How to Route SteelSeries Sonar Audio to OBS Studio

This article provides a quick, step-by-step guide on how to route individual audio channels from SteelSeries Sonar into OBS Studio. By separating your game, chat, media, and microphone audio, you can gain complete control over your stream’s sound mix and create a more professional broadcast.

Step 1: Set Up SteelSeries Sonar

Before configuring OBS, ensure Sonar is running and set up correctly on your system. 1. Open the SteelSeries GG software and navigate to the Sonar tab. 2. Ensure Sonar is enabled. 3. In your Windows Sound Settings, verify that your default playback device is set to SteelSeries Sonar - System or SteelSeries Sonar - Game.

Step 2: Configure OBS Studio Audio Settings

The easiest way to route Sonar’s virtual channels is by assigning them to OBS Studio’s global audio devices. 1. Open OBS Studio. 2. Click on Settings in the bottom-right corner (or go to File > Settings). 3. Select the Audio tab from the left sidebar. 4. Locate the Global Audio Devices section and assign the Sonar virtual channels as follows: * Desktop Audio: Select SteelSeries Sonar - Game (captures gameplay sound). * Desktop Audio 2: Select SteelSeries Sonar - Chat (captures Discord or voice comms). * Mic/Auxiliary Audio: Select SteelSeries Sonar - Microphone (captures your processed voice). * Mic/Auxiliary Audio 2 (Optional): Select SteelSeries Sonar - Media (captures music or browsers). 5. Click Apply and then OK.

Step 3: Alternative Method (Source-Specific Routing)

If you prefer to add audio devices directly to specific scenes rather than globally: 1. In OBS, go to Settings > Audio and set all Global Audio Devices to Disabled. 2. Go to your desired Scene, click the + (Add) icon under the Sources dock. 3. Select Audio Output Capture (for Game, Chat, or Media) or Audio Input Capture (for Microphone). 4. Name the source (e.g., “Sonar Game Audio”) and click OK. 5. In the device dropdown menu, select the corresponding SteelSeries Sonar virtual device. 6. Repeat this process for each Sonar channel you want to capture.

Step 4: Test and Adjust in the Audio Mixer

Once the routing is complete, test the audio levels in the OBS Audio Mixer dock. 1. Play a game, speak into your microphone, and have a friend speak in Discord to verify that the corresponding volume bars in OBS light up independently. 2. Use the volume sliders in OBS to balance the audio mix for your viewers without affecting what you hear in your headset.