Configure OBS Studio for 320kbps Audio Streaming

This guide provides a step-by-step walkthrough on how to configure the advanced output settings in OBS Studio to stream audio at a high-fidelity 320kbps bitrate. Adjusting these settings ensures your stream delivers studio-quality sound to your audience, maximizing the audio performance of your microphones, instruments, and system sounds.

Step 1: Access the Settings Menu

Open OBS Studio on your computer. In the bottom-right corner of the interface, click on the Settings button (or navigate to File > Settings in the top menu bar).

Step 2: Switch to Advanced Output Mode

In the Settings window, locate and click on the Output tab in the left-hand sidebar. At the top of the Output menu, locate the Output Mode dropdown menu. By default, this is set to Simple. Click the dropdown and select Advanced. This unlocks the granular settings required to customize your audio tracks.

Step 3: Configure the Audio Bitrate

With the Advanced Output Mode active, you will see several tabs at the top of the window (such as Streaming, Recording, Audio, and Replay Buffer).

  1. Click on the Audio tab.
  2. You will see a list of numbered Audio Tracks (Track 1 through Track 6). Most standard streams use Track 1 for their primary broadcast mix.
  3. Locate the Audio Bitrate dropdown menu next to Track 1 (and any other tracks you plan to stream).
  4. Click the dropdown and select 320 from the list. 320kbps is the maximum supported bitrate for high-fidelity stereo audio in OBS Studio.

Step 4: Verify Your Active Streaming Track

To ensure the high-fidelity track is actually being sent to your live stream, switch to the Streaming tab within the same Output window.

  1. Look for the Audio Track setting.
  2. Ensure the checkbox for the track you just configured to 320kbps (typically Track 1) is selected.

Step 5: Save and Apply Changes

Click the Apply button in the bottom-right corner of the Settings window, then click OK to close the menu. Your OBS Studio is now configured to encode and stream your audio at 320kbps.