A compressor and a noise gate get most of the attention, but a well-tuned equaliser (EQ) is what separates a clear, broadcast-sounding voice from a boomy or thin one. OBS includes a simple EQ filter, and with a few targeted moves you can make almost any microphone sound noticeably more professional, no plugins required.
What EQ actually does
EQ raises or lowers the volume of specific frequency ranges. Your voice spans roughly 80 Hz to 12 kHz, and different problems live in different bands: rumble and desk thumps down low, muddiness in the low mids, presence and intelligibility in the upper mids, and air or sibilance up high. EQ lets you fix each region independently instead of just turning everything up.
Adding the filter in OBS
Right-click your microphone source in the Audio Mixer, choose Filters, and add a “3-Band Equalizer” or, for more control, use the “VST 2.x Plug-in” filter with a graphic EQ. The built-in 3-band is enough for most streamers: Low, Mid, and High controls in decibels.
A safe starting EQ
| Band | Frequency | Typical move | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-pass | Below 80-90 Hz | Cut / roll off | Removes rumble, AC hum, desk thumps |
| Low mids | 200-400 Hz | -2 to -4 dB | Reduces boomy, muddy “boxy” tone |
| Presence | 3-5 kHz | +2 to +3 dB | Adds clarity and intelligibility |
| Air | 8-10 kHz | +1 to +2 dB | Gentle brightness and detail |
Start conservative. Boosts and cuts of 2-4 dB do a lot; anything past 6 dB usually signals a mic placement or room problem you should fix first. The single most useful move is the high-pass filter around 80 Hz, which cleans up low-end rumble on nearly every setup.
Tune by ear, in context
Record a short clip while gaming at your normal volume, then play it back on the speakers or headphones your viewers use. If your voice sounds boomy, deepen the 200-400 Hz cut. If it feels dull or buried under game audio, nudge the 3-5 kHz presence up. Adjust one band at a time so you can hear each change.
Match the EQ to your mic and voice
There is no universal EQ curve because microphones and voices differ. A bright condenser may already have plenty of high-end, so pushing 8-10 kHz could make it harsh; in that case a small cut there sounds better. A darker dynamic mic often benefits from a touch more presence and air. Deeper voices usually need a firmer low-mid cut to avoid boom, while lighter voices need less.
Use a spectrum analyser if you want to see what you are doing. A free analyser VST placed after your EQ shows where your voice sits and reveals problem resonances as visible peaks. Speak normally and look for any spike in the low mids you can gently tame. Combining your ears with a visual reference makes EQ far less guesswork and helps you avoid over-processing, which is the most common beginner mistake.
Frequently asked questions
Should EQ come before or after compression?
A common, clean order is noise gate, then EQ, then compressor, then limiter. EQ before the compressor lets you remove muddiness so the compressor reacts to a cleaner signal. Some engineers add a second gentle EQ after compression for polish, but for streaming the single pre-compressor EQ is plenty.
Can EQ fix a cheap or bad microphone?
It can improve tone, but it cannot add detail the mic never captured or remove heavy room echo. EQ tames boominess and adds presence, yet a treated space and correct mic distance matter more. Think of EQ as the final shaping step on an already decent signal, not a rescue tool.
Bottom line
Add a high-pass around 80 Hz, cut a couple of decibels in the 200-400 Hz mud zone, and lift the 3-5 kHz presence range slightly for clarity. Keep every move small, tune by ear on real playback, and place EQ before your compressor. That simple chain makes most streaming mics sound clean and broadcast-ready.
