Low audio

[Jerrell Helms]

I am setting up a streaming system for my church. When I view the program out of my mixer/switch and monitor the audio on a recording the audio is barely audible even though I am driving to -20dB. In Advanced Audio Properties I have the volume set at 0dB and all of the volume controls from mixer to PC to OBS and monitor are at 100%. At this point I am using a Shure SM58 microphone direct into the video/audio mixer. The mixer is a Fomako KC601 PRO. The PC is an ACER running Windows 11 and output to the monitor is HDMI. The video/audio stream to the computer is by Ethernet. Video from the PTZ camera to OBS is perfect with no glitches noticed in recordings. I am not yet streaming to Facebook or Youtube.

 

[SuprahMen]

even though I am driving to -20dB

This means you have lowered the audio..? Put it back to 0dB. It's the default audio level for a specific device, not a volume dial.

There is a way to raise the volume if you still find it to be too quiet, though. Within OBS, if you click the gear under the audio monitor in the Audio Mixer, you can go to "Advanced Audio Properties" (AAD) and sort of in the middle and to the left in the window that pops up, you will be able to raise the volume of a device by clicking and holding the up arrow. You can also type in a number. To avoid any confusion with decibels, you may want to toggle the percentage option at the top of the AAD tab, above the volume options.

 

[Jerrell Helms]

Looks like I would need a preamp for this mic. I am not where I can connect the sound system I will eventually use to see how it does.

 

[Jerrell Helms]

This means you have lowered the audio..? Put it back to 0dB. It's the default audio level for a specific device, not a volume dial.

There is a way to raise the volume if you still find it to be too quiet, though. Within OBS, if you click the gear under the audio monitor in the Audio Mixer, you can go to "Advanced Audio Properties" (AAD) and sort of in the middle and to the left in the window that pops up, you will be able to raise the volume of a device by clicking and holding the up arrow. You can also type in a number. To avoid any confusion with decibels, you may want to toggle the percentage option at the top of the AAD tab, above the volume options.

Thank you. I was inarticulate. The VU meter in OBS was hitting -20 Db. I did run that control up to near 300% and it did get louder.

 

[MrGhost]

In OBS right click the audio channel you are mixing.
2nd from the bottom on the list of things to do is add filter.
I add the following filters on my mic input:


1--Gain (add up to 25 dB, I set mine to 25 dB, despite the 2 preamps I use before this input)
2--Gate: set open and close (upper slider for close is to the left maybe -70 or 65 dB, lower slider is to the right maybe -25 or 35 dB)
3--Noise Reduction High (more CPU)
4--Compressor (add 20 dB gain here in the 'makeup' attack slow, release fast in general works best, threshold maybe -15 to -25 someplace)
5--Gain (again I add another +25 of gain but that's just me I like my voice loud)
or
6--Reverb VST option with up to another 13dB gain added in it. If you use reverb you probably want to keep the 'mix' setting real low which means mixing very little reverb with the dry sound. Reverb will mean you have an audio plugin filter (the VST option) plenty of options for Echo and Reverb VSTs out there. They will have to be in the C Program Files VstPlugins directory (.dll files).
7--2nd Noise Reduction (non OBS VST) to clean up the MIC channel, is what I use, my paid plugin here is the Izotope RX7. It's a good sounding cleanup for my MIC chain. But it may cost money unless you get a deal like I did.
8--OBS Limiter.

Set your chain to MONO in the advanced audio properties, and be sure to pan in the direction of your MIC input if you are using a stereo input. You don't want the other (L or R) channel creeping in to your sound if it runs a 2nd audio in from someplace. In general you want to set your OBS audio mixer volume on each track to -6dB.

This is what I do and I am not having to shout over any of my other audio sources ideally.

Since I add 25dB on the first gain, close to that on the compressor, another 15 on the reverb or 2nd gain option, I am adding about 60dB just right there to my signal after it reaches OBS.

People are too bashful about slathering gain plugins. A microphone signal that is weak must be amplified to be heard. If you use a gate you will want to amplify it first, so that the gate is able to better distinguish a signal from a noise floor. Since it is all macro you will want the noise reduction 2x as I did. OBS' NR is ok but it's not enough by itself to deliver silence under the voice.