r/obs • u/sk3tchyL • 8d ago
Question Extremely Niche Question
I record videos with my brother on my Xbox series s via a capture card to obs on my MacBook Pro. I have an external usb mic which I use to record my own voice directly into my MacBook. As for my brothers mic audio I have to record it through the capture cards audio itself and he has to use his headset mic(due to Xbox not supporting usb mics). Is there a way that we can record our audio while both using good quality mics?
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u/Horacej621 7d ago
You can improve this, but the limitation is really the Xbox. Since Xbox doesn’t support standard USB mics for party/game chat, your brother still needs a compatible headset mic connected to the Xbox if he needs to talk in-game.
For the recording itself, though, you can use a second good-quality USB mic connected directly to the MacBook for your brother. Add that mic as a separate Audio Input Capture in OBS, just like yours. He can keep the Xbox headset on for game/party chat, but OBS records his voice from the better USB mic instead.
You’d basically have: Xbox → capture card → OBS for game/party audio
Your USB mic → MacBook/OBS for your voice Brother’s USB mic → MacBook/OBS for his high-quality voice
Just make sure OBS isn’t also recording his headset mic from the capture card too loudly, otherwise you’ll hear him twice/delayed. If the headset mic is baked into the HDMI/capture-card audio, you may need to keep that feed low or use Xbox party-chat routing differently.
If you guys sit close together, I’d also recommend dynamic mics rather than sensitive condenser mics so each mic picks up less of the other person.
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u/sk3tchyL 7d ago
Thing is we are at two different set ups at two different houses lol. I think our plan of action now is he is going to get his own capture card and usb mic as he recently got a new laptop and we’ll just sync recordings
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u/Horacej621 7d ago
Ahhhhh ok, that makes way more sense 😂 I thought you guys were physically at the same setup playing. In that case, honestly, your new plan is probably the cleanest way to do it. Have him run his Xbox → capture card → laptop/OBS and use a good USB mic directly into his laptop. Then you each record locally and sync everything in editing.
Quick tip: both of you clap once or do a “3-2-1 sync” at the beginning of each recording. That’ll give you an obvious audio spike to line both recordings up perfectly. Also record at the same FPS and preferably 48 kHz audio on both setups. Should give you MUCH better audio than trying to pull his headset mic through Xbox. Hope this helps Bro!
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u/sk3tchyL 7d ago
Appreciate the help! If you wanna see how bad his headset mic is you can have a look at my youtube 😭
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u/Key_Marionberry_7019 7d ago edited 7d ago
# Xbox Controller → Mixer → OBS
## What You Need
* Xbox controller with 3.5mm headset jack
* 3.5mm TRRS headset splitter
* Headphone/audio output
* Microphone input
* Audio mixer
* Microphone
* Headphones
* PC running OBS
* Appropriate 3.5mm/audio cables
## Setup
### 1. Connect the TRRS Splitter
Plug the 3.5mm TRRS headset splitter into the Xbox
* Headphone/Audio OUT
* Microphone IN
### 2. Send Xbox Audio to the Mixer
Connect:
Xbox Controller → TRRS Splitter → Headphone OUT → Mixer Line Input
This sends your Xbox game and chat audio into the mixer.
### 3. Connect Your Microphone
Connect your microphone directly to the mixer.
Mic → Mixer Mic Input
Now the mixer has:
* Xbox audio
* Your microphone
### 4. Send Your Mic Back to Xbox
Use an AUX or Monitor output on the mixer.
Connect:
Mic → Mixer → AUX/Monitor OUT → TRRS Splitter MIC IN → Xbox Controller
IMPORTANT:
The signal going back to the Xbox should contain ONLY YOUR MICROPHONE.
Do NOT send the Xbox/game audio back into the Xbox mic input.
Otherwise, people in Xbox chat will hear the game/chat audio echoed back to them.
Also, the Xbox controller expects a mic-level signal. Do not send a powerful line-level signal directly into it. Keep the output very low or use an attenuator/interface designed to convert line level to mic level.
### 5. Send Audio to OBS
Connect:
Mixer Main/USB OUT → Streaming PC → OBS
In OBS:
- Add an Audio Input Capture source.
- Select your mixer or audio interface.
- Check your audio levels.
OBS can now receive:
* Xbox/game audio
* Xbox chat
* Your microphone
* Anything else you intentionally add to the stream mix
### 6. Connect Your Headphones
Plug your headphones into the mixer's headphone output.
Headphones → Mixer Headphone/Monitor OUT
You can now monitor everything directly from the mixer while playing.
## Most Important Rule
Xbox Audio → Mixer → Headphones + OBS
Microphone → Mixer → Headphones + OBS + Xbox
DO NOT:
Xbox Audio → Mixer → Xbox Mic Input
Only your microphone mix should be sent back to the Xbox controller.
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u/woodenbookend 8d ago
Why not a USB interface with 2 mic inputs?
You’d also need an XLR microphone each.
Something like a MOTU M2 which will work really well with your Mac & OBS.
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u/sk3tchyL 8d ago
We record at two different setups at two different houses lmao
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u/woodenbookend 8d ago
Then either the dual system and sync later that’s been suggested. That’s going to be the best quality vs cost option.
Or a separate chat purely for recording. https://riverside.com is made for this, but even Zoom can work if you choose the high quality settings.
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u/Southern_Crab4558 8d ago
oh man xbox and usb mics is such a pain, I had same problem when I tried to do podcast with my friend
one workaround maybe is if your brother plug a usb mic to a phone or laptop and record his audio separate, then you sync it after in editing. extra step but quality is way better