Computer Ports

[Deacon Number One]

New to OBS Studio, I recently bought a new Geekom mini-PC. This has six USB 3 ports, two Ethernet ports and two HDMI ports, along with a 3.5mm audio jack socket. I'm using two cameras - one PTZ and one wide-angle fixed focus.
The Geekom works perfectly with OBS Studio EXCEPT that the audio is 'mushy' compared to the USB flash drive recording from our Allen&Heath Qu16 digital mixer. I'm connecting to the Geekom from the mixer via an XLR lead and a converter to a USB lead.
So the question is, does OBS Studio work with signals from any of the other ports such as the 3.5mm jack socket, or is it solely via USB?

 

[Lawrence_SoCal]

New to OBS Studio, I recently bought a new Geekom mini-PC. This has six USB 3 ports, two Ethernet ports and two HDMI ports, along with a 3.5mm audio jack socket. I'm using two cameras - one PTZ and one wide-angle fixed focus.
The Geekom works perfectly with OBS Studio EXCEPT that the audio is 'mushy' compared to the USB flash drive recording from our Allen&Heath Qu16 digital mixer. I'm connecting to the Geekom from the mixer via an XLR lead and a converter to a USB lead.
So the question is, does OBS Studio work with signals from any of the other ports such as the 3.5mm jack socket, or is it solely via USB?

Unfortunately, wrong question as OBS Studio connects to Windows Audio subsystem. Your issue is getting it there (Operating System, not OBS Studio) as once Operating System can hear it, with proper OS permissions, OBS Studio can access as well.

Going XLR to USB means an analog-to-digital conversion... the mushy-ness could be coming from there (and easy to test).
My standard recommendation is to test Audio and Video sources outside of OBS Studio first (ie clean boot OS, OBS Studio not started at all, so no issues with locked sources). You should be able to check Audio at Operating System level easily (Control Panel > Sound, or Windows Recorder, or ?? plenty of options).

mini-PCs are known challenge electro-mechanically, and that Geekom could have its own hardware (audio chipset) issues?
should be real easy to test. output known audio via your XLR-USB path and check audio at OS layer. Now, use a different computer (same cables, exact same audio source material) and test there. If different and only Geekom PC a problem, then you know it is the Geekom hardware or related driver (or OS setting?)

Now, I wouldn't think the Geekom PCs analog circuitry would be better, but you could go XLR to 3.5mm TRRS and see if that is better (often and external USB audio adapter (outside electrical noise that is inside PC case ) can sometimes be better ... depends.
Does your Qu16 not have a USB output you can use ? Why using XLR output?... seems odd to me