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To use a VST plugin in OBS, add the VST 2.x Plugin audio filter to the microphone or other audio source you want to process, then select an installed VST2 effect. OBS’s built-in filter supports VST2—not VST3—and the plugin must match your operating system and architecture. Add and test effects before a broadcast: some can use substantial CPU or make OBS unstable.
What OBS supports—and what it does not
The OBS Project documents a built-in VST 2.x audio filter for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Its documentation says, “OBS Studio supports many VST2.x plugins.” It does not support VST1.x, VST3.x, MIDI control or input in VST plugins, or shell VST plugins through this filter. See the OBS VST 2.x Plugin Filter guide.
That distinction answers a common question: Does OBS support VST3? Not in its documented built-in VST filter. A VST3-only plugin will not appear there. A separate host or routing setup may be possible, but the OBS documentation cited here does not establish a universal bridge or a safe one-size-fits-all workaround. Check the current documentation for any alternative host and your OBS build before relying on it.
How to add a VST to OBS
- Capture the source in OBS. Add or select the microphone, instrument, or other audio source you intend to process. Speak or play audio and confirm its meter responds in the OBS mixer. A filter on your microphone will not change unrelated desktop or game audio.
- Choose a compatible plugin. For OBS’s built-in filter, install a VST2 plugin—not a VST3-only plugin. Confirm that its build matches your operating system and architecture, and follow the vendor’s installation instructions. OBS’s Plugins Guide covers general compatibility and installation considerations.
- Install it where OBS can discover it. OBS lists VST directories for Windows, macOS, and Linux in its VST filter guide. On Linux, if the
VST_PATHenvironment variable is set, OBS uses the paths in that variable instead of the other locations listed in the guide. Reopen OBS after installation if the plugin is not yet available. - Add the filter to the source. Open the source’s Filters dialog, add the VST 2.x Plugin audio filter, then choose the installed effect. Save your OBS settings before experimenting so you can restore a working setup.
- Adjust one effect at a time. Start with a subtle change and compare the processed sound with the original. For speech, a practical starting chain is corrective EQ followed by gentle compression; use a gate or denoiser only if it addresses a real noise problem without damaging words.
Choose effects by the problem they solve
| Effect | Useful for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| EQ | Adjusting tonal balance, such as reducing an unwanted resonance or making speech clearer. | Large boosts or cuts can make a voice sound unnatural; make small changes and listen back. |
| Compression | Reducing the difference between quieter and louder parts of a performance or voice. | Too much compression can sound flattened or bring background noise forward. |
| Gate | Reducing low-level room or computer noise between phrases. | A threshold set too aggressively can cut off quiet words or the beginnings and ends of phrases. |
| Denoising | Reducing persistent background noise. | Listen for artifacts and distorted consonants; use it only if it improves intelligibility. |
These are purposes, not prescribed settings: there is no single set of values that suits every voice, microphone, room, or noise level. Use the lightest processing that solves the problem, then assess intelligibility, artifacts, monitoring experience, and CPU stability. The cited sources do not publish a latency comparison among plugins.
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A free example: ReaPlugs
Cockos describes ReaPlugs as a free VST FX suite. Its download page lists 32-bit and 64-bit Windows VST v2.36 installers dated January 2, 2016, and includes ReaEQ, ReaComp, ReaGate, and ReaFIR. Those details establish the listed Windows downloads, not a current macOS or Linux installer. OBS also names REAPER ReaPlugs and Melda Production among plugins used during development and testing of VST support; that is not a guarantee that every plugin, build, or system will work. Melda’s downloads and installation page is the place to check an individual plugin’s current format and platform support.
Check sound, levels, and stability before going live
- Listen to the processed signal. Use your normal speaking or performance level and monitor what reaches OBS. Listen for pumping, clipped peaks, dropouts, and gates that truncate words.
- Keep speech clear of clipping. Start with the source device’s gain, then balance the signal in OBS against gameplay, music, and effects. The OBS Audio Mixer Guide treats red meter readings as a warning that levels are close to clipping; a meter’s apparent balance alone does not tell you how loud or clear a mix sounds.
- Record and play back a representative session. Check an ordinary segment with the same sources and processing you plan to use live. OBS recommends monitoring at the source and in OBS, then listening to a recording before going live.
- Watch CPU use and reliability. OBS warns that some VSTs may crash and that some can be CPU hungry. Add one new plugin at a time and test it before depending on it in a broadcast. The OBS VST guide specifically advises keeping an eye on CPU usage.
Why a VST plugin may not show up in OBS
- The plugin is VST3-only. OBS’s documented built-in filter does not support VST3. Look for a VST2 build from the vendor if one is available; do not assume a VST3 plugin will work in the selector.
- It is installed in the wrong location. Compare the installation path with the platform-specific scan locations in the OBS VST guide, then reopen OBS.
- The plugin build does not match your system. Check that you installed a build for the correct operating system and architecture, and that it is an ordinary VST2 plugin rather than an unsupported shell plugin.
- Linux is scanning a different path. Check whether
VST_PATHis set. If it is, OBS uses its listed paths instead of the other scan locations.
Troubleshoot bad or unstable audio
OBS crashes, stutters, or audio breaks up
Disable or remove the newest effect and restore your saved settings. Re-enable effects one at a time to identify the cause, and watch CPU use during a representative session. OBS cautions that plugins can crash and that some use substantial CPU; do not leave an untested plugin in a live chain.
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The source meter moves, but audio is missing from one side
Check the source’s channel mapping and whether it is mono or stereo. OBS says a mono source is heard in both left and right channels. For stereo sources, channel assignment matters; Advanced Audio Properties includes a Downmix to Mono option if that is appropriate for your setup. See the OBS Audio Mixer Guide.
Speech clips or competes with game audio
Lower gain at the source first, then rebalance the sources in OBS and make another recording to listen back. Use the meters as a warning aid, not as a substitute for hearing whether speech is intelligible in the full mix.
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