Setting up your microphone can be tough in its own right, not to mention if you are trying to set it up with software such as OBS. They can be particularly buggy and even have issues if you correctly set them up.
Here’s how to make your blue Yeti sound better on OBS:
- Understand how your Blue Yeti mic works.
- Understand Common Issues with mics
- Check exclusive driver settings of your computer.
- Ensure your mic is of high quality.
- Make sure your mic is set up correctly.
- Install extra drivers.
- Check customer and support forums.
Read on to learn more about the basics of Blue Yeti mics and OBS and how to recognize/troubleshoot some of the problems that can come with them.
Understand How Your Blue Yeti Mic Works
Blue Yeti mics are a brand of microphones that deliver high-quality results at an affordable price. They can be used in many professional and recreational settings, making them the perfect choice for many people.
To understand and solve some of the issues with your mic on OBS, we first have to understand the specifications of Blue Yeti Mics.
Specifications
To start, blue yeti mics are USB connected, meaning you can simply plug it into a laptop or other device to work it. According to the company, the mic has tri-capsule technology
, with condensers intended to make sound pure and pristine.
This high-quality design, lower price, and simple use make it great for the average person, producing near studio quality at home.
Common Uses
Some common uses listed for the blue yeti mic are:
- Home-music creation
- Twitch/OBS streaming
- Youtube video creation
- Voiceover work
Check out my article on how to reduce background sound on a Blue Yeti mic.
What Is OBS?
OBS stands for Open Broadcaster Software. OBS is a widely used video recording and streaming software, famous for its ease of use and wide availability. Gamers commonly use OBS for screencasting, screen captures, and other types of videos, such as online tutorials.
Similar to the mic, it is crucial to understand what OBS is and how it is used to understand some of the common problems that come with it.
Popularity
To start, OBS is a top-rated program used by many due to its ease of use, free cost, and availability. Due to this, many of your issues (specific issues) that you may have can almost always be found on public forums.
These forums are a great resource to initially check in the future when you have problems.
Uses for OBS
As I mentioned, OBS was designed to have many uses for both professionals and recreational users.
As for recreational users, you can use OBS to make screen captures, screen recordings, or even video presentations with your screen in the background for school or entertainment.
For professionals, such as gamers with youtube channels, or business people who need to create a video presentation, OBS is a great option.
OBS can let you create videos and content for free with ease for YouTubers and other social media professionals. Similarly, business people who may want to create a presentation can also use OBS to do so.
Check out my article about why your Blue Yeti might be loud.
Understand Common Issues With Mics
Mics can be pretty picky, often having issues even if you set them up correctly. To understand how to improve your Blue Yeti mic audio quality, you must recognize common mic issues.
Pops/Cracks
Pops and clicks are sounds that occur in audio frequently for many users. They are characterized by sharp yet short and semi-quiet sounds, similar to a campfire or playing an old record.
Most people attribute this to loose or unplugged cords or issues with things like low-frequency roll-off.
Environmental Sound
Environmental sounds are sounds like wind or rustling in your audio. They are recording the sounds going on in the room you are in (other than your voice).
This usually means two main things. First off, it could mean that the mic’s sensitivity is set too high. Thus it is picking up quieter environmental noise. This could also mean that you are too far from your mic setup, so it is picking up noise along with your voice.
For more information, check out ways to bring down keyboard noise on a Blue Yeti.
Poor Mic Quality
Poor mic quality is another common issue. Many times we can find ourselves opting for the budget option regardless of quality.
While this can sometimes work out amazingly, other times, it results in overall poor quality. Poor mics can often have common issues like cracks, pops, wrong settings, etc.
Breathing Noises
Breathing noises are sounds created when you actively breathe into the mic. They sound raspy and very loud, as they are often caused by you being too close to your mic setup. There are some pretty easy fixes for this, one of which is simply moving slightly away from your mic.
Another thing you can do is purchase a windbreaker for your mic that allows your voice to go through but blocks any unnecessary air blown into it.
Distortion
Distortion is mic noise that has an altered quality. This can mean your bass is too high, too low, etc. This is the most varied issue, so it depends on what you are hearing. Many problems can cause this, such as poor mic quality or incorrect setups.
“S” Sounds
Harsh “S” and “T” sounds are another common issue with mics. They can be easily heard, especially when wearing headphones to listen to audio. They are often caused by overly sensitive mics or by you being too close to your setup.
While each issue may have separate causes and fixes, there are a few main things you should look at to increase the quality of your Blue Yeti mic on OBS.
For more information, check out my article about why your Blue Yeti might be quiet.
Check Exclusive Driver Setting for Your Computer
According to most forums, mic issues can be caused a lot of the time by your settings. One important one is your driver exclusivity. If OBS isn’t granted access to your device, you probably will have issues with not hearing your mic at all.
You can solve this by manually granting it access or unchecking the exclusive setting under the OBS sound control panel.
Ensure Your Mic Is of High Quality
This is probably one of the easiest ways to solve mic issues. Upgrading your microphone or making sure to purchase a budget quality one is highly important.
Put simply, having a lousy microphone will get you bad audio. The Blue Yeti should be fine, so if you are using that, this is most likely not your issue (unless yours is damaged).
Make Sure Your Mic Is Set Up Correctly
Going with most of the common issues, having your mic setup incorrectly can cause many things, such as breathing noises, harsh “S” sounds, and environmental noise.
To fix this, most people recommend having your mic set up on a stable surface and talking into it from 4-12 inches (10-30 cm) away. Having it close can cause harsh sounds and distorted audio, while too far can cause environmental noise.
Install Extra Drivers
Some people also recommend installing extra drivers to help run OBS. This depends on your computer, so you should search up what drivers work best with your specific devices.
With this, drivers are simply something you install to help other software (such as OBS) run on your computer.
Check out: Why Your Blue Yeti Might Sound Bad on Discord
Check Customer and Support Forums
When all else fails, there are many resources that you can use for extra help with microphone issues. As I mentioned, there are countless forums dedicated to Blue Yeti mics and OBS platforms. These are great and abundant resources, with countless retellings and solutions to people’s past problems.
If these don’t help, you can also call the support number for either OBS or your Blue Yeti microphone.
Conclusion
In the end, there are a few common issues that can happen with any microphone on OBS. These issues include cracks/pops in audio, distortion, breathing sounds, and environmental noises.
There are many common fixes for these, such as restarting your tech or ensuring your microphone is high quality.
In the end, if all else fails, most people recommend to re-do your setup, making sure it’s correct, and checking forums or calling support numbers for extra help.
Check out my article to see if the GoXLR is worth it.
Sources
- OBSProject: No Audio Coming From Mic
- SweetWater: How to Fix “Pop” Goes the Vocal
- AccusonusBlog: 11 Common Problems when Recording Audio and How to Fix Them
- Blue: Yeti
- XOticPC: BEST SETTINGS FOR OBS GAMING
- Restream: How to use OBS: Step-by-step guide
- Stream Scheme: How to Position a Microphone for Streaming
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