WIN11 Desktop Audio bound to Windows General Audio

[ruggi99]

Operating System Info

Windows 11

Other OS

No response

OBS Studio Version

27.2.4

OBS Studio Version (Other)

No response

OBS Studio Log URL

https://obsproject.com/logs/mbSdu3b1gCbGM504

OBS Studio Crash Log URL

No response

Expected Behavior

I expected desktop audio capture behavior was like WIN10

Current Behavior

Hi all. Yesterday I faced a weird issue that I never faced before. I was recording a conference (not for me) and wanted to record a window (via window capture) and desktop audio (via global device). I wanted to mute windows audio (from windows) because I was doing other things, but at the same time keep recording it in OBS. I noticed that in WIN11 desktop audio is bound to windows general volume, while on WIN10 they are different things. So if I mute my computer on WIN11, then OBS will not receive audio input anymore. While in WIN10 I can mute windows' audio while keep recording at maximum level in OBS, in WIN11 the desktop volume in OBS is bound to windows' one. So in WIN11 it seems that desktop audio is in "post-fader" mode and in WIN10 in "pre-fader" mode. I tried with Administrator and nothing changed. Tried on 4 different computers, 2 with WIN10 e the others with WIN11 and it works like described. Tried to uninstall (deleting user preferences) and reinstalling and nothing changed. Attaching video and logs. I think it could be a bug with some recent update in WIN11. WIN11 is up-to-date. Also tried with latest main branch and nothing changed.

https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/25064808/180949550-eddb34cd-9cec-4c43-b44a-6592947f64a5.mp4

Steps to Reproduce

1. Enable global Desktop Audio in settings
2. See video ...

Anything else we should know?

Thanks

[Fenrirthviti]

I cannot replicate this exact behavior on my end. Moving the volume slider while a recording is active causes the volume in the recording to fluctuate, but moving the slider to 0 doesn't actually mute the audio. It maybe lowers it 10~% if I had to guess. This is likely a combination of the device and Windows' own audio APIs. I'm not sure there's much we can do about this, but I'll leave it open in case anyone else has any insight.

[ruggi99]

Thanks for trying to repro. On WIN10 if I move the slider of windows' volume, then OBS will always receive the same amount of volume, regardless if WIN volume is 10 or 100. ON WIN11 instead the desktop volume input to OBS is proportional to windows' slider, and it's weird for me personally.

[Fenrirthviti]

As a note, my test was on Windows 11.

[slopoke156]

The video representation from ruggi99 essentially duplicates the problem I am having with audio and it is very much tied to Win11....this applies to any audio input to OBS in Win11. Win10 works as expected...the audio input device works perfectly within OBS control parameters....I am not familiar with the Win Audio level setting affecting OBS in Win11...I will have to look into this. It worries me that the initial response is that there seems to be no solution in Win11....I livestream for our church using OBS and the audio has become unacceptable because of this problem and no apparent solution. I am not at all tech savvy enough to look into the 'inner working' of the software....I can only explain that I believe there is a bug in the code when using Win11 for at least livestreaming...and I base this on the video and accompanying explanation submitted by ruggi99. Thank you for reading. slopoke156.

[ruggi99]

@slopoke156 hi, have you already opened an issue here in OBS? In case, sorry I didn't see it. When did you upgrade from Win10 to Win11 (if ever)? How long have you seen this issue? I suspect it might be a very recent update of Win11.

If there is something that I can try on my PC I'm happy to help.

[slopoke156]

Hi, Ruggero....thank you for your response to my audio problem....

No....I didn't open an official issue...just responded to an existing one...

I bought a new laptop for the church in late June. Win10 Pro was loaded but the Win11 license was with the pc so I immediately downloaded and installed Win11. This problem showed up on my first livestream attempt with the new laptop and Win11...it became unusable so I reverted back to my old laptop with Win10 Home....OBS worked very well with this older laptop and Win10 on the next Sunday....so I was sure the issue was a Win11 problem with OBS....but I need(ed) a solution for the new laptop.

I have continually updated the new laptop with the newest update versions of Win11.....and with this latest update made another try at the OBS problem here at home....it seems to be working fine now....I used the video cam and the converter I use when livestreaming and the audio seems to be working properly now. I will try livestreaming Sunday with the new Win11 laptop.....

I really appreciate your offer to help....if this new update of Win11 doesn't appear to work I will let you know....and describe more detail of the issue for you.....if it works...so much the better....

Take care....stay safe out there....and again....thank you for the offer to help.

Gary @slopoke156

On Tue, Aug 2, 2022 at 12:54 PM Ruggero Tomaselli @.***> wrote:

@slopoke156 https://github.com/slopoke156 hi, have you already opened an issue here in OBS? In case, sorry I didn't see it. When did you upgrade from Win10 to Win11 (if ever)? How long have you seen this issue? I suspect it might be a very recent update of Win11.

If there is something that I can try on my PC I'm happy to help.

— Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/obsproject/obs-studio/issues/6819#issuecomment-1202985295, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/A2K5JDZJLGLTIKTEWB3FVHLVXFHELANCNFSM54U3PYJA . You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: @.***>

[ruggi99]

Thanks. As a note I tried uninstalling recent updates with no luck. Also tried to upgrade to beta1 and no luck. I'd mention that both PCs with Win11 I tried are AMD, maybe it's related (I don't see how, maybe the Audio Driver has to do with AMD). @slopoke156 May I ask you if your brand new laptop is AMD or Intel?

Thanks

[slopoke156]

Hi, Ruggero....hope all is well....

The new laptop is a Dell Latitude 3520 with an Intel I5 (11th gen I believe) processor and 16Gb RAM....it was bought in June this year. The latest Win11 update was Aug 2 (KB5015882) if that will help with the problem search....

Again....I will try the livestream with this laptop Sunday to see if what I have been able to do here at home will also work at the church...

Take care....

@slopoke156

On Wed, Aug 3, 2022 at 3:25 PM Ruggero Tomaselli @.***> wrote:

Thanks. As a note I tried uninstalling recent updates with no luck. Also tried to upgrade to beta1 and no luck. I'd mention that both PCs with Win11 I tried are AMD, maybe it's related (I don't see how, maybe the Audio Driver has to do with AMD). @slopoke156 https://github.com/slopoke156 May I ask you if your brand new laptop is AMD or Intel?

Thanks

— Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/obsproject/obs-studio/issues/6819#issuecomment-1204381621, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/A2K5JD5CV2RRIHPDXEYVKS3VXLBRDANCNFSM54U3PYJA . You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: @.***>

[aon3ko]

I'm facing the same problem, the main audio device is an USB sound card from ASUS STRIX Z790-I. Maybe the key is some DAC or just USB audio device?

[aon3ko]

Seems that problem is not related to audio device or driver. I tried using microsoft driver or the OEM's driver and even changed to display audio, there's no help. @PatTheMav

[RytoEX]

Based on the descriptions, I do not think this is device or driver specific. This sounds like a behavior change of Windows itself between Windows 10 and Windows 11.

[slopoke156]

I am hoping this reply is seen globally for this thread....I"ve lost my GitHub sign in.....

What I need to say it this problem still exists in spades...but I need all to know that I dialed back to Win10 on this laptop via a new install....so I'm still using the same laptop but now Win10....and the problem described by ruggi99 is exactly the same on this laptop running Win10. So....either the OS version makes no difference with respect the problem....or the residuals from Win11 still exist on this laptop....and are preventing the audio on OBS to function properly..... At any rate....livestreaming on this laptop using OBS is still a serious problem regarding the audio....the video seems fine.

If there is any update that seems to solve the problem.....somebody please state it....

Take care, all....stay safe...

@slopoke156

On Mon, Feb 13, 2023 at 8:26 AM EXSERENS @.***> wrote:

Seems that problem is not related to audio device or driver. I tried using microsoft driver or the OEM's driver and even changed to display audio, there's no help. @PatTheMav https://github.com/PatTheMav

— Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/obsproject/obs-studio/issues/6819#issuecomment-1427941579, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/A2K5JD2FCR4OAZAHEBDY6F3WXIY6VANCNFSM54U3PYJA . You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: @.***>

[Fenrirthviti]

Just as a note, in my experience with this, the behavior is both device, and platform, specific. Certain devices act a certain way on Win10, and another on Win11. Some act the same on both. I've also had devices change how they act based on driver updates, or if their companion software suite is installed or not.

[aon3ko]

I have some test with different audio device here, found that this problem do actually related with audio device.

Device  Identifier  Device Description
midi-out.0  0001 001B   Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth
mixer.0 FFFF FFFF   Speakers (3- Wireless Controlle
mixer.1 0001 0068   DisplayPort 1 (NVIDIA High Defi
mixer.2 0001 0068   SPDIF Interface (Realtek USB2.0
mixer.3 0001 0068   Speakers (NVIDIA Broadcast)
mixer.4 FFFF FFFF   Headset Microphone (3- Wireless
mixer.5 0001 0068   Microphone (NVIDIA Broadcast)
wave-in.0   0001 0065   Microphone (NVIDIA Broadcast)
wave-in.1   FFFF FFFF   Headset Microphone (3- Wireless
wave-out.0  FFFF FFFF   Speakers (3- Wireless Controlle
wave-out.1  0001 0064   DisplayPort 1 (NVIDIA High Defi
wave-out.2  0001 0064   SPDIF Interface (Realtek USB2.0
wave-out.3  0001 0064   Speakers (NVIDIA Broadcast)

Form above is AIDA64 information copied from AIDA64 v6.85.6300 -> Mulitimedia -> Windows Audio The FFFF FFFF means that this device is currently selected as default device. I found that when using Wireless Controller (DualSense, only default driver used) / NVIDIA Broadcast, volume inside OBS is not related with system volume. When using Realtek USB2.0 (ROG STRIX HIVE, tried both driver installed or windows default) / NVIDIA High Definition Audio, volume inside OBS do related with system volume. Configure Speakers won't help this.

My system version is 22621.1265 with en-US, ROG STRIX HIVE's USB identifier is VID 0B05 PID 1A7A.

Hope that information would help temporarily bypass the problem and finally solve the problem.

[aon3ko]

My system also have Intel iGPU's Audio Output but when you not connected to it, it won't appear. I haven't test on it. Quit NVIDIA Broadcast will let it's Audio Device disappear, but won't help with this problem too.

Maybe who have NVIDIA Graphics card wants reproduce this problem can try with your Display Audio?

[4wincode]

I've also been having this issue ever since I switched to Windows 11. The problem is there when my headphones are plugged into my DAC but not when they're plugged directly into my computer. They have the same driver.

[slopoke156]

Hi.... I also found this to be device specific....after weeks of Dell's BS about it being software I found a setting turned 'ON' in the audio section of the laptop....don't have the laptop with me so cannot be specific...but it appears Win11 had this setting on by default.... If you look around in your audio settings you will find it....when you see it you'll recognize it.... When I'm back at the church I'll look at the laptop and try and pinpoint the actual setting.... I was EXTREMELY disappointed with Dell Tech Service....all they seemed to do was pass me around the department and claim software.... Good luck.

On Tue, Feb 20, 2024 at 11:49 PM 4win @.***> wrote:

I've also been having this issue ever since I switched to Windows 11. Interestingly, it is actually device-specific; the problem is there when my headphones are plugged into my DAC but not when they're plugged directly into my computer. They have the same driver. Screenshot.2024-02-20.222940.png (view on web) https://github.com/obsproject/obs-studio/assets/73720026/c9af2752-42e1-40d4-8240-4b75318f1313

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