Best Microphone Settings for Streaming (Filters That Actually Help)
Audio loses more viewers than video. Three OBS filters, in the right order, fix most of it.
Viewers forgive bad video and leave over bad audio. In OBS, add three filters to your mic in this order: Noise Suppression → Noise Gate → Compressor. Order matters.
Noise Suppression
Removes constant background hum — fans, air conditioning, PC noise. RNNoise is the better-sounding option if your CPU can spare it; Speex is lighter.
Noise Gate
Mutes the mic when you're not talking, killing keyboard and mouse noise between sentences. Start with a close threshold around -35dB and an open threshold around -30dB, then adjust until your quiet talking still opens it.
Compressor
Evens out your volume so excited moments don't blow out and quiet asides stay audible. A 4:1 ratio with about 6dB output gain is a sane starting point.
Then check it back
Record a two-minute test and listen on headphones and phone speakers. Aim for your normal speaking voice peaking around -12dB, never touching red.
Sound good, look good
Once the audio's right, a cohesive overlay is the fastest visual upgrade left.
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