Separate Discord Audio from Desktop Audio in OBS: A Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Installing Virtual Audio Cable

To separate Discord audio from desktop audio in OBS, the first step is to set up Virtual Audio Cable. This software acts as a virtual audio device, allowing you to route audio between different applications on your computer. Here’s how you can install it:

1. Download Virtual Audio Cable from the official website. You can choose between the free trial version or the paid version, depending on your needs.
2. Run the installer by double-clicking on the downloaded file. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process.
3. Once the installation is complete, open the Virtual Audio Cable control panel. You can find it by searching for “Virtual Audio Cable” in the Windows search bar or by locating it in your list of installed programs.
4. In the control panel, you will see two cable options: “Virtual Cable 1” and “Virtual Cable 2”. These are virtual audio devices that you can use to separate your Discord audio.
5. To set up Discord to use Virtual Cable, launch Discord and go to the Settings. Under the “Voice & Video” tab, scroll down to the “Audio Subsystem” section and select “Virtual Cable 1” as the input device.
6. Now it’s time to configure OBS to capture the audio from Virtual Cable. Open OBS and go to the Settings. Under the “Audio” tab, set “Mic/Auxiliary Audio Device” to “Cable Output (Virtual Audio Cable)”.

That’s it! You have successfully installed Virtual Audio Cable and configured both Discord and OBS to use it. Now you can separate Discord audio from desktop audio in OBS and have more control over your audio settings.

Remember, Virtual Audio Cable offers a lot of flexibility and can be used for various audio routing needs. Take some time to explore its additional features and possibilities to enhance your audio setup.

Step 2: Configuring Discord and OBS Audio Settings

Now that you have Virtual Audio Cable set up, the next step is to configure the audio settings in Discord and OBS to ensure proper separation of audio. Specifically, you will need to set Discord to use the Virtual Cable as its input device and configure OBS to capture audio from Virtual Cable.

To configure Discord:

1. Launch Discord and go to the Settings.

Step 2: Setting Up Virtual Audio Cable

Now that we have Virtual Audio Cable installed on our computer, it’s time to set it up for use with Discord and OBS. This will allow us to separate the audio streams and have more control over our audio setup.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set up Virtual Audio Cable:

1. Open the Virtual Audio Cable Control Panel: To access the control panel, you can either find the “VBCABLE Control Panel” shortcut in your Start menu or right-click on the speaker icon in your system tray and select “Playback devices.” In the playback devices window, double-click on the “CABLE Input” device.
2. Configure the Virtual Cable device: In the Virtual Audio Cable control panel, click on the “Playback” tab. Here, you can set the number of channels and sample rate for the Virtual Cable device. For most users, the default settings should work just fine. However, if you have specific requirements, feel free to adjust these settings accordingly.
3. Set Virtual Cable as the input device in Discord: Open Discord and go to the “Voice & Video” settings. Under the “Input Device” section, choose “CABLE Input” as your input device. This will ensure that Discord uses the Virtual Cable as its audio source.
4. Configure OBS to capture audio from Virtual Cable: Open OBS and go to the “Audio Mixer” panel. Click on the gear icon next to the desktop audio source, and choose “Properties.” In the properties window, change the “Device” option to “CABLE Output.” This will instruct OBS to capture audio from the Virtual Cable device.

That’s it! You have successfully set up Virtual Audio Cable to separate Discord audio from desktop audio in OBS. Now you can enjoy a clean and professional audio setup for your streaming or recording sessions.

In the next step, we’ll explore some additional features and possibilities of Virtual Audio Cable that can further enhance your audio experience. Stay tuned!

Remember, it’s important to test your audio setup after making any changes to ensure everything is working as expected. Feel free to adjust the settings based on your specific needs and preferences.

Step 3: Configuring OBS

Now that we have set up Virtual Audio Cable and configured Discord, it’s time to configure OBS to capture the audio from Virtual Cable. Follow these steps to ensure proper separation of Discord audio from desktop audio in OBS:

1. Launch OBS and navigate to the “Settings” tab at the bottom right corner of the main window.
2. In the left sidebar, click on “Audio” to access the audio settings.
3. Under the “Devices” section, select “Virtual Cable” as the “Desktop Audio” device. This will ensure that OBS captures the audio from Virtual Cable, where Discord audio is being routed.
4. Next, make sure the “Mic/Auxiliary Audio” device in OBS is set to your desired microphone source. This will ensure that your voice is captured separately from the Discord audio.
5. Adjust the audio levels by dragging the sliders for “Desktop Audio” and “Mic/Auxiliary Audio” as needed. This will help achieve the desired balance between Discord audio and your microphone audio.
6. It’s a good idea to enable the “Advanced Audio Properties” option in the “Audio” settings. This gives you more control over individual audio sources and allows you to fine-tune the audio setup even further.

Remember to test your audio setup by monitoring your stream or recording. This will help you identify any issues or imbalances in the audio levels. Additionally, don’t be afraid to adjust the settings based on your specific needs and preferences.

By configuring OBS to capture audio from Virtual Audio Cable, you can effectively separate Discord audio from desktop audio in your streams or recordings. This ensures a clean and professional audio experience for your audience.

Step 4: Routing Discord Audio to Virtual Audio Cable

In order to separate Discord audio from desktop audio in OBS, we need to route the Discord audio to Virtual Audio Cable. Follow these steps to get it done:

1. Open the Discord application on your computer.
2. Click on the Settings gear icon located at the bottom left corner of the Discord window.
3. In the settings menu, navigate to the Voice & Video tab on the left side.
4. Under the Input Device section, select your desired microphone or audio input device. This is the device that Discord will use to capture your voice.
5. Now, scroll down to the Output Device section. Here, select CABLE Input from the available options.
6. Once you have selected CABLE Input, close the Discord settings window.

By routing the Discord audio to Virtual Audio Cable, we ensure that it will be captured separately in OBS. This allows us to have more control over the audio sources and enhance the overall audio quality of our stream or recording.

Remember, it’s essential to choose the correct devices and settings based on your specific needs. Make sure to test your audio setup in OBS to ensure that the Discord audio is properly separated from the desktop audio.

Without a proper audio setup, your streams or recordings may end up with overlapping audio or other unwanted audio issues. So, take the time to configure and test your audio settings to achieve the best results.

With the Discord audio now routed to Virtual Audio Cable, we can move on to the next step and configure OBS to capture both the desktop and Discord audio sources.

Step 5: Configuring OBS to Use Virtual Audio Cable

Now that we have successfully set up Virtual Audio Cable and routed the Discord audio to it, we need to configure OBS to use Virtual Audio Cable as its audio source. Follow these steps:

1. Open OBS and go to the “Settings” menu.
2. In the left-hand sidebar, click on “Audio”.
3. Under the “Audio” tab, locate the “Mic/Auxiliary Audio” section.
4. In the dropdown menu, choose “Virtual Audio Cable” as the device.
5. If you have other audio sources that you want to include in your stream or recording, make sure to select them as well.
6. Adjust the audio levels for each source by clicking on the gear icon next to the device name and using the slider. This will ensure that the audio levels are balanced and not too loud or too soft.
7. Once you have made the necessary adjustments, click on “Apply” and then “OK” to save the settings.

It is important to note that OBS allows you to mix multiple audio sources together, so you can have your Discord audio separated from your desktop audio while still including other audio sources like music or game sound effects. This gives you full control over the audio in your streams or recordings.

Remember to regularly test your audio setup to ensure that everything is working as expected. Listen to your streams or recordings to check for any issues with audio levels or quality. If necessary, make further adjustments in OBS or Virtual Audio Cable to achieve the desired results.

By following these steps, you can effectively separate Discord audio from desktop audio in OBS, giving your streams or recordings a professional and polished sound.

Conclusion

By following the step-by-step guide provided in this article, you can easily separate Discord audio from desktop audio in OBS. Configuring OBS to use Virtual Audio Cable as the audio source and adjusting the audio levels for each source is crucial in achieving the desired results.

Regularly testing your audio setup and making necessary adjustments is important to ensure a professional and polished sound in your streams or recordings. This will help you create a seamless experience for your audience, where they can clearly hear your voice and the Discord audio without any interference.

Separating Discord audio from desktop audio allows you to have more control over your audio sources, making it easier to manage and customize your streams or recordings. Whether you’re a content creator or a streamer, this knowledge will enhance the quality of your content and provide a better overall experience for your viewers.

So, take the time to follow the steps outlined in this guide and experiment with different audio setups. With a little practice and fine-tuning, you’ll be able to achieve the perfect balance between Discord audio and desktop audio in OBS.