Guide: Advanced Mic Settings in OBS Studio
For streamers, audio quality is a make-or-break factor that significantly influences viewer experience. Exceptional audio can captivate and retain an audience, while poor quality can quickly drive them away. In OBS Studio, the key to professional-grade audio lies in optimizing your microphone settings and implementing effective filters. This tutorial guides you through simple adjustments and free filters that will elevate your audio quality, setting your streams apart and leaving a lasting impression.
Microphone Setup: Positioning and Boom Arm
Improving your mic audio quality begins with thoughtful microphone positioning. Most microphones come with built-in desk stands, but these often leave the microphone too far from your mouth, capturing unwanted keyboard and mouse sounds. A boom arm, such as the RODE PSA-1 or Neewer NW-35, allows you to lift the microphone off the desk, positioning it closer to your mouth and away from unwanted noise.
Microphone Positioning and Technique
With the microphone raised off the desk, the next consideration is its distance from your mouth. Ideally, position the microphone 3-6 inches away, maintaining a balance to avoid unwanted mouth noises or excessive room noise. Experiment with positioning and listen to recordings to find the optimal placement for the best sound.
Additionally, adopting an off-axis microphone technique, where you speak past the mic, can reduce plosive sounds and enhance the visual engagement of your stream.
Pop Filter and Polar Patterns
To further enhance audio quality, consider investing in a pop filter or foam cover for your microphone. These accessories disperse large sound waves, preventing distortion and resulting in cleaner, crisper sound. For microphones with multiple polar patterns, ensure it’s set to cardioid for optimal sound quality, and remember to speak into the front of the capsule.
Microphone Gain and Noise Gate/Expander Filter
Correctly setting your microphone gain is crucial before adding filters in OBS. In OBS, identify your microphone in the audio mixer, adjust the gain knob, and ensure it reaches around -15dB when speaking at a normal level.
The first filter to add is a noise gate or expander. While a noise gate cuts off audio below a set threshold, an expander provides a smoother opening and closing of the gate, resulting in a more natural sound. Configure the expander settings, including ratio and threshold, to suit your environment and preferences.
Equalizer (EQ) Filter
To further refine your microphone audio, add an equalizer (EQ) filter. OBS Studio’s 3-band equalizer filter allows basic adjustments to the balance between low, mid, and high frequencies in your audio. Experiment with these settings, keeping adjustments within +/- 5dB, to achieve the desired sound profile for your voice.
Compressor Filter
A compressor filter is essential for creating consistent dynamic volume by reducing louder noises. Configure the compressor settings, including ratio and threshold, to strike a balance between natural and useful compression. Adjust the output gain to compensate for any reduction in mic levels caused by the compressor.
Limiter Filter
The final step in your microphone chain is adding a limiter filter to prevent clipping and distortion at high volumes. Set the limiter threshold to -1dB to cap audio peaks and maintain a clean, undistorted sound.
Summary: Achieving Professional-Grade Sound
Setting up your mic in OBS Studio may seem complex, but with the right guidance, achieving professional-grade sound quality is within reach. The tutorial covers essential filters, including noise suppression, EQ, compression, and a limiter, emphasizing experimentation to find the optimal settings for your unique voice, microphone, and environment. OBS Studio provides a powerful platform for sound quality refinement, so dive in, experiment, and elevate your livestream audio to new heights.
