How to Boost Audio Beyond 100% in OBS Studio

If you have a quiet microphone or audio source in OBS Studio, simply dragging the volume slider to its maximum limit (0 dB) is often not enough to make your sound audible. This guide will show you how to easily boost your audio volume beyond 100% using OBS Studio’s built-in Gain filter, ensuring your stream or recording is clear and loud enough for your audience.

Step 1: Open the Filters Menu

  1. Locate the quiet audio source in the Audio Mixer dock at the bottom of the OBS Studio interface.
  2. Click on the three vertical dots next to the volume slider of the specific audio source you want to boost.
  3. Select Filters from the drop-down menu. This will open the filters configuration window for that specific audio source.

Step 2: Add the Gain Filter

  1. In the bottom-left corner of the Filters window, click the + (plus) icon.
  2. Select Gain from the list of available filters.
  3. You can leave the filter name as “Gain” or rename it, then click OK.

Step 3: Adjust the Volume Boost

  1. In the Gain filter properties, you will see a slider labeled Gain (dB).
  2. Drag the slider to the right to increase the volume. You can also type a specific decibel value into the numerical box on the right.
  3. Tip: Start by adding +5.00 dB to +10.00 dB. Speak or play your audio and monitor the levels in the OBS Audio Mixer. You want your audio level to consistently hit the yellow zone (between -20 dB and -10 dB) during normal speaking or playback.

Boosting your audio too much can cause “clipping,” which results in harsh distortion when the sound gets too loud. To prevent this: 1. Click the + (plus) icon in the Filters window again and select Limiter. Click OK. 2. Set the Threshold to -2.0 dB or -3.0 dB. 3. Keep the Limiter positioned below the Gain filter in the active filters list. This ensures OBS boosts your quiet audio first, but caps the maximum volume so it never distorts or hurts your viewers’ ears.

Once you are satisfied with the audio levels, click Close on the Filters window. Your quiet audio source will now remain boosted beyond its original maximum volume.