Stream Audio Only from OBS to Icecast or Shoutcast

This guide provides a step-by-step walkthrough on how to configure OBS Studio to broadcast an audio-only stream to an Icecast or Shoutcast server. By utilizing OBS Studio’s built-in FFmpeg output capabilities, you can bypass video encoding entirely and transform OBS into a lightweight, professional radio broadcasting tool.

Step 1: Prepare Your Audio Sources in OBS

Before connecting to your server, ensure your audio levels and sources are correctly configured.

  1. Open OBS Studio.
  2. Go to Settings > Audio.
  3. Under Global Audio Devices, enable the microphone or desktop audio devices you want to broadcast. Disable any unused devices to prevent unwanted noise.
  4. Click Apply and OK.
  5. In the Audio Mixer dock on the main screen, adjust your volume sliders and add any necessary filters (like noise gates or compressors) by clicking the three dots next to your audio source.

Step 2: Configure the Custom FFmpeg Output

To send an audio-only stream without video, you must use the Custom FFmpeg Output option located in the Recording tab.

  1. Go to Settings > Output.
  2. Change the Output Mode dropdown at the top from Simple to Advanced.
  3. Click on the Recording tab (do not use the Streaming tab, as it requires a video track).
  4. Change the Type dropdown to Custom Output (FFmpeg).
  5. Under FFmpeg Output Type, select Output to URL.

Step 3: Enter Your Server Connection Details

You will now point OBS to your Icecast or Shoutcast directory.

  1. In the File path or URL field, enter your server credentials and address using the following format:
    • For Icecast: icecast://source:password@yourserver.com:port/mountpoint
    • For Shoutcast: shoutcast://source:password@yourserver.com:port (Replace source, password, yourserver.com, port, and mountpoint with your actual server credentials).
  2. Set the Container Format to ogg (recommended for Icecast) or mp3 (widely supported by both Icecast and Shoutcast).

Step 4: Disable Video and Set Audio Codecs

This is the crucial step to ensure your stream is audio-only.

  1. Set Video Bitrate to 0.
  2. Under Video Encoder, select none (disable video).
  3. Set your Audio Bitrate (typically 128 Kbps or 192 Kbps for high-quality music, or 64 Kbps for speech-only).
  4. Under Audio Encoder, select your codec:
    • Select libmp3lame if you are streaming an MP3 container.
    • Select libvorbis or opus if you are streaming an Ogg container.

Step 5: Start the Broadcast

  1. Click Apply and then OK to close the Settings menu.
  2. To start your audio stream, click the Start Recording button on the main OBS control panel.

Because you configured the “Recording” tab to output to a URL, clicking “Start Recording” will send the live audio feed directly to your Icecast or Shoutcast server instead of saving a file to your computer. Check your server’s admin panel to confirm the stream is active.