Question / Help Audio streamed through OBS sounds tinny on Twitch

[Noahsarcade84]

By "tinny", I mean it sounds like all of the low-end frequencies are not being present in the stream audio. No bass, it sounds like AM radio.

I am using VirtualDJ on an MSI laptop. Realtek soundcard.

I am able to stream directly out of VirtualDJ to Twitch without this issue.

I have checked that the format is set to 48000 on the sound card, in VirtualDJ, and in OBS. I have also tried it at 44100, with no change. I also played a track in VLC and had the same issue (when I listened to it through Twitch). I even uninstalled Twitch and deleted my user settings and did a fresh install to make sure I didn't change some obscure setting.

However, when I recorded video in OBS, the audio in the file didn't have the same issue. It seems to be something happening between OBS and Twitch.

Does anyone have any ideas? Thank you for your help!

 

[Noahsarcade84]

Edit: SOLVED! (kinda)
I plugged an aux cable in to my headphone jack, and a few seconds later (stream delay) the audio playing from Twitch was perfect. I'm not 100% sure why, but here's my theory.

The MSI laptop I own has a little mini "subwoofer" built in. The "speakers properties" menu even has separate volume bars for "front speakers" and "internal subwoofer". So what must have been happening is that the audio was being rendered in 2.1, and a low-pass filter was being applied automatically the the L and R channels (and the low end was being sent to the internal subwoofer), then L and R channels were being broadcast to Twitch.

But, when I plug something into the headphone jack, the internal soundcard stopped playing "Desktop Audio" and 2.1 and the entire signal was being sent over both channels, instantly changing the AM radio sound to full range.

I probably uninstalled something when I first got the laptop that would allow me to change those settings, since I still can't find any way to adjust that. For now, I'm just making sure I have something in the headphones when I stream.

 

[Monsterpappsen]

This made my day and solved an issue I have had for several years! Thank you!
When you think about it it is totally logical, just not easy to figure out.
For me what happens is that since I use a lightweight laptop (Surface Pro 3) for streaming, the audio drivers while using the speakers are optimised for those tiny speakers to sound the best they can. Hence the manufacturer are adding audio filters that take away the freq that would not sound good. When plugging in headphones, those filters no longer are applied, since they do not care how it sounds in your headphones and give you full spectrum.
Would not have figured it out without you doing so before me, so thank you again =)

 

[AaronD]

For the OP's issue, I'd say that someone botched the audio design on that machine. Probably at the driver level, or wherever the stereo -> 2.1 crossover is. The "final output" tap should have been before that, but they put it after. Likewise for any "speaker correction" EQ.

Good to know. And two more cases of "consumer candy" causing problems for serious production. Anyone using a machine for that purpose should be aware of that, and have a "witch hunt" on it for anything that is not a "dumb wire".