Check which audio tracks were recorded and which one the player or editor is using before rerecording. I would keep a usable combined listening track where appropriate and separate sources for editing. Recording a track and monitoring a source are related settings, but they are not the same proof.
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Our recommendation
I recommend a documented track map and a short import test before every important recording setup change. Do not discard a recording until all its supported tracks have been inspected.
Map the sources to outputs
OBS’s multiple-track guide explains that ordinary players generally play one selected audio track at a time. Its example uses a combined first track and additional separated sources. Verify both source assignments and the enabled recording tracks; assigning a microphone to a track that is not recorded does not preserve it.
Give the tracks a documented role such as reference mix, microphone and desktop sound. Avoid recording the same source twice into a delivery mix accidentally. Keep streaming and local recording needs separate when they use different track selections.
Inspect in the editing application
Import a short recording and identify the available tracks. Solo each one, speak or play a recognisable test sound and confirm the intended content. Do not assume a player’s silent default track means the entire file is silent.
Render a small final mix and check it in an ordinary player. Separate editing tracks are useful assets, but the audience usually needs the intended audible mix without manually choosing between sources. Keep the source recording until the final audio route is verified.
A ten-second test
Say “microphone test” while playing a brief harmless desktop sound. Record the reference mix on one track and the sources separately on others. In the editor, solo the microphone, desktop and mix tracks in turn. If the microphone exists only on track two, a player selecting track one explains the apparently missing voice.
Before you act
- Enable the intended output tracks as well as source assignments.
- Solo each track after import.
- Check the final audience mix in a normal player.
Use the Audio file size calculator to apply the guide to your own setup.
Keep exploring
- Distinguish dual mono, stereo and a missing dialogue channel
- Avoid unnecessary lossy audio generations in a video delivery
Sources and research notes
Research checked on 21 October 2026. Product specifications are manufacturer statements; examples and buying judgements are our analysis. No hands-on product test is implied.
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