Can't get sound from OBS into Zoom except when testing mic

@cantormike – it’s pretty difficult to diagnose something like this without being “live”, but here’s a few things to check:

• You need to follow the “audio chain” from your microphone into OBS, out of OBS into your virtual audio, into Zoom. Make sure everything that can be configured is set the same, such as bit rate, etc. It would help troubleshoot if we know the model of mic, how it’s connected (USB, mic input Jack, etc). It you document all of those connections, it’ll be easier to figure out what might need adjusting.  Mismatched sampling rates will produce garbled sound out. 
• Try simplifying the chain, and add in one variable item at a time. Connect the mic straight into Zoom and confirm it works; then add the virtual audio in the middle, selecting it in Zoom and pipe the mic into VA - does that work? Remove the mic and play a known sound through OBS - does that work?  I’ve fine this with clients many, many times to troubleshoot sound issues – it’s the only way you’ll figure out where the problem is.
• Do you really need it mic to go through OBS? Consider simplifying the audio chain and using it as simple as possible – unless you really need OBS filters or something.

 You might have already seen it, but take a look at this Zoom Support article for some testing and setup guidance.

 Come back with any new details and I’ll see what else I can recommend. 

I may have experienced this same issue.  I found a workaround.

A short description of what I observed is that my OBS program audio was making it through OBS just fine.  It was being fed into a VB-Audio Cable which was then connected to the ZOOM mic input.  I was able to verify that the OBS Program audio did appear at the end of the VB-Audio Cable by using its GUI.  However, Zoom was not indicating that there was an input signal. 

During testing we found that it was ZOOM that was the sole culprit. 

This is how we discovered what was happening.

1. I used a USB to analog mic level adapter cable to connect a handheld mic to the Zoom Mic input.
2. This worked fine. 
3. I unplugged the handheld mic and fed in a mic level analog signal that had OBS program audio in it.   This sounded fine on earphones and Windows saw it just fine as well.
4. The same USB analog mic level adapter used above, resulted in no signal being seen by Zoom.
5. So, the question became, why did one analog signal make it through, but another would not.
6. It turns out that there was something in the OBS Program test signal that the Zoom audio processing didn’t like, and it would not allow anything to pass through.
7. The ZOOM GUI presents these choices under Audio profile”
• Zoom background noise removal

Background noise suppression

• Auto
• Low
• Medium
• High
• Personalized audio isolation
• Original sound for musicians
• Live performance audio BETA

If you click on “Original Sound for Musicians”  The four choices under Background noise suppression disappear.

One would assume that this disables the Zoom audio processing, however THAT IS NOT WHAT HAPPENS.

Whatever setting it was in when the “Original Sound” selection was made is what the system stays in.  It does not turn off the processing.   Since the default was Auto, Zoom decided that the incoming signal needed to be muted.

All that was necessary to “fix” the issue was to switch the choice to “Low”.  There isn’t an OFF option.   If you then check “original sound for musicians”, Zoom stays in this state.  It is still filtering in the Low level but at that level enough of the signal makes it thru to be usable.’

1. Something must have changed in Zoom.  I assume there is still a way to turn off audio processing entirely, but I haven’t found it yet.
2. I assume I’m not the only person who has been tripped up by this and that Zoom will fix this eventually.    Nov 2024