Bug Report Microphone: Can't hear any sound while recording, but sound was recorded?!

[rkmugen.linux]

Computer: HP M7780N Media Center PC (from 2007)
OBS: v0.14.2 (linux)
Linux: Linux Mint 17.3 Rosa 64-bit Cinnamon Edition (ie. Ubuntu 14.04.x / Gnome 3.x)
Video source: Sony DCR-SX85 camcorder; connected to the computer via yellow RCA jack (composite video).
Audio source: Yamaha PSR-220 electric piano; output via the piano's rear headphone jack; into the computer via the front microphone jack.

Situation: Hello, I am able to produce a recorded output file with video AND WITH sound. However, there is currently NO WAY for me to actually listen to my audio WHILE I am physically playing on my electric piano! For perspective i have to say that this is currently not an issue when I am using the Windows version of OBS (i am trying to quit using Windows altogether).

What I have tried: I have referred to this page (https://www.onlinemictest.com/microphone-settings/ubuntu#orangeBarsButNotWorking) and have installed the "gnome-media" package in order to access the "gstreamer-properties" window. While in that window, when I click "Test" under "Default Input", that is the only time I can hear my electric piano through my computer speakers when I try to play something on it. I have made sure that absolutely NOTHING is muted and that the volume levels on the above devices are set to at least 50% volume or higher.

Noted: Even when I quit OBS or if I don't launch OBS at all, if I just stay on the Cinnamon Desktop or have any other application running, the only time I can hear output from my piano through my computer speakers is when I go to the "gstreamer-properties" window and click "Test" under "Default Input".

Hypothesis: Perhaps OBS is otherwise unable to actually open the supposed "alsasrc" pipeline unless the user hits "Start Recording" in the OBS window?

 

[shadowofdarkness]

Try running this in a terminal
pactl load-module module-loopback

 

[rkmugen.linux]

Okay, I did that in the Terminal, tried my piano, and it works!!!!!!!! I can hear it through my computer speakers now, regardless of whether OBS is launched, is recording, or even if I don't even have OBS running! So, the microphone jack on my computer (so far) is behaving just like how it does when I switch-over to (reboot into) Windows! Thanks so much!

I'm hoping the above Terminal command will persist, even after a reboot (back to Linux)... (i'll soon find out after I submit this reply). ;-)

 

[shadowofdarkness]

That doesn't persist, So you know that is just a command that makes Pulseaudio which is the sound system Linux uses loop the input to the output.
When nothing is hooked in to the input though you can hear some sounds sometime. If it is annoying you can unload that module with basically the same command but changed to unload

pactl unload-module module-loopback

You probably can make it persistent with Pulseaudio config files but I don't know them off hand.

 

[MrHudson]

You can probably just add it to the startup, or set up a script which will fire the command each time you run OBS.