Mastering Audio: The Complete Guide to OBS Noise Gates
Audio is often more important than video in streaming. While viewers might forgive a slightly pixelated webcam, they will instantly leave if your audio is filled with background hiss, keyboard clacking, or fan noise. That's where the Noise Gate comes in—your first line of defense against unwanted sound.
What is a Noise Gate?
Think of a Noise Gate like a literal gate for your audio. When you speak loudly (above a certain volume), the gate opens and lets the sound through. When you stop speaking and the volume drops (below a threshold), the gate slams shut, silencing everything completely.
Unlike Noise Suppression (which uses AI to filter out background noise while you talk), a Noise Gate simply mutes the microphone when you aren't talking. It is perfect for eliminating:
- Mechanical keyboard clicks between sentences.
- PC fan hum or air conditioner noise when you are silent.
- Room reverb or distant conversations.
Why Use a Calculator?
Setting up a noise gate improperly is a disaster. Set usage thresholds too high, and your voice will cut out. Set them too low, and the background noise will never be muted. Our calculator helps you find the mathematical "sweet spot" based on your specific room noise levels.
Understanding the Settings
OBS Studio's Noise Gate filter has several confusing parameters. Here is what they actually do:
1. Close Threshold
This is the "shut the gate" level. When your audio volume drops below this decibel (dB) number, the microphone mutes. It needs to be slightly higher than your background noise but lower than your whisper.
2. Open Threshold
This is the "open the gate" level. Your voice must get louder than this number to unmute the microphone. We recommend setting this about 4-8 dB higher than the Close Threshold. This "hysteresis" prevents the gate from rapidly flickering open and closed if your volume hovers right on the edge.
3. Attack Time (ms)
How fast the gate opens when you start talking. A fast attack (1-10ms) is crucial so the first syllable of your sentence ("Hello") doesn't get cut off. If you notice your words sound clipped at the start, lower this value.
4. Hold Time (ms)
How long the gate stays open after you stop talking, even if the volume drops below the Close Threshold. This is vital to prevent the gate from cutting off the natural decay of your voice or pauses between words. A value of 100-200ms is usually perfect.
5. Release Time (ms)
How essentially the gate fades out after the Hold Time. A very fast release sounds unnatural and abrupt. A slower release (50-100ms) provides a smooth fade-out to silence.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Gate Chattering: If your Open and Close thresholds are too close together (e.g., -40dB and -41dB), the gate will flutter open and shut rapidly. Keep them at least 4dB apart.
- Cutting Off Laughs: Quiet laughter often gets gated out. If you are an expressive streamer, you might need a "Looser" sensitivity setting.
- Wrong Filter Order: Always place your Noise Suppression filter before your Noise Gate in the OBS filters list. This cleans the audio before the gate decides whether to open or close.