Live streaming has become an extremely popular way for content creators to broadcast themselves and interact with their audience in real time. With platforms like Twitch, YouTube Live, Facebook Live, and more, live streaming makes it possible to share videos, play games, chat with viewers, and much more, all in an instant. One common question that arises with live streaming is whether or not viewers can actually hear you during a stream.
Can viewers hear you on a live stream?
The short answer is yes, viewers can hear you when you live stream, provided you have a microphone set up properly. Most live streaming software and services allow you to select a microphone input device, like a headset, external USB mic, or built-in mic on a laptop or phone. As long as you have a mic selected and your levels set appropriately in your streaming software settings, your viewers will be able to hear your voice, music, game sounds, or any other audio through your stream.
It’s important to test your microphone and audio before going live to make sure viewers will have a good listening experience. You want to check that your mic is capturing your voice clearly without too much background noise. You’ll also want to balance the volume of your mic against the volume of any games, music, or other audio sources so viewers can hear everything well when you stream.
Tips for being heard clearly on a live stream
Here are some tips to help make sure your viewers can hear you clearly during a live stream:
- Use a decent microphone – A low quality or built-in mic will capture more background noise and sound dull or muffled. Invest in a nice USB or XLR mic.
- Get the mic close to your mouth – Position the mic 1-6 inches away to best pick up your voice over ambient sounds.
- Set proper input levels – Make sure your microphone volume isn’t peaking or too quiet in your streaming software settings.
- Use a noise gate filter – This can help cut out background noise when you’re not speaking.
- Use a pop filter – A foam cover prevents plosives from blowing out your audio.
- Record in a quiet space – Reduce echo and noise from appliances, pets, music, etc.
- Adjust game and music volume – Balance other audio levels so your voice can be heard over them.
- Listen with headphones – Wear headphones to hear exactly what your live stream sounds like.
Microphone types for live streaming
There are several common microphone types and configurations used for live streaming:
Headset Microphone
A headset combines headphones with an attached boom mic. Gaming headsets are popular for live streaming because they offer immersive in-game audio and make it easy to communicate. Open-back headphones prevent your voice from sounding muffled.
USB Microphone
USB mics simply plug straight into your PC and provide great quality sound. Popular streaming models include the Blue Yeti and Razer Seiren X.
XLR Microphone
XLR mics deliver professional studio quality sound. They need an audio interface to connect to your PC and external phantom power. The Shure SM7B is a popular dynamic XLR mic.
Lavalier Microphone
Lapel or lavalier mics clip onto your clothing near your mouth. They provide hands-free use for easy mobility while streaming.
Microphone settings and techniques
In addition to selecting the right mic for streaming, you also need to set it up properly and use good mic technique.
Microphone Settings
- Set your sample rate at least to 44.1 kHz
- Choose a 16 bit or 24 bit depth for best quality
- Make sure mic boost or gain is not set too high
- Use noise suppression and noise gates if needed
- Enable chorus, compression, or EQ effects lightly
Microphone Technique
- Speak directly into the mic at a consistent volume and tone
- Keep your mouth about 1-6 inches from the mic
- Avoid blowing into the mic with plosives and sibilance
- Minimize paper rustling, keyboard clicks, and other noise
- Use a stand to keep the mic stable and positioned correctly
How viewers hear your live stream audio
Viewers will hear your live stream’s audio however you broadcast it from your streaming software. This includes:
- Your microphone audio
- Game sounds and music
- Audio sources like videos or clips
- Any system or alert sounds from your streaming app
The audio gets encoded into the video stream your software publishes out to streaming services. Viewers connecting to your stream will decode the audio from the stream in real time. So anything you hear in your headphones while streaming will be heard by your viewers too.
Keep in mind there is latency between you and your viewers. The audio and video takes time to encode, transmit across the internet, and buffer on a viewer’s device, so they may hear things several seconds after you say or do them live. Good streaming practices reduce latency, but there’s always some delay.
Typical live stream audio setup
A basic live streaming audio setup usually includes:
- Microphone – Headset, USB, XLR, or lavalier
- Audio interface (for XLR mics) – Provides phantom power and audio conversion
- Mic stand or boom arm
- Pop filter or wind screen
- Headphones or speakers
- PC or laptop
- Streaming software like OBS or XSplit
Gaming streams may also include a game console with the video output captured by a PC. Other audio devices like mixers, effects processors, or MIDI controllers can also be incorporated.
With this setup, the mic captures your voice which gets routed into the streaming software on your computer. The software encodes all audio sources together into the video stream your viewers see. Good monitoring with headphones helps ensure the audio levels sound good to your viewers.
How to monitor live stream audio
To hear exactly what your viewers hear during a live stream, you need to monitor the audio. Here are some tips for monitoring your live stream audio:
- Wear headphones when streaming – Don’t rely on speakers
- Listen to the actual live output – Monitor the streamed audio, not just your mic
- Check levels in your streaming software – Adjust gain so peaks don’t clip
- Do test streams and watch back VOD – Verify how everything sounds live
- Get viewer feedback – Ask chat how the volume levels are
- Use meters and indicators – Watch for clipping and abnormalities
- Store volume test streams – Compare sound quality over time
Quality headphones or earbuds allow you to hear nuances in your audio. Monitoring the actual live stream output ensures you hear exactly what your viewers do. Checking recorded streams helps spot issues. Getting live viewer feedback also provides useful insight into your current audio quality.
With proper levels, quality equipment, and robust monitoring, you can confidently deliver great sounding live streams.
Common live stream audio problems
Here are some frequent audio issues that can occur when live streaming:
No Audio
- Mic muted in computer settings or streaming software
- Wrong mic input selected
- Interface or cables faulty
- Audio source volume set too low
Choppy/Distorted Audio
- CPU overload causing dropouts
- Mic input gain too high clipping signal
- Internet connection unstable
- Viewer has slow internet and buffering
Echo/Feedback
- Mic picking up output audio
- Audio mix levels improper
- Room has bad acoustics
Hiss/Hum/Buzzing
- Faulty cables or dirty connections
- Electrical interference from nearby devices
- Poor quality microphone or audio interface
Game Sounds Too Loud
- Game audio output set too high
- Microphone input level too low
- Improper mixing sliders in streaming software
Troubleshooting audio issues requires checking all your connections, software settings, equipment, and streaming encodings. Simple steps like reselecting an input device, repositioning a mic, or turning down a game volume may fix things. Testing ahead of time helps identify problems to correct before going live.
Audio advice for live streaming
Here are some general audio tips and best practices to help you sound great when live streaming:
- Use the best mic you can afford – Quality matters
- Tweak mic settings until your voice is clear
- Set audio levels properly – Not too quiet or not too clipped
- Experiment with mic position – Find the sweet spot
- Use headphones to monitor your live output
- Listen to recordings and adjust levels
- Take advantage of audio filters and effects
- Use sound treatment to reduce echo and reverb
- Test streaming with different games and audio
- Ask viewers regularly for audio feedback
Great audio quality keeps viewers engaged with your stream. Invest time into configuring your mic, software, and room acoustics properly. Monitor and tweak levels before and during streams. A quality microphone, proper gain staging, noise reduction, and robust equalization will make you sound like a pro.
Conclusion
In summary, live stream viewers can definitely hear you when you broadcast with a mic and streaming software. Setting up your equipment correctly and monitoring the audio stream allows you to optimize sound quality for your audience. While audio issues can occur, troubleshooting microphone settings, software configurations, and other equipment helps resolve problems. With the right gear, techniques, and testing, you can sound crystal clear when live streaming to delight viewers with quality audio during every broadcast.