you are sending the audio back to OBS, creating a feedback loop.

You need to somehow separate your monitor output from your main output.

To be honest, the audio interface you have seems like a very sketchy piece of gear. It has an output pair labeled as monitor out, but looking at pictures of the unit, I can't see anything suggesting you could actually make a separate monitor mix or choose whether you're listening to main mix or monitor mix. So unless it's something done via software, there's no way to make a separate monitor mix on the SI-4UX.

Here are the options I would consider:
1. Connect the headphones directly to your PC and use your motherboard's audi output as the monitorind device. This is the easiest solution but might induce more latency to your monitored signal, so it could be distracting.
2. Purchase a separate headphone amplifier and connect it to the monitor outputs on the SI-4UX. This is an expensive workaround and not guaranteed to work ideally.
3. Try to solve the problem using a virtual audio device like VB-Cable. This can be pretty complicated but probably doable if you're willing to learn.
4. Buy another audio interface (from a reputable brand) with a dedicated monitor bus and monitoring submix. This the most expensive option but also guaranteed to serve many different use cases. The Soundcraft Notepad series could be suitable. Even the cheapest one allows you to route the incoming USB audio to the monitoring bus only and the headphone out has a switch to choose between main out and monitoring.

 

[Ludonarrian]

In the screenshot, you have your audio interface set as the monitoring device.
This means that you are outputting audio from OBS to the audio interface.
If you then have the same audio interface set as an input device - whether it's a global input or an Audio Capture source - you are sending the audio back to OBS, creating a feedback loop.

You need to somehow separate your monitor output from your main output.

To be honest, the audio interface you have seems like a very sketchy piece of gear. It has an output pair labeled as monitor out, but looking at pictures of the unit, I can't see anything suggesting you could actually make a separate monitor mix or choose whether you're listening to main mix or monitor mix. So unless it's something done via software, there's no way to make a separate monitor mix on the SI-4UX.

Here are the options I would consider:
1. Connect the headphones directly to your PC and use your motherboard's audi output as the monitorind device. This is the easiest solution but might induce more latency to your monitored signal, so it could be distracting.
2. Purchase a separate headphone amplifier and connect it to the monitor outputs on the SI-4UX. This is an expensive workaround and not guaranteed to work ideally.
3. Try to solve the problem using a virtual audio device like VB-Cable. This can be pretty complicated but probably doable if you're willing to learn.
4. Buy another audio interface (from a reputable brand) with a dedicated monitor bus and monitoring submix. This the most expensive option but also guaranteed to serve many different use cases. The Soundcraft Notepad series could be suitable. Even the cheapest one allows you to route the incoming USB audio to the monitoring bus only and the headphone out has a switch to choose between main out and monitoring.

I have the monitoring device set as the audio interface so the sound comes out in my headphones. I don't use the Monitor out jacks. I plug the headphones into the headphone jack.

I can't attach the head phones to my laptop because it doesn't have a 1/4 inch jack. Is it possible to get a converter that will work?

I got this audio interface so that I can have options for High, Mid, and Low EQ.

Thank you for the advice.

 

[Ludonarrian]

I got the SI4-UX because all the other ones I wanted had nothing in stock.

 

[hyperreal]

I have the monitoring device set as the audio interface so the sound comes out in my headphones. I don't use the Monitor out jacks. I plug the headphones into the headphone jack.

In most cases this is exactly the way you should do it - if you had a separate monitoring bus. But since your audio interface does not appear to provide one, you're creating a feedback loop. You're sending the main mix to computer and returning the signal from OBS to be monitored - but instead of the signal being monitored using a separate monitoring bus, it's just routed to the main mix.
And since your main mix is being sent to OBS, you have a feedback loop.

I can't attach the head phones to my laptop because it doesn't have a 1/4 inch jack. Is it possible to get a converter that will work?

Yes, there are plenty of adapters to choose from.
However, I'd recommend you avoid the cheapest ones that are just small plastic plugs. They are prone to bending or even snapping, and can put a lot of strain on your laptop's headphone jack.
Instead get an adapter cable. It minimizes any strain and also they come in many lengths.
See the attached pictures to see what I mean.
If you can pay a bit extra, definitely choose a cable that has removable metal shields on the plugs. If the connections inside fail, they can be resoldered. Any electronics repair shop can do it, it's a cheap 5-10 minute job.
If the plug is plastic and it fails, it usually needs to be replaced, and that costs more and creates unnecessary e-waste.

I got this audio interface so that I can have options for High, Mid, and Low EQ.

Well, it serves those needs at least. But like I said it seems sketchy, and even the company website just gives weird vibes. I hope the unit is safe to operate.
In future, if you need cheap gear, just buy Behringer.

 

[Ludonarrian]

I figured out a solution. I plugged some small headphones into my laptop and made them the output device and I am able to wear both headphones and hear myself without any issues other than the audio sounds a little slower that how I speak, but there is barely any lag between when I talk and when I hear it. had to turn the monitoring setting dB up to 26 so I could hear my voice over my actual voice.

I was going to buy Behringer, but they didn't have any in stock. Thank you for the advice. I will probably look into the adaptor cable at at a later date. Thank you for all your help and advice.

 

[Ludonarrian]

Well that fixed on problem, and created another. I've found how to hear myself when I speak, but now I can't seem to record anything without both my mic audio and my desktop audio being on the same track.

The Audio Input Capture is set to my mic and the Audio Output Capture is set to my laptop headphones. If I go into the Advanced Audio Properties and change either of the Audio Captures to anything except Channel 1, that audio won't come through in the recording. That may be fine for tutorials, but not if I want to record gameplay with my voice.

All of the Global Audio Devices in File > Settings > Audio are disabled and the Monitoring Device in File > Settings > Audio > Advanced is set to default. The problem is still there if I set that to the headphones for the laptop.

What other info can I give you? Thank you.

 

[Ludonarrian]

Would you consider this a good cable? Not as easy as I thought to find one.

https://www.amazon.com/MillSO-Instrument-Headphone-Adapter-Amplifier/dp/B09B77Z5MQ/ref=sr_1_54_sspa?keywords=1%2F4%2Binch%2Bto%2B3.5mm%2Badapter%2Bcable%2Bmetal&qid=1679948498&s=aht&sr=1-54-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEySEZUT0xTN0VTWTFHJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzEyMDI2VEVWTDU1WEhXR1hJJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA2MDk4ODhOTzExMTkzOEk1REkmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9idGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl&th=1

 

[AaronD]

I can't seem to record anything without both my mic audio and my desktop audio being on the same track.

If I go into the Advanced Audio Properties and change either of the Audio Captures to anything except Channel 1, that audio won't come through in the recording.

The Track selection in the Advanced Audio Properties, goes with the Track selection in the Advanced Output mode. You can choose that at the top of Settings -> Output. Then you can choose which one Track to stream, and which Track(s) to record, along with a bunch of other options for exactly *how* you want to stream and/or record.

You mix things into each Track, using the Advanced Audio Properties, but the Tracks do not mix with each other. You can only stream one Track anyway, so that's a non-issue, and if you record multiple Tracks, you actually get that many separate Tracks in the file, not mixed. If you play that recording in VLC or any other player that lets you select alternative audio, you'll see those other Tracks.

Would you consider this a good cable? Not as easy as I thought to find one.

https://www.amazon.com/MillSO-Instrument-Headphone-Adapter-Amplifier/dp/B09B77Z5MQ/ref=sr_1_54_sspa?keywords=1%2F4%2Binch%2Bto%2B3.5mm%2Badapter%2Bcable%2Bmetal&qid=1679948498&s=aht&sr=1-54-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEySEZUT0xTN0VTWTFHJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzEyMDI2VEVWTDU1WEhXR1hJJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA2MDk4ODhOTzExMTkzOEk1REkmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9idGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl&th=1

Looks good to me. I'm surprised it was hard to find at all. Amazon seems to have everything in almost every combination, useful or not.
(Chinese market-chasers seem to have an awful lot in common with poorly-trained AI, in the sense of what they come up with)

 

[Ludonarrian]

I found the menu you were talking about, but I still can't figure out how to make it work. I've tried a few things and I still have the issue where I can't hear the desktop audio or me speaking. I am so new to this that I don't know what I don't know and now my head hurts. Thank you for the help.

 

[Ludonarrian]

Thank you for the advice about the converter cable. If you search "1/4 inch to 3.5mm adapter cable metal" on Amazon you don't just get this, you get 3.5mm to 3.5mm extenders, 1/4" to 1/4" extenders, 1/4" to two 3.5mm, etc.

 

[AaronD]

I found the menu you were talking about, but I still can't figure out how to make it work. I've tried a few things and I still have the issue where I can't hear the desktop audio or me speaking. I am so new to this that I don't know what I don't know and now my head hurts. Thank you for the help.

The settings that you show there, will stream the Input Capture by itself and record the Output Capture by itself.

• If you want to stream both, but record only the Output Capture, then you can put them both in Track 1, and only the Output Capture in Track 2. Stream Track 1 and record Track 2, as you are already.
• If you want to stream only the Input Capture, but record both together, then you can put only the Input Capture in Track 1, and both in Track 2. Stream Track 1 and record Track 2, as you are already.
• If you want to stream only the Input Capture, but record both separately, then you can keep the Track assignments separate as you have them. Stream Track 1 and record both Tracks.
• If you want to stream both together, and record both together, then you can put them both in Track 1, and ignore the other Tracks. Stream and record Track 1 only.
  • At that point, since the stream and recording are the same, you can use the stream encoder for the recording also, which cuts that load in half. Instead of encoding twice - once for each destination - it only encodes once, and sends that stream to both places.
    The tradeoff is that you can't make them different at all: both content and quality are necessarily identical.

Thank you for the advice about the converter cable. If you search "1/4 inch to 3.5mm adapter cable metal" on Amazon you don't just get this, you get 3.5mm to 3.5mm extenders, 1/4" to 1/4" extenders, 1/4" to two 3.5mm, etc.

Okay, there's that. Like I said about market-chasers and AI, it also applies to the titles, descriptions, and everything else. If it tricks people into buying the wrong thing, that's still a reward for the thing that they bought and how it was presented.

 

[hyperreal]

I plugged some small headphones into my laptop and made them the output device and I am able to wear both headphones and hear myself without any issues other than the audio sounds a little slower that how I speak

Do you mean it sounds pitched down and/or stretched out? This would suggest a sample rate mismatch between your audio devices and it will cause you problems while recording. Check in Windows audio settings that your output device is using the same sample rate as your audio interface.

 

[Ludonarrian]

The settings that you show there, will stream the Input Capture by itself and record the Output Capture by itself.

• If you want to stream both, but record only the Output Capture, then you can put them both in Track 1, and only the Output Capture in Track 2. Stream Track 1 and record Track 2, as you are already.
• If you want to stream only the Input Capture, but record both together, then you can put only the Input Capture in Track 1, and both in Track 2. Stream Track 1 and record Track 2, as you are already.
• If you want to stream only the Input Capture, but record both separately, then you can keep the Track assignments separate as you have them. Stream Track 1 and record both Tracks.
• If you want to stream both together, and record both together, then you can put them both in Track 1, and ignore the other Tracks. Stream and record Track 1 only.
  • At that point, since the stream and recording are the same, you can use the stream encoder for the recording also, which cuts that load in half. Instead of encoding twice - once for each destination - it only encodes once, and sends that stream to both places.
    The tradeoff is that you can't make them different at all: both content and quality are necessarily identical.

Okay, there's that. Like I said about market-chasers and AI, it also applies to the titles, descriptions, and everything else. If it tricks people into buying the wrong thing, that's still a reward for the thing that they bought and how it was presented.

I am honestly not sure what terms apply to what I want to do. I think I understand, but let me just tell you what I would like.

1) For tutorials I want to record my screen and my voice, which should be easy. Video and one track of audio.
2) For tutorial streams I will want to record my screen, my voice, and maybe a separate audio track for music. I would want both of the audios on separate tracks so I can adjust them as needed.
3) Then there will be gameplay videos. For that I will be doing both PC gaming and console gaming. I will want the capture from the console video (and that will have the game audio with it I would think), and my voice on another channel. That way I can adjust them separately in Premiere Pro as needed.
3a) For PC gaming I would capture the screen and the game audio and have my voice on a separate track.
4) They will probably be gameplay streams as well with the same goals as 3 and 3a, but with the idea being the ability to adjust in real time.

Thank you.

 

[Ludonarrian]

Do you mean it sounds pitched down and/or stretched out? This would suggest a sample rate mismatch between your audio devices and it will cause you problems while recording. Check in Windows audio settings that your output device is using the same sample rate as your audio interface.

I mean what I hear in my ears sounds slowed down and almost drunk. When I record without monitoring and listen to it after, it sounds just fine. I will check the sample rate. Thank you.