Why no audio in OBS?

[Brookers55]

Why no audio in OBS? The perennial problem of no audio in OBS has arisen again. I have four microphones connected to my mixer with a USB input into OBS. Each microphone is set to USB 2 Codec under properties. The volume meters are bouncing correctly showing input into OBS. In Windows Sound properties Recording everything is disabled except Microphone USB Audio Codec. Under Playback everything disabled except Headphone (the default output device). Under Advanced Properties the four microphone channels are set to Monitor and Output. In Windows Sound Settings Microphone Access is enabled, Playback through Headphone. But still no sound - other Apps such as Youttube have no problems with sound. What is the problem please?

 

[AaronD]

I'm getting lost in the wall of text. Can you screenshot what you're describing?

 

[Brookers55]

What screenshot are you referring to? There are so many to choose from. Basically although I can there is audio going into OBS from the mixer I cannot monitor because some setting somewhere is wrong. There arer so many settings to go wrong. I've tried everything I can think of. I've had the problem on previous occasions but rebooting the laptop has often solved the problem, but not this time.

 

[AaronD]

All of them. Without seeing what you're seeing, I'm as lost as you are.

To narrow down the scope though, try a different audio app, like Audacity.
If that works, then Windows is fine.
If it doesn't, then Windows is probably the problem and OBS is fine.

Depending on what your entire audio chain is, there might be some other good test points too. For example, maybe you could use a media source in OBS to play a video, and see if that makes it to the end of the chain. (headphones and stream)

 

[Dean G]

I'll just throw this out there - after some windows updates, the USB channels get lost. Sometimes the names get changed to the GUID. When this happens, I go through and reset all the audio inputs. I don't recreate them, I just have to look at the drop down and you'll see a "new" USB connection that's available.

 

[Brookers55]

I've installed Streamlabs OBS and the audio is working fine in that so the problem must be OBS (again). It does seem to be suchj an unreliable Apps. I'm seriously thinking about ditching it.

 

[AaronD]

...the problem must be OBS (again). It does seem to be suchj an unreliable Apps. I'm seriously thinking about ditching it.

Never been a problem for me. I have several rigs on Ubuntu Linux and one on Windows, and all of them are rock-solid once I got them working the first time. Some were plumb easy because they were close to OBS's intended use already, and others were challenging because I was doing something weird with them. But all of them continue to work with no further fiddling. Only when I get used to it and think that I might like something else better, do I go in and mess with it.

I think @Dean G might be onto something. It's not OBS's fault, but Windows' for pulling the rug out from under it. Micro$haft Winblows has a long history of trying to be "smart" or "convenient" and making a royal mess of what used to work, or causing problems with what should be a "dumb wire" passthrough. This goes back at least as far as WinXP, because I distinctly remember the same sort of problems there, long before I discovered OBS.

To further back up that theory, my one Windows rig uses Voicemeeter Potato, as a mic mixer and several loopbacks, to connect two copies of OBS and a web browser together into one big audio chain. OBS has always stayed connected to the loopbacks, but Voicemeeter has occasionally needed me to reconnect one or more of its input channels to their USB wireless mic receivers. Nothing more than that.

The common theme here is Windows' handling of USB, not OBS.

 

[Brookers55]

So how do I solve this problem? I'm using a Behringer mixer connected via USB to the laptop. I can see that there is input into the laptop from the microphones - the meter is registering nicely. But I cannot hear any output at all. The headphones and laptop speaker work fine with other Apps such as YouTube - plenty of volume there. Aaron you asked me to attach images of settings - these are the ones I think you want.

 

[Brookers55]

Any suggestions, please re the above images. Thanks

 

[AaronD]

I can see that there is input into the laptop from the microphones - the meter is registering nicely. But I cannot hear any output at all. The headphones and laptop speaker work fine with other Apps such as YouTube - plenty of volume there.

Yep, Windows' meter...might actually be too high, but we'll leave that for later. Get the connection working first, and then look at the levels.

You say that OBS's meter doesn't show anything? You don't have a screenshot of that. Best "proof" would be a single shot with both visible at the same time, possibly even with the connection setting all in the same shot. As @Dean G and I said, what happens if you change the connection setting, and possibly change it back?

I'll just throw this out there - after some windows updates, the USB channels get lost. Sometimes the names get changed to the GUID. When this happens, I go through and reset all the audio inputs. I don't recreate them, I just have to look at the drop down and you'll see a "new" USB connection that's available.

To further back up that theory, my one Windows rig uses Voicemeeter Potato, as a mic mixer and several loopbacks, to connect two copies of OBS and a web browser together into one big audio chain. OBS has always stayed connected to the loopbacks, but Voicemeeter has occasionally needed me to reconnect one or more of its input channels to their USB wireless mic receivers. Nothing more than that.

You might have to Transition to the scene, or fire it, take it, accept it, commit it, whatever your terminology is, before your changes take effect.

 

[AaronD]

So how do I solve this problem? I'm using a Behringer mixer connected via USB to the laptop.

As a side note for now, what's the mixer? Specifically, how many channels does it give you on USB?

I ask because I've used an XR18 and an X32 with OBS, which give 18 and 32 channels respectively on USB. OBS takes that as 9 and 16 stereo pairs that must all be mixed together *before* I'm allowed to touch it at all. If the first 16 or 30 channels are individual mics that I don't want, leaving the stereo mix on the last 2 as is common to do, OBS makes a royal mess of it by forcing all of everything to be included.

If it only gives you stereo anyway, then it's fine. Just beware if you think that just anything will work with OBS, because the multitrack ones don't...unless you go into the patchbay on the mixer side and make everything else silent.

 

[Brookers55]

As a side note for now, what's the mixer? Specifically, how many channels does it give you on USB?

I ask because I've used an XR18 and an X32 with OBS, which give 18 and 32 channels respectively on USB. OBS takes that as 9 and 16 stereo pairs that must all be mixed together *before* I'm allowed to touch it at all. If the first 16 or 30 channels are individual mics that I don't want, leaving the stereo mix on the last 2 as is common to do, OBS makes a royal mess of it by forcing all of everything to be included.

If it only gives you stereo anyway, then it's fine. Just beware if you think that just anything will work with OBS, because the multitrack ones don't...unless you go into the patchbay on the mixer side and make everything else silent.

The mixer is a Behringer Xenyx Q1202USB with one USB output into the mixer. There are four XLR microphone channels, plus eight mon (four stereo) line inputs. I've got sound output on another laptop running OBS 27.2.4. The laptop with OBS 28.0.3 has no output - same settings. It's doing my brain in. Btw I'm using it for live streaming our church services - not recording.

 

[AaronD]

Behringer Xenyx Q1202USB

Okay, so it's an all-analog design with a stereo USB chip stuffed into it as the only digital thing it has. You should be fine with that. The manual is on the right side here, under Documentation:

Behringer | Product | Q1202USB

www.behringer.com

Btw I'm using it for live streaming our church services - not recording.

I like to record anyway, even if there's no plan to do anything with it. That way, if the network goes nuts, I can keep producing something good, "live to tape", and upload it later. And I've taken clips from a few sermons to use in other projects too. You never know when or how a recording will come in handy.

 

[Lawrence_SoCal]

I like to record anyway, even if there's no plan to do anything with it. That way, if the network goes nuts, I can keep producing something good, "live to tape", and upload it later. And I've taken clips from a few sermons to use in other projects too. You never know when or how a recording will come in handy.

Ditto
- I've taken a local Recording (which is MUCH higher fidelity that a typical content delivery network (CDN = YouTube, FaceBook, etc ) after heavy compression) and given (burn to DVD) to family after baptism, funeral, wedding, etc.
I've done it as a courtesy. Depending on quality, you could use such recordings as a 'fundraiser' (cost deferral) type thing
- Someone else recently said (and I haven't had time to check it) that Facebook for example, saves video in Video library at 720p even if upload/livestream is 1080p ??? no idea if that is true or not.. but regardless, I've not had a recording and downloaded a video from Facebook (or YouTube) and my local recordings are WAY better quality.
- and as mentioned, and we've lost Internet before (both back in DSL days, and shortly after AT&T cut us over to fiber), so posted online at start of service (via cellular device) to community saying 'sorry, no livestream today. we'll upload service later' .. separate discussion on having a 'digital usher')
so yea, I strongly believe in Recording in addition to Streaming (assuming OBS system up to it.. you can use same encoding settings on Recording and Streaming to avoid 2X encoding workload if you need to)

As for Audio
- remember that OBS Studio is Free Open-Source Software (FOSS). Streamlabs OBS is NOT. Which means they can pay for certain licenses/features that aren't practical in FOSS. And Windows Audio sub-system has all kinds of default limitations, that other software works around (some of it licensed/patented/etc... hence not seeing some things in OBS Studio).
- With FOSS, the onus is on the user to work-around some of this sort of stuff. But some approaches (ASIO) aren't consistent with device enumeration and reboots (I've heard).. yea.. everything Aaron said, and then there is also the issue of OEM's getting cheap with motherboard chipsets... so sometimes consumer gear is junk, but workstations will behave differently (you get what you pay for .. sometimes)
- I have an analog mixer with USB out. I wouldn't mind seeing all of my mixer channels in OBS (all I'm really looking for at this point is the ability to Mute certain mics during certain quiet single speaker moments, when not needed to avoid a faint echo). And I've love to avoid the extra analog connections and extra analog/digital conversions (in non-ideal spots). But, Windows audio (which OBS Studio uses) has severe limitations. So, my thought is to run a DAW s/w, and do the channel Mute/Fader on that, then send the mixed output to OBS. I have NO need for multi-track audio in OBS.. none.. zero. Now, should I get anywhere near Aaron's level of audio sophistication, then maybe I'll think differently. Why not adjust on mixer? 'cuz mixer (and OBS PC) downstairs in a small closet, and livestream team is upstairs in a choir loft, connected by a 50ft fiber DisplayPort cable and an Active USB3 cable (for keyboard, mouse and DP MST monitors). So.. disruptive and not quick to run downstairs when truly required to adjust mixer). So, audio mixing on OBS PC would be really nice.
BUT... our mixing vendor software didn't support Audio out to Windows Audio sub-system with their regular software (USB driver and DAW, except top pay, vs bundled, version.. and even then, only recently. And such limitation was common across DAWs 3 years ago). Supposedly, a new USB driver may address some (all?) of my challenges. I'll find out in a few weeks
For last couple of years, I've left the Main audio mix alone, and created a sub-mix (our mixer has that capability) as I added a number of mics not needed to be amplified in-house (so Main mix ignores/mutes those channels, Sub-mix (broadcast) does use them). I've taken analog stereo sub-mix from the mixer into a gain adjustment device adapter to 3.5mm TRRS into PC (and front vs rear-panel yields different results, with front sounding much better.. go figure.. took trial and error to figure out levels, gain adjustments, etc to get a good sound into OBS Studio).
I mention this as depending on layout, device, etc. sometimes analog works just fine, especially if you don't want to spend or simply don't have the time and/or access to the technical expertise to get a digital connection working from old analog mixer thru Windows Audio system to OBS.
Sorry clearly I'm not a Behringer user... a quick look at the Product link Aaron posted, I'm suspect a bunch of my sub-mix considerations don't apply to your mixer... makes it easier, for sure

And to be explicit - regarding seeing the OS level meter moving... the challenge is which channel(s) is that? is it a stereo mix of all channels (I'm guessing yes, but with tech I always go to confirm rather than assume), or ?? And then to my scenario, which channels are being sent to USB from the mixer, and at what levels? An in-house mix vs a livestream mix can often have different needs/adjustments (in my case, pipe organ and choir should absolutely NOT be amplified in-house, but did need to be mic'ed for livestream... but now those new mics .. at back of house... cause echo issues at certain times). So, do you have someone at the mixer during a service? Hopefully a sub-mix isn't needed for you as I'm guessing you'd have to futz something with Control Room output?, if need be?

Good luck

 

[AaronD]

And to be explicit - regarding seeing the OS level meter moving... the challenge is which channel(s) is that? is it a stereo mix of all channels (I'm guessing yes, but with tech I always go to confirm rather than assume), or ?? And then to my scenario, which channels are being sent to USB from the mixer, and at what levels?

According to the manual, the USB send is always and only a copy of the stereo main out, with no options, and the USB return mixes with the tape input before going to the enable button, with no other options. (not even a volume knob) That's pretty common with the "analog design with a stereo USB card stuffed into it", except that the tape input usually has (only) a volume knob after the input mixing. Several brands and a bunch of product lines do it the exact same way.

I've modified a 19" rackmounted Yamaha that was that way, so that the USB return goes to a full (stereo) channel strip instead of the tape input. Screwdriver and soldering iron, and knowledge of how analog audio circuits work. Still using it that way, permanently mounted in the wall of a coffee shop, with a laptop next to it playing music through that USB connection.
(There's also a 16-channel snake under the floor, from there to a cabinet in the opposite corner of the room. 8 mics, LCR speakers (center driven from a post-fade aux send), and a foldback monitor (pre-fade aux), with a few unused.)

An in-house mix vs a livestream mix can often have different needs/adjustments

Yes it does! I feed our stream from a post-fade aux send in the Front-of-House board, mixed by ear during rehearsal and monitored/tweaked live. That offset from the house mix is far from flat, even with everything mic'ed and running through the PA. I assumed that Brookers' board was dedicated to the stream, and not also driving a PA, but I could be wrong.

Since our board is digital with openly-documented remote control (Behringer X32), I ended up writing an app to control that mix from the broadcast station, as well as controlling the PTZ cameras, which are also openly documented. That's nice!