Question / Help Samson Q2U settings?

SiloHD

New Member
good afternoon everyone,
i was just wondering what type of filters you use with this microphone on OBS? i'm sorry im not that tech savvy was hoping to start recording but unsure what if any filters should be added to this microphone, cant seem to find any tutorials about this microphone and OBS.
thank you
 

koala

Active Member
Recording audio comes with a learning curve. If you're unsure what to do, start to record with no filters. If you feel your recording is ok, continue recording without filters. If you spot an issue, see what filters you can employ to mitigate that issue. Don't use a filter without having an issue and don't use a filter you don't know what it exactly does. Filters that are not repairing some issue are distorting your audio, and you don't want to distort your audio.

General remark: if your recording environment (room/microphone placement) is noisy or has other issues, correct your recording environment instead of trying to repair it with filters. It's always preferable to do a clean recording in the first place, so no or only the minimal amount of postprocessing is required.
 

SiloHD

New Member
so from what i understand is the minimum amount of editing or filters that need applied the better? as i said i'm not great with this stuff and automatically thought for streaming quality everyone used filters in obs and the likes of voicemeeter. my recording environment does have issues but that is only because my daughter keeps coming in and playing the frozen song when i'm recording :))
thank you for the advice
 

koala

Active Member
Of course the less editing is done, the better the audio quality. If you apply filters without knowing what they exactly do, you might introduce new issues, and you might look for other filters to correct that (without knowing this is an issue from the first filter), and in the end you do much filtering but only to filter issues of your filters.

These are a few topics about audio:
- to remove low volume noise while you are not speaking, use the noise gate on your mic source
- to duck an audio source while you speak (lower the volume of game audio while you speak), use the "Sidechain/Ducking source" option of the Compressor filter applied on the game audio source and set the mic source in the "Sidechain/Ducking source" option.
- if you're unable to speak with a constant voice, use the compressor filter on your mic source to amplify the parts with a low voice
- to make the signal use the complete volume range, use the expander filter on your mic source
- to avoid clipping of loud parts, use the limiter filter on your mic source
- the usual sequence is noise filter (only required with noisy microphones) -> noise gate -> compressor -> expander -> limiter

See also: https://electricfiddler.com/compressors-limiters-noise-gates-expanders/

Now I mentioned all the filters, but don't just insert them mindlessly in your sources. Work out the effects of each of them, and if you're unable to hear a difference, don't use that particular filter. If your mic doesn't produce noise, don't use the noise filter. If you speak constantly with never being too low, you don't need a compressor. If you don't shout, you don't need a limiter. If you don't hear a difference with or without an expander, don't use an expander.
 

SiloHD

New Member
that was really helpful, the most helpful thing i have came across... i have bookmarked this page for future reference thank you.
sounds like i dont need to use anything but i will try expander to see the diiference with and without
 
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