So I don't have to keep replying to people, let's do it all in one, so read this before you comment. 1. No, Elgato did not invent Virtual mixers, they have existed for a long time. It's okay to be a beginner, but try branch out and look at more than just the big brand. 2. Sonar is free, which is amazing when Rode Unify, and WaveLink are both locked behind buying their hardware, and locked behind continuing to use their hardware. 3. I really regret cutting the segment about those first two points, I didn't think I'd need to say the ability to use any mic, and any hardware you want with free software was far better for Creators, but I deleted it thinking it was wasted breath, I guess not. 4. Voicemeter is awesome, but it hasn't been updated in a while, and most streamers find it overcomplicated, confusing, and give up trying to get it setup. 5. Yes, Sonar does not have VST support, but out of the 40-50 Partnered Streamers with over 100CCV I work with, every single one needs split audio channels, about half use submixing, but not a single one uses VST. Most viewers can't tell a difference between the Shure sm7b, and a $10 grocery store mic that's set up well, so just take a breath. 6. Yes, the software requires you to login... I don't... understand this one... you're typing on TH-cam, using steam, streaming to Twitch, it's free software. 7. If you don't want to use it, that is totally okay, do whatever makes your heart sing, find what brings you joy. 8. Okay, love you, thank you for listening.
Just got recommended the channel honestly love it. Great videos, man. Keep up the great work. Sadly, I've got a few problems with the sonar. 1). Eqs can't be copied or pasted from what I can tell. I also wish there was an auto-switching feature for the game EQ, but I know that can be buggy and would cause the audio to stop for a second anytime the eq changed. 2). It only has 2 Physical outputs (i.e., Headphones and Stream). Personally, I use Voicemeeter to control my speakers with my PCPanel and will enable or disable them when not in use. 3). As mentioned in my previous point, I use a PCPanel, which I couldn't recommend more to people. But sadly, it doesn't work with sonar. I hate to sonar, but I love the PCPanel, and the Steel series has no equivalent product. (yes, I know you can set key binds to adjust audio in sonar per channel, but having physical sliders and knobs feels much better. They also won't continuously go down/up if you press and hold the keybind.) By far, voice meeter is not a flawless product, and it took me 10-15 hours to set it up vs sonar about 30 minutes I do like the features in sonar, and it'll be great for most, but personally, I have to stick to voice meeter, sadly.
This software ius nice but in regards to your 6th point, that is not a fair comparison at all? There is a difference between using feautres of a website that require the need to have things tied ot your account such as comments, subscriptions, and purchases. There is no reason you should have to create an account to use free software that is running locally. Its as absurd as needing an account to use a capture card, to control fan speed, or change rgb in your computer, it serves literally 0 purpose amd provides no benefit.
In regards to #4: Voicemeter is updated frequently and they have been releasing VB "Apps" and slowly refining their UI. I used to use it and understood why many just don't: very complicated to use and their UI and configuration options still require a large learning curve to master.
@@Doctour The login allows you to transfer your setting between computers via the cloud. Streamers upgrade to different computers more often than regular gamers as they, on average, have to stay ahead of the curve to ensure the best possible quality to their streams. That being said, cloud transfer of settings is a plus, that way you cut down on setup time with the new device(and not having to remember what settings were where and set to what). I suppose that it would be nice to not NEED to log in, for those who don't need or want that. But I'm reminded of the phrase, I would rather have it and not need it, then need it and not have it.
@@TrexelCat cool then have it as an option, and not required. The majority of the streamers that make enough to be upgrading more than every like 3 or 4 years where it's an issue are ones that have some type of audio interface with built in audio sliders (doesn't have to be the expensive goxlr and similar ones) so that argument is kind of moot. This program is targeted towards the smaller people that don't need all the features of voicemeeter, or can afford even the mid tier mixers, or based on some of the comments on this video (like the kid saying his overpriced gamer headset arctis mic sounds better than a shure sm7b) to the silly people that fall for gamer marketing. All of the kind of people who wouldn't need to sync their settings because likely those people will have the same main storage drive for 3+ years.
sound tech/engineer here: a few points I want to address having used sonar for about 6 months for my gaming. 1) It's true that sonar is by no means a professional software, but it does incredibly well at noise cancellation and reduction, the gate and compressor is super intuitive, and the EQ while being a graph EQ is one of the best I've seen (most professional sound consoles have only a 4 or 6 control point EQ graph per channel, and a 15-20 control point graphical EQ on the main output). All of these professional grade tools packed into and simplified for people who have little to no experience 10/10, would recommend 2) mic monitoring is super important, I use the arctis 7+ headphones for my gaming, and I find that the mic on these is more than sufficient for most uses, where it falls short can be made up for with the EQ in sonar. and through the engine tab on the left, I have the ability to have zero latency monitoring, not through the mixer, I'm not sure about the Alias mics if they have the same option through the engine tab, but it would be worth looking into. 3) levels: having some kind of dB meter next to the slider on most programs doesn't actually tell me much, unless I'm working with a DAW. That's because dB doesn't measure just one thing, and at that, what it does measure is best simplified to air pressure. Digital audio is best measured in LUFs which is similar, but fundamentally different. My advice in the absence of a proper meter, is to aim for the middle to the middle top of the yellow section of the audio output, that gives you enough overhead for when you start yelling, without having your audio compressed a bunch (and therefore ruined/not sounding how you designed it) by your stream platform of choice. Each platform like twitch, spotify, youtube, etc has a LUFs limit you can look up at which point it will begin compressing your audio, I think TH-cam is -14 LUFs, but don't quote me on that.
I've been looking for this kind of software for a long time. Major props for bringing it to the forefront! 🤝 I can defs see myself using this in my podcast and game recording.
One thing left out of your video about Sonar is: When you update Windows, sometimes in Microsoft's infinite wisdom Windows will reset your audio devices to what it considers default(probably due to the update changing something with the audio). Sonar upon load will change the audio devices back to using Sonar gaming and the Sonar mic. For me, that's a bonus. If I have Sonar installed, then that's what I want my computer to be using.
I have a fairly important stream in 2 days and this is gonna be so helpful. I wanna turn the stream into a video and can't get voicemeter to work but now i don't have to. Keep doing videos like this, they're so helpful. Update: i downloaded it and my music has never sounded better
I think you should definitely do a video on the importance of how a room is set up (if you haven't already) i feel like it can have a huge impact on sound quality of a mic and the overall looks and vibe of the stream.
The way the room is setup is mainly just looks, you can have quality sounding audio with just some cushiony furniture (like a matress and a couch, for example). No need for things like foam sound-dampening panels.
This video was the first video I've seen of yours and have fallen in love with that channel. Very thought out reviews, well edited and clear! Bought the Alias Pro and with Sonar this has been fantastic. Takes a little time to get use to and tweak, but VERY good for the price.
If only Sonar comes out early before im using voicemeeter this could be the most easy user friendly audio software ever, now im already in love with voicemeeter
I do something similar to Sonar myself via Linux audio tools, namely pipewire-jack and carla. Pw-jack is a backend to control audio stuff and jack (another audio backend) stuff. Carla is a patchbay so I cam control what goes where, and can add gain filters to control audio levels. I can also add VSTs and LV2 effects to have it all EQ'd and processed live. And all of these, save for the VSTs, are included by default on most versions of Linux
If you have a solution that works for you, awesome! :) Sounds pretty complicated though, this tool is brilliant because I feel confident any beginner could open it and know how to use it.
@@StreamScheme it probably is a bit more complicated, but Sonar isn't on Linux and I don't want something so integral like my audio to rely on a compatibility layer that may or may not even work with it.
After using it a bit and talking to the team (not paid) I wouldn’t be surprised if the tool improves immensely overtime, they seem very passionate, also Hey Cush! Hope you’re doing good!
@@StreamScheme Yeah I reached out to them about it and they said they'd consider it so fingers crossed! 🤞🏻and hey! I'm still survivin' haha, hope you're doing good to Eljay! o7
useful vid! I ordered this a few days ago and arrives on monday. I am new to mics / streaming and found the part in the vid about separating the game and audio into their own very interesting. I often game and record whilst playing with friends and my recordings usually have their voices very quiet and almost unhearable and the game volume is as loud as my own voice which washes it out even more. If you haven't already made a video a video on this sort of topic for beginners I think it would be really good and beneficial for many people like myself!
doing what voicemeter does but with a much easier interface makes this great software. making it free and usable with any hardware makes this a huge win for steelseries. well done!
steelseries is garbage, it is good for people that dont want the best microphone quallity but the real fact is that you need an actual software to make your mic sound good, streamers dont underestand their mids, lows, gain, anything. i recommend ableton
You can do everything in GG like leveling, in OBS itself via application capture. Not only not adding more bloat to your system, but you're also using free and open sourced software. It's ofc not a pretty GUI, and does take a little understanding of OBS, but its worth it.
You dont have any filters in OBS for audio, no noise cancel, no limiters, beside that you will only configure the levels for your stream only, and you will have to do the same process for every other app on your pc, and if you want to use any noise cancel or audio filters you would have to use VST, which is the same amount of "bloat" as sonar, if you dont want to use it, just dont, its not for everybody, its a good piece of software that is taking at most 200mb of RAM, and its really easy and fast to configure, yes its not open-source but so is discord and steam etc, and you still use that and dont complain, so
@@kumanochi you are right, also you cant split game audio with application capture because.. it captures one application (a game in this case), nobody is going to change that manually every single time i do wish sonar was its own app and way more stable, but steelseries doesnt care about their users and customers lets be honest
Downsides to using sonar that you all should be aware of: 1. Sonar is sub-component of the steel series gg application. This means it usually takes longer to load into sonar than a stand-alone app, and steel series will use this app to advertise their other product to you. They want you in their ecosystem so they can encourage you to buy more. 2. With streamer mode, sonar can only split audio to at most two devices. So if you like to switch between a desk setup and a TV, get use to going into the app to switch your secondary device between those. If that sounds like fun, remember issue one. 3. Sonar will switch your default devices every time it starts. You might think this is a trivial issue if you never shutoff your PC, but you should know that Sonar crashes rather frequently on its own. Additionally, if you use sonar in tandem with another app, it's going to force you to resolve any issues between them. 3. In streamer mode, despite each output device having separate volume sliders for both game and chat channels, changing the chat mix (in either sonar or using the headset dial) will affect both output devices. So if you want to use your chatmix dial without affecting your secondary device (like a TV), then you'll have to route the audio using other software before it gets to sonar. Another thing you should be aware of about steel series headsets on PC. Many of the newer headsets like in the Arctis nova series have chat mix dials to conveniently balance your game and chat audio channels. This dial DOES NOT WORK ON PC without setting your headset as the output device for the game and chat channels in Sonar. This use to be avoidable since steel series headsets had separate game and chat devices listed in the Windows audio playback devices. I say "use to" because steel series updated the firmware on many of their newer headsets to no longer provide separate playback devices. This essentially forces you to use sonar if you want your headset to function properly on PC. You don't have to use them. Voicemeeter basic and voicemeeter banana are completely free to use, much lighter, far more capable, and don't try to sell you additional products. The UI is a little intimidating at first, but once you understand where your inputs go, your outputs go, and how to route between them, you'll never have to touch it. Voicemeeter potato is free-for-a-bit but eventually will prompt you for donations every five hours, so it's best to avoid it unless you're willing to donate.
About point 1: if you keep GG minimized instead of closed then you don't have to worry about the time it takes to load. The advertisements you talk about are only on the main page and they are not pop ups just links so they are non-intrusive, and once you go to Sonar there are no advertisements. About point 3: you can use Ear Trumpet to make the device selections externally to each of the Sonar channels. Ear Trumpet doesn't forget the assignments ever. About your last paragraph: Voicemeeter is indeed good, but also, indeed unnecessarily overly complicated. Besides that, I used Voicemeeter for 2 years without any problems. Then I upgraded the Focusrite drivers to the latest version and Voicemeeter started to act up dropping the sound every 4 seconds and coming back after 2 seconds, making it completely useless for me (and I had paid for Potato and an extra virtual cable). That's the reason I looked for an alternative and found GG Sonar. After I installed it it worked flawlessly and it provides pretty much everything I needed Voicemeeter for.
I've used Sonar for the better part of a year, and it really is an awesome piece of software for free. I would still be using it if it wasn't for the fact that it kept crashing every now and then for me, forcing me to restart it to get sound back. A notable fact about the Wavelink software is that you get a license for it if you buy the Streamdeck +, and as long as you keep using that you can use the software with any microphone you want. I'm not a fan of hardware tie-ins like this, but I really enjoy the Streamdeck+ and combining it with the Wavelink software I get a sub mixer right there at my fingertips as well as all the things a Streamdeck can do.
So I just downlaoded it. It worked for less than one day. After shutting off my computer then turning it back on again I had problems. I set everything up correctly and it worked, but the next day even though my sound was at max all application sound levels were low. I reset the volume levels and I noticed that as soon as I moved an application into an audio mix box, it would immediately lower that volume that was going to my headphones. Yeah it was showing up on stream, and on the meter, but I literally couldn't hear anything. Games or even my browser, but files worked fine like Mp3s. Idk if anyone else had this issue, or if this was a bug, or if it was just me... But it didn't work for me. This is also on a literal brand new PC build that's not even a week old yet, so yeah.
Yeah, I tried it out and it was pretty mid. Can't work for VR and doesn't have half the features. It might be a bit more work to set up but it's just better@@Martin-zn5hk
Hi, so I am having issues with my microphone in Sonar. I have watched a video of yours that a mate of mine sent me and I've done a good job as far as setting everything up when it comes to audio coming into my headphones. The issue I am having though is in regard to my microphone. I am using the MAONO USB condenser mic (purchased from Amazon), have been using it for about eight months with no problems when I'm in Discord, Steam, etc. OBS would pick the audio going in without worry. Upon setting Sonar up, I have noticed all audio outlets for media, chat, gaming are within the ranges they need, however, when I am talking into my mic, the mixer in Sonar will move just a tiny bit, but not enough to actually pick up any audio off of me if I've got background noise going on (music, discord conversations, or game audio). On Sonar, my mixer settings are: - Personal Mix set to my headphones. - Stream Mix set to the SteelSeries Sonar - And My mic input is set to my MAONO USB condenser mic. All volumes set to 100%, and it still barely detects me. I've tried with both my mic being where I like it positioned and two inches from my mouth, and whilst being in front of my mouth, more sound picks up, it is not enough to make any sort of difference. In OBS I can see my mic audio going to at least 25 dB, I'm not sure if it has hit yellow though. I would like to add I have followed the steps you did here th-cam.com/video/gI9cfk9Naeo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=Yd8LLdqTlIKHVcbl. I have looked on the website at their support and have done searches through Google and am looking through your videos to potentially find what I need but have either gotten methods for microphones I don't own, Google pulling up a plethora of videos that have nothing to deal with or go over what I'm struggling with, or the video/answer simply haven't been made yet.
this sold me on the software and maybe even the mic. was worried about the but, BUT seems that these are not deal breakers to me and this sounds perfect.
Im no Elgato fan boy but my Stream Deck + came with wave link which I can use with any mic. It has VST support and everything. Anyway, Wave link does all the same things.
But it’s locked behind buying hardware that minimum costs hundreds of dollars. It’s a little bit different, and for free software I don’t think we should be talking down to it. I know when I started I wasn’t lucky enough to have funds for a real mic arm, so free tools doing all of this is amazing
@@StreamScheme oh I get what you're saying, I just don't know if people who are in the market for the SD + know that they include the software now. I have mine set to control all the separate sources even in windows, then an OBS specific profile like you show but mapped to the dials. Its pretty neat. Either way, we are worlds better than Voicemeter. I was trying to trash what you were saying. This is great.
Same for me. Not stopping me from recommending Sonar to everyone i know that streams. Game changer not needing to buy special equipment and being Extremely easy to setup and use when compared to Voicemeeter for example.
omg you saved me from spending more money on stream deck plus to get wave link on stream pc. already got a wave 3 so i have wave link on game pc. W vid
Fun fact: I was looking for a submixing software other than banana voicemeeter because I don't like how unstable it is. Your video solved my problem, SeelSeries Sonar is awesome! Thanks
I downloaded the software and I can see where it could come in handy for a few things. But one thing that I REALLY wish it could do is have ALL STREAM outputs be a selectable input in OBS/SLOBS for channel splits. That way I would be able to do audio ducking for the say game and media audio but have it never duck chat audio or sound alerts. Only way I can see how to do that sort of is to not have Sonar in streamer mode so that it's only a master volume for each, which isn't ideal.
not sure if i have some setting wrong, but no matter what i do in sonar, mym mic still picks up my voice and shows on obs even if i have everything in sonar muted
just spent a hour struggling with voicemeeter setup managed to get it somewhat working just for this vid to auto play next and tell me voicemeeter is obsolete... I could cry right now is it really worth switching!?
I'm curious what would be the benefit to switching to this from Wave Link. It's really hard to break into the streaming atmosphere with Elgato more or less running their own show with stream deck integration for all their items and there (beyond beacon) not really being much alternatives to Elgatos offering. I see the value for someone that hasn't bought into the Elgato ecosystem as a "transition" to actual XLR/Audio setups, but I feel like if you have any interest in Elgato it makes more sense to use Wave Link, with Stream Deck+ including the software with any mic is to me a no brainer. Great Video though! I have Artic's Nova Pro, with Sonar installed. Never knew this was even a thing before now.
I never went the Elgato route for Audio personally, mainly because everything Elgato has broken on me. The streamdecks worked, but the Low profile arm sags on every mic, the green screen supports weakened after 2 weeks, the lights disconnect constantly, and need to be reset, capture cards are temperamental, etc And that's not just a me issue, all of those things are common issues amongst most streamers, but they don't get talked about by big influencers because of the grip elgato has on the marketing in this space. So, when they announced Wave and Wavelink, I couldn't for the life of me understand buying a $200+ condenser mic that sounds the same as everything else, just for the software. Same with Rode unify/rode connect. Something like Sonar that is free, and not locked behind hardware makes me so excited for the industry, because a new creator can spend $75 for a Samson q2u, get amazing quality audio on a dynamic mic so better noise reduction, never need to upgrade, and use Sonar to completely control all their audio sources. Small creators getting actual quality on a budget is my goal, and the Elgato ecosystem sometimes feels like its expensive gear without much quality control going on.
@@StreamScheme I agree, their audio solution makes little sense and I'm not arguing for that. My point is with the Stream deck+ including Wave Link you get a fairly well incorporated software with hardware that you likely will be able to use even as you grow out of using software for audio routing and aim for hardware instead. To be frank, I have never touched either of the equipment you mention, I'm running a Blue Yeti, Vijim lights and the cheapest amazon boom arm I could find. I did recently invest myself in a Stream Deck+ and found Wave Link included which made me curious in how they compare. Is there any hardware support in Sonar? Hotkey bindings etc. for volume control, mutes etc? I think if they continue with bringing in support for Touch Portal and other low budget stream deck alternatives this might be a very handy tool. And fill a void that Wave Link/Voicemeeter is now covering, especially Voicemeeter, also being free. I see what you mean with budget however, some times it's easy to forget what's budget for one might not be for another.
I'm pretty happy with my Beacn Mix Create with my Blue Yeti. That said I have been debating taking the Yeti OUT of the create mix and utilizing reaper filters for the mic. This has the advantage of recording dual track "Mix" and "Mic" separate so that if I want to do some creative editing, but keep game audio, it is much easier. I think I can get around that on the VoD track option on the mix create but I haven't messed with it yet. You know for say those 100 day type videos where you want to combine script with natural reactions but also have all game sounds. Anyway... Sonar is also pretty great but I get the same functionality (AFAIK) from the Mix Create which can do all the same settings looks like as Sonar.
Isn't the Mix Create software locked behind purchasing the Beacn hardware, which is $200-300 bucks? I haven't used it because that's already a dealbreaker for me. I want freedom to use any hardware, mics, gear, etc with any software. As for the 100 Day videos, I did what you mentioned by essentially doing the setup I show with Sonar in this video using 6 track recording and individual audio channels in OBS, but with a Goxlr, and I also did it with a Bridgecast. So if the Mix can do that method, you're all set.
Yeah you need to purchase the hardware. it is 200$ on amazon atm. I love it personally because all the different sections (game, chat, mic, etc) have physical knobs I can tweak w/out leaving a game or recording. I can hit mute on any channel, you basically sort of scroll between all your inputs on the LED screen. It's well done though definitely an additional monetary investment. Being I don't know a ton about audio I figured for myself it was more a "let's try this thing" instead of getting a whole GoXLR setup and such. I've been quite happy with it! I'm sure there are still things in there that I haven't even messed with or figured out yet. Also loved the point on mic peaking. I still do it sometimes if I get super excited. The Yeti is pretty sensitive and I have all the gates and stuff set but I'm stupid loud when I'm reacting to things sometimes and even that isn't quite enough to curtail it. The mic can only handle so much sound after all. Now I try to lean back and be loud and that helps some too lol. Great video btw. I think Sonar is a really powerful tool.@@StreamScheme
Going to give this a crack and see what it's like. I do have a question for you though Eljay... OBS Has Application Audio Capture (BETA) now. Is this still worth getting when OBS can split audio sources like Discord, Game Audio, Mic, Browser, Steam Chat etc. in its own Audio Mixer?
Hi and a BIG thanks for a great channel!! I have watch a lot of your videos to setup SteelSeries together with OBS. But I can't find how to actually get Discord for a separate sound track. The problem I have is that you don't hear my team mates from our Discord chat. And it seams that I cant drag Discord to chat in SteelSeries. Pls can you help me or link to a video of you explaining that :)
The only feature preventing me from using the stream mix as the sole output for my stream is no audio ducking feature in Sonar. Still use Sonar to split audio and do the sidechain in OBS filters
Yeah, the Solo Stream mix is more for beginners, I do agree, personally during testing I found solo stream mixed worked fine, but did use all of the channels inside OBS to record individual audio sources for editing later.
I use Wave XLR with wave link mostly because it was cheap 110$, and i already had an XLR microphone. But THIS is GODSENT. Voicemeeter obviously does it, but as a full beginner it was extremely confusing. Sonar is so much easier, has the same simple design that i love about wave link software, but don't need to spend money on hardware or such apart from what you already have. Ill be telling and helping a Friend who streams to see if they would like to set it up since it would do wonders to their stream. Nice video showing off the purpose of Steelseries Sonar.
Can you maybe link the website at least next time, i'm ready to click and download this mixer and you forgot to put it in description, the copy paste 'streamer gear list' and the other link are pointless in place of something related to the video. otherwise great video
I've gone from using voicemeeter, to the beacn software, to elgato wave software. I think you've helped solve one thing I missed from the beacn software when using the wave. But each of those I have had hardware to work with them and I dont think I can as of yet connect sonar with a stream deck+. If I could I would probably try it.
I have my mic always playing back the audio to my headphones so i always hear myself and didnt notice till messing with the sonar and some of the stuff you pointed out
Geniune question; why would you not just mix the viewers audio using Application Audio Capture? Uses an OBS source so it's less on the CPU + Built into the software natively. I guess the con is if you change the actual base game audio you'll have to change it in OBS but I'm typically set it and forget it with audio. Love the content!
I just wish one of these damn companies would see the value in the routing table that the GoXLR had. I miss having a seperate output for my chat/discord. Where they could still hear like... sounds effects and stuff, but not be bale to hear my game. Things like that were useful, and are a big selling point for me on the GoXLR. Unfortunately I won't be buying another GoXLR because that thing lasted about a month before it fried, got it replaced, and then that one had issues right out of the box. And eventually dealing with customer service drove me away from it.
@@StreamScheme i agree. it is an important point. I just think it might be worth adding that this is more of a standard rather than the exception to tamper expectations, so that the software is not unfairly antagonized by laypeople ^^
I love GG. The only Issue I'm having with no solution yet is the audio delay. When I speak into the mic there's a slight delay which shows in my discord overlay and webcam preview in streamlabs.
I've just spent so many hours figuring out the Bridge Cast for dual pc (laptop to desktop.. yeah I enjoy pain apparently lol) and a few hours after I figured it out, I find out about this... DAMN YOU STEELSERIES! 😂 Great video by the way! Love your content! Can I ask if you plan on making a video about the bridge cast? 🥺
Well Rode Unify could be used the exact same way, but WITHOUT your Mic thrown into it. Which I think isnt necessary, since you want to add each track seperated anyway, which is also possible and what I am using as well.
@@StreamScheme It used to Costa money but its completely free now. They even have sent all users an Email informing about that and offering the XCM 50 for free to even use a Mic with it. At first sight i thought it Was a scam but I really got my XCM 50 for free
My question would be how big the audio delay is, I was able to notice audio delay in voicemeter when routing through it, which is why I cant really use it for Valorant
Now that Voice Monitoring is gone from Realtek on Windows 11 (Why the hell ever) is there a way to set up voice monitoring / mic monitoring aka "listen"-function in Sonar?
My one issue is that when sonar is on I won’t be able to hear my game or media Audio after using it. Also for some reason when I try to enter sonar is just infinitely shows the loading circle
I currently use Voicemeeter and Virtual Audio Cable to assist in spliting up the audio channels and audio balance, and a VST plugin for EQ on the my mic for Silibance removal in my voice (specifically I use TDR Nova). Obviously it's not the most user friendly setup but it works, but I'd be interested to know whether Sonar has any advantages over the setup I currently use. Does using Sonar offer any advantages over the traditional setup solutions other than ease of access or user friendliness?
for real, voicemeeter can be a pain in the RUMP. Especially if you swap sources often and your settings get messed up... I use virtual desktop with it for VR recording and it is a pain.
As someone who used Voicemeeter for 2 weeks, got annoyed, and deleted in because of how frustrating it was for me, I can't and don't want to pretend like your setup is better or worse, my biggest advice would be to test Sonar out, and see if it requires less work, or if you prefer it. No harm in trying, then swapping back if you don't, its free afterall.
@@capinkyky Yeah I've always heard the complaints about Voicemeeter and while I haven't encountered them myself I can see where a lot of things can go wrong with it, especially even just because of how muddled setting it up can get to the point where you either need to reset entirely or just give up. I'm just glad there is a better entry level solution for people getting into streaming
Unfortunately, Sonar doesn't do enough. If you need to capture a capture card's audio input you can't do that without either using it as the microphone input leaving that out of the mix, or using the actual capture application. This for many capture cards leaves out the use of OBS. Also the $179 version is only the USB Mic. The version with the XLR and interface is $329.
had the same issue, i couldn't find any and just had to uninstall, was pretty good but whats the point if i cant use my mic to talk to friends over discord.
only complaint about sonar ive had is that i NEED an account and i need to have all the extra stuff with sonar that isnt good for performance on low ends so its kinda annoying but other than that its an amazing
I have a problem with it that the recommended distance is what - 6 inches? I generally sit about 12-15 inches from my microphone because I hate to have it that close...
As far as I know the Elgato info is not fully correct. Yes, you need to use elgato hardware to use their audio mixer, but as far as I know, it's enough to have the stream deck+. Then you can also fully use it with every microphone.
I appreciate wanting to be specific but saying you need a streamdeck+ a product that costs hundreds of dollars actually is the point I am making. This is free :)
Can I ask how do you make it so that I can playback my desktop audio into my Microphone so that the people on my call can hear my Desktop audio without streaming my screen
I can't set the Chat audio to anything but the Desktop Audio sources meaning I have to choose between it and Media. Is there a solution to this problem?
what annoys me the most about sonar is that its not seperate from the steelseries GG App and that you can't disable sources. I just want to use it to make my mic sound good, but then I have a billion different output sources with get set to default every time I restart my PC.
What would interest me, does this software add any input delay, does it impact performance? Im pretty sure I had issues with software like this before, so I stopped using it.
Can I ask a (probably) stupid question? With regards to setting OBS mix levels, what are the downsides / disadvantages of setting a limiter filter at or just above the maximum volume you'd want for each audio source in OBS (e.g. limiter for game sound at about -18db, limiter for music at around -25db, limiter for Discord at around -12db etc) and then just have those audio sources playing at an "acceptable" volume which pushes close to that limiter value, compared to doing it like this through Voicemeeter or Sonar? The trouble I have is that certain games that I play either need to be or are naturally much louder or quieter than other games and I'm struggling to balance the audio levels and push the game sound up/down to the right kind of level whilst still being able to hear the quieter details nearer the game's sound-floor (like for example in Red Dead Redemption 2 with the subtle background/ambient sounds versus something like Quake Champions where it's a much louder overall game). I've tried using a compressor in combination with a limiter and an upward compressor to push the quieter sounds up in the mix but without success as it really needs some insanely fine tuning to avoid that "pulsing" volume when sounds are *just* in the 'wrong' range...I just really want to have my game audio sound "right" and have the right kind of depth and immersion, but NOT lose the clarity or muddy up the audio and its frustrating the Hell out of me! 😢
Have you ever tried streaming valorant? The ingame voip does not run on the games sound track , I have not found any solution for this yeat. If I don't record all sound that I hear, the stream can't hear my teamates talk. FYI: Have you ever tried the stealseries arctis nova pro? It has 3 input you can use simultaniusly (usb , aux and bluetooth) to the wireless headunit.
I followed the stped you did at 5:55 But now my obs is picking my mic up from both Seelseries sonar - stream AND steelseris sonar - Mic What the different between " stream " and " Mic "
So I don't have to keep replying to people, let's do it all in one, so read this before you comment.
1. No, Elgato did not invent Virtual mixers, they have existed for a long time. It's okay to be a beginner, but try branch out and look at more than just the big brand.
2. Sonar is free, which is amazing when Rode Unify, and WaveLink are both locked behind buying their hardware, and locked behind continuing to use their hardware.
3. I really regret cutting the segment about those first two points, I didn't think I'd need to say the ability to use any mic, and any hardware you want with free software was far better for Creators, but I deleted it thinking it was wasted breath, I guess not.
4. Voicemeter is awesome, but it hasn't been updated in a while, and most streamers find it overcomplicated, confusing, and give up trying to get it setup.
5. Yes, Sonar does not have VST support, but out of the 40-50 Partnered Streamers with over 100CCV I work with, every single one needs split audio channels, about half use submixing, but not a single one uses VST. Most viewers can't tell a difference between the Shure sm7b, and a $10 grocery store mic that's set up well, so just take a breath.
6. Yes, the software requires you to login... I don't... understand this one... you're typing on TH-cam, using steam, streaming to Twitch, it's free software.
7. If you don't want to use it, that is totally okay, do whatever makes your heart sing, find what brings you joy.
8. Okay, love you, thank you for listening.
Just got recommended the channel honestly love it. Great videos, man. Keep up the great work. Sadly, I've got a few problems with the sonar.
1). Eqs can't be copied or pasted from what I can tell. I also wish there was an auto-switching feature for the game EQ, but I know that can be buggy and would cause the audio to stop for a second anytime the eq changed.
2). It only has 2 Physical outputs (i.e., Headphones and Stream). Personally, I use Voicemeeter to control my speakers with my PCPanel and will enable or disable them when not in use.
3). As mentioned in my previous point, I use a PCPanel, which I couldn't recommend more to people. But sadly, it doesn't work with sonar. I hate to sonar, but I love the PCPanel, and the Steel series has no equivalent product. (yes, I know you can set key binds to adjust audio in sonar per channel, but having physical sliders and knobs feels much better. They also won't continuously go down/up if you press and hold the keybind.)
By far, voice meeter is not a flawless product, and it took me 10-15 hours to set it up vs sonar about 30 minutes I do like the features in sonar, and it'll be great for most, but personally, I have to stick to voice meeter, sadly.
This software ius nice but in regards to your 6th point, that is not a fair comparison at all? There is a difference between using feautres of a website that require the need to have things tied ot your account such as comments, subscriptions, and purchases. There is no reason you should have to create an account to use free software that is running locally. Its as absurd as needing an account to use a capture card, to control fan speed, or change rgb in your computer, it serves literally 0 purpose amd provides no benefit.
In regards to #4: Voicemeter is updated frequently and they have been releasing VB "Apps" and slowly refining their UI. I used to use it and understood why many just don't: very complicated to use and their UI and configuration options still require a large learning curve to master.
@@Doctour The login allows you to transfer your setting between computers via the cloud. Streamers upgrade to different computers more often than regular gamers as they, on average, have to stay ahead of the curve to ensure the best possible quality to their streams. That being said, cloud transfer of settings is a plus, that way you cut down on setup time with the new device(and not having to remember what settings were where and set to what). I suppose that it would be nice to not NEED to log in, for those who don't need or want that. But I'm reminded of the phrase, I would rather have it and not need it, then need it and not have it.
@@TrexelCat cool then have it as an option, and not required. The majority of the streamers that make enough to be upgrading more than every like 3 or 4 years where it's an issue are ones that have some type of audio interface with built in audio sliders (doesn't have to be the expensive goxlr and similar ones) so that argument is kind of moot.
This program is targeted towards the smaller people that don't need all the features of voicemeeter, or can afford even the mid tier mixers, or based on some of the comments on this video (like the kid saying his overpriced gamer headset arctis mic sounds better than a shure sm7b) to the silly people that fall for gamer marketing. All of the kind of people who wouldn't need to sync their settings because likely those people will have the same main storage drive for 3+ years.
sound tech/engineer here: a few points I want to address having used sonar for about 6 months for my gaming.
1) It's true that sonar is by no means a professional software, but it does incredibly well at noise cancellation and reduction, the gate and compressor is super intuitive, and the EQ while being a graph EQ is one of the best I've seen (most professional sound consoles have only a 4 or 6 control point EQ graph per channel, and a 15-20 control point graphical EQ on the main output). All of these professional grade tools packed into and simplified for people who have little to no experience 10/10, would recommend
2) mic monitoring is super important, I use the arctis 7+ headphones for my gaming, and I find that the mic on these is more than sufficient for most uses, where it falls short can be made up for with the EQ in sonar. and through the engine tab on the left, I have the ability to have zero latency monitoring, not through the mixer, I'm not sure about the Alias mics if they have the same option through the engine tab, but it would be worth looking into.
3) levels: having some kind of dB meter next to the slider on most programs doesn't actually tell me much, unless I'm working with a DAW. That's because dB doesn't measure just one thing, and at that, what it does measure is best simplified to air pressure. Digital audio is best measured in LUFs which is similar, but fundamentally different. My advice in the absence of a proper meter, is to aim for the middle to the middle top of the yellow section of the audio output, that gives you enough overhead for when you start yelling, without having your audio compressed a bunch (and therefore ruined/not sounding how you designed it) by your stream platform of choice. Each platform like twitch, spotify, youtube, etc has a LUFs limit you can look up at which point it will begin compressing your audio, I think TH-cam is -14 LUFs, but don't quote me on that.
I've been looking for this kind of software for a long time. Major props for bringing it to the forefront! 🤝 I can defs see myself using this in my podcast and game recording.
One thing left out of your video about Sonar is: When you update Windows, sometimes in Microsoft's infinite wisdom Windows will reset your audio devices to what it considers default(probably due to the update changing something with the audio). Sonar upon load will change the audio devices back to using Sonar gaming and the Sonar mic. For me, that's a bonus. If I have Sonar installed, then that's what I want my computer to be using.
I have a fairly important stream in 2 days and this is gonna be so helpful. I wanna turn the stream into a video and can't get voicemeter to work but now i don't have to. Keep doing videos like this, they're so helpful.
Update: i downloaded it and my music has never sounded better
I think you should definitely do a video on the importance of how a room is set up (if you haven't already) i feel like it can have a huge impact on sound quality of a mic and the overall looks and vibe of the stream.
100000%
The way the room is setup is mainly just looks, you can have quality sounding audio with just some cushiony furniture (like a matress and a couch, for example). No need for things like foam sound-dampening panels.
Mic placement is HUGE for vocal clarity and background noise reduction.
I've covered all of this in dozens of earlier videos :)
Been waiting for Eljay to do a video on steelseries sonar, glad he has :)
i have been asking for something like this for YEARS! Finally!
This video was the first video I've seen of yours and have fallen in love with that channel. Very thought out reviews, well edited and clear! Bought the Alias Pro and with Sonar this has been fantastic. Takes a little time to get use to and tweak, but VERY good for the price.
can confirm, its a gamechanger. especially for low end mics
If only Sonar comes out early before im using voicemeeter this could be the most easy user friendly audio software ever, now im already in love with voicemeeter
I do something similar to Sonar myself via Linux audio tools, namely pipewire-jack and carla. Pw-jack is a backend to control audio stuff and jack (another audio backend) stuff. Carla is a patchbay so I cam control what goes where, and can add gain filters to control audio levels. I can also add VSTs and LV2 effects to have it all EQ'd and processed live.
And all of these, save for the VSTs, are included by default on most versions of Linux
If you have a solution that works for you, awesome! :) Sounds pretty complicated though, this tool is brilliant because I feel confident any beginner could open it and know how to use it.
@@StreamScheme it probably is a bit more complicated, but Sonar isn't on Linux and I don't want something so integral like my audio to rely on a compatibility layer that may or may not even work with it.
Of course, I wasn't recommending you change, just explaining most creators, especially new creators, couldn't do the example you mentioned :)
I've been using SteelSeries Sonar for a few weeks now - pretty damn useful! I just wish it had VST plugin support for the mic!
After using it a bit and talking to the team (not paid) I wouldn’t be surprised if the tool improves immensely overtime, they seem very passionate, also Hey Cush! Hope you’re doing good!
@@StreamScheme Yeah I reached out to them about it and they said they'd consider it so fingers crossed! 🤞🏻and hey! I'm still survivin' haha, hope you're doing good to Eljay! o7
Really helped me get sonar setup and working properly whilst reviewing a mic, that’s a win 🙏 oh and my my alias comes tomorrow 😂, thanks again
useful vid! I ordered this a few days ago and arrives on monday. I am new to mics / streaming and found the part in the vid about separating the game and audio into their own very interesting. I often game and record whilst playing with friends and my recordings usually have their voices very quiet and almost unhearable and the game volume is as loud as my own voice which washes it out even more. If you haven't already made a video a video on this sort of topic for beginners I think it would be really good and beneficial for many people like myself!
doing what voicemeter does but with a much easier interface makes this great software.
making it free and usable with any hardware makes this a huge win for steelseries. well done!
steelseries is garbage, it is good for people that dont want the best microphone quallity but the real fact is that you need an actual software to make your mic sound good, streamers dont underestand their mids, lows, gain, anything. i recommend ableton
(it is crackable)
@@DeyuPOV steelseries gives the same quality as your actual mic, what are you yapping about
Can’t wait to try this on my stream..
You can do everything in GG like leveling, in OBS itself via application capture.
Not only not adding more bloat to your system, but you're also using free and open sourced software.
It's ofc not a pretty GUI, and does take a little understanding of OBS, but its worth it.
You dont have any filters in OBS for audio, no noise cancel, no limiters, beside that you will only configure the levels for your stream only, and you will have to do the same process for every other app on your pc, and if you want to use any noise cancel or audio filters you would have to use VST, which is the same amount of "bloat" as sonar, if you dont want to use it, just dont, its not for everybody, its a good piece of software that is taking at most 200mb of RAM, and its really easy and fast to configure, yes its not open-source but so is discord and steam etc, and you still use that and dont complain, so
@@kumanochi Talk about ignorance.
Obs indeed does have, Noise cancelling, Limiters, application capture, and much much more.
@@kumanochi nah
@@kumanochi you are right, also you cant split game audio with application capture because.. it captures one application (a game in this case), nobody is going to change that manually every single time
i do wish sonar was its own app and way more stable, but steelseries doesnt care about their users and customers lets be honest
Downsides to using sonar that you all should be aware of:
1. Sonar is sub-component of the steel series gg application. This means it usually takes longer to load into sonar than a stand-alone app, and steel series will use this app to advertise their other product to you. They want you in their ecosystem so they can encourage you to buy more.
2. With streamer mode, sonar can only split audio to at most two devices. So if you like to switch between a desk setup and a TV, get use to going into the app to switch your secondary device between those. If that sounds like fun, remember issue one.
3. Sonar will switch your default devices every time it starts. You might think this is a trivial issue if you never shutoff your PC, but you should know that Sonar crashes rather frequently on its own. Additionally, if you use sonar in tandem with another app, it's going to force you to resolve any issues between them.
3. In streamer mode, despite each output device having separate volume sliders for both game and chat channels, changing the chat mix (in either sonar or using the headset dial) will affect both output devices. So if you want to use your chatmix dial without affecting your secondary device (like a TV), then you'll have to route the audio using other software before it gets to sonar.
Another thing you should be aware of about steel series headsets on PC. Many of the newer headsets like in the Arctis nova series have chat mix dials to conveniently balance your game and chat audio channels. This dial DOES NOT WORK ON PC without setting your headset as the output device for the game and chat channels in Sonar. This use to be avoidable since steel series headsets had separate game and chat devices listed in the Windows audio playback devices. I say "use to" because steel series updated the firmware on many of their newer headsets to no longer provide separate playback devices. This essentially forces you to use sonar if you want your headset to function properly on PC.
You don't have to use them. Voicemeeter basic and voicemeeter banana are completely free to use, much lighter, far more capable, and don't try to sell you additional products. The UI is a little intimidating at first, but once you understand where your inputs go, your outputs go, and how to route between them, you'll never have to touch it. Voicemeeter potato is free-for-a-bit but eventually will prompt you for donations every five hours, so it's best to avoid it unless you're willing to donate.
About point 1: if you keep GG minimized instead of closed then you don't have to worry about the time it takes to load. The advertisements you talk about are only on the main page and they are not pop ups just links so they are non-intrusive, and once you go to Sonar there are no advertisements.
About point 3: you can use Ear Trumpet to make the device selections externally to each of the Sonar channels. Ear Trumpet doesn't forget the assignments ever.
About your last paragraph: Voicemeeter is indeed good, but also, indeed unnecessarily overly complicated. Besides that, I used Voicemeeter for 2 years without any problems. Then I upgraded the Focusrite drivers to the latest version and Voicemeeter started to act up dropping the sound every 4 seconds and coming back after 2 seconds, making it completely useless for me (and I had paid for Potato and an extra virtual cable). That's the reason I looked for an alternative and found GG Sonar. After I installed it it worked flawlessly and it provides pretty much everything I needed Voicemeeter for.
I've used Sonar for the better part of a year, and it really is an awesome piece of software for free. I would still be using it if it wasn't for the fact that it kept crashing every now and then for me, forcing me to restart it to get sound back.
A notable fact about the Wavelink software is that you get a license for it if you buy the Streamdeck +, and as long as you keep using that you can use the software with any microphone you want. I'm not a fan of hardware tie-ins like this, but I really enjoy the Streamdeck+ and combining it with the Wavelink software I get a sub mixer right there at my fingertips as well as all the things a Streamdeck can do.
Not a streamer but I fucking love Sonar. Only thing it's missing for me is the ability to assign hotkeys to change outputs.
So I just downlaoded it. It worked for less than one day. After shutting off my computer then turning it back on again I had problems. I set everything up correctly and it worked, but the next day even though my sound was at max all application sound levels were low. I reset the volume levels and I noticed that as soon as I moved an application into an audio mix box, it would immediately lower that volume that was going to my headphones. Yeah it was showing up on stream, and on the meter, but I literally couldn't hear anything. Games or even my browser, but files worked fine like Mp3s. Idk if anyone else had this issue, or if this was a bug, or if it was just me... But it didn't work for me. This is also on a literal brand new PC build that's not even a week old yet, so yeah.
BRO IT'S TIME TO DITCH VOICEMEETER HALLELUJAH OMGGGGGGGGGG
voicemeeter > everything
Yeah, I tried it out and it was pretty mid. Can't work for VR and doesn't have half the features. It might be a bit more work to set up but it's just better@@Martin-zn5hk
Hi, so I am having issues with my microphone in Sonar. I have watched a video of yours that a mate of mine sent me and I've done a good job as far as setting everything up when it comes to audio coming into my headphones. The issue I am having though is in regard to my microphone.
I am using the MAONO USB condenser mic (purchased from Amazon), have been using it for about eight months with no problems when I'm in Discord, Steam, etc. OBS would pick the audio going in without worry. Upon setting Sonar up, I have noticed all audio outlets for media, chat, gaming are within the ranges they need, however, when I am talking into my mic, the mixer in Sonar will move just a tiny bit, but not enough to actually pick up any audio off of me if I've got background noise going on (music, discord conversations, or game audio).
On Sonar, my mixer settings are:
- Personal Mix set to my headphones.
- Stream Mix set to the SteelSeries Sonar
- And My mic input is set to my MAONO USB condenser mic.
All volumes set to 100%, and it still barely detects me. I've tried with both my mic being where I like it positioned and two inches from my mouth, and whilst being in front of my mouth, more sound picks up, it is not enough to make any sort of difference. In OBS I can see my mic audio going to at least 25 dB, I'm not sure if it has hit yellow though. I would like to add I have followed the steps you did here th-cam.com/video/gI9cfk9Naeo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=Yd8LLdqTlIKHVcbl.
I have looked on the website at their support and have done searches through Google and am looking through your videos to potentially find what I need but have either gotten methods for microphones I don't own, Google pulling up a plethora of videos that have nothing to deal with or go over what I'm struggling with, or the video/answer simply haven't been made yet.
This is the first time i see a reviewer who doesn't dictate his/her viewers to buy a product or not
Nice
this sold me on the software and maybe even the mic. was worried about the but, BUT seems that these are not deal breakers to me and this sounds perfect.
This channel coming in clutch yet again to help us all do better
This is a hiiden gem! Its like krisp and voicemeeter combined! Thanks so much!
Im no Elgato fan boy but my Stream Deck + came with wave link which I can use with any mic. It has VST support and everything. Anyway, Wave link does all the same things.
But it’s locked behind buying hardware that minimum costs hundreds of dollars. It’s a little bit different, and for free software I don’t think we should be talking down to it.
I know when I started I wasn’t lucky enough to have funds for a real mic arm, so free tools doing all of this is amazing
@@StreamScheme oh I get what you're saying, I just don't know if people who are in the market for the SD + know that they include the software now. I have mine set to control all the separate sources even in windows, then an OBS specific profile like you show but mapped to the dials. Its pretty neat. Either way, we are worlds better than Voicemeter. I was trying to trash what you were saying. This is great.
Thank you so much for all the informations♥ I've been binging your channel and it's so helpful :)
Thanks for the video fam. Highly educational
I'm currently using Wave Link but I might give Sonar a go for the sits and giggles. Who knows, maybe I'll like it better.
Same for me. Not stopping me from recommending Sonar to everyone i know that streams. Game changer not needing to buy special equipment and being Extremely easy to setup and use when compared to Voicemeeter for example.
GOAT FOR THIS !! FIRST PERSON TO ACTUALLY EXPLAIN HOW TO SET IT UP INTO OBS , THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU
omg you saved me from spending more money on stream deck plus to get wave link on stream pc. already got a wave 3 so i have wave link on game pc. W vid
This is such a good video. solves a lot of my problems.
Gonna try this when I get home, removing my AC noise has been a nightmare as it's been 90+ everyday for months now and that thing is constantly on
If only I saw this before I got my stream deck+! was so excited to use wave link (without having to get a new mic) but could have been using this!
This is dope! Thanks for sharing :D
I love sonar and use it every day, I just wish it had a mini mode, or a way to have the mixer open in a separate window away from the rest of GG.
Fun fact: I was looking for a submixing software other than banana voicemeeter because I don't like how unstable it is. Your video solved my problem, SeelSeries Sonar is awesome! Thanks
I downloaded the software and I can see where it could come in handy for a few things. But one thing that I REALLY wish it could do is have ALL STREAM outputs be a selectable input in OBS/SLOBS for channel splits. That way I would be able to do audio ducking for the say game and media audio but have it never duck chat audio or sound alerts. Only way I can see how to do that sort of is to not have Sonar in streamer mode so that it's only a master volume for each, which isn't ideal.
not sure if i have some setting wrong, but no matter what i do in sonar, mym mic still picks up my voice and shows on obs even if i have everything in sonar muted
They need to make a hardware mixer for this app, not just for their microphone.
Yes and/or a plugin for the Elgato StreamDeck
I thought they sounded pretty good. Thank you for the info and for making this video. It was informative.
just spent a hour struggling with voicemeeter setup managed to get it somewhat working just for this vid to auto play next and tell me voicemeeter is obsolete... I could cry right now is it really worth switching!?
Maybe time I finally upgrade my ancient blue yeti. These microphones sound absolutely incredible! Thanks for the very informative video.
Thankyou for showing this.
how to control the sonar mixer using Elgato Stream deck plus
I'm curious what would be the benefit to switching to this from Wave Link. It's really hard to break into the streaming atmosphere with Elgato more or less running their own show with stream deck integration for all their items and there (beyond beacon) not really being much alternatives to Elgatos offering.
I see the value for someone that hasn't bought into the Elgato ecosystem as a "transition" to actual XLR/Audio setups, but I feel like if you have any interest in Elgato it makes more sense to use Wave Link, with Stream Deck+ including the software with any mic is to me a no brainer.
Great Video though! I have Artic's Nova Pro, with Sonar installed. Never knew this was even a thing before now.
I never went the Elgato route for Audio personally, mainly because everything Elgato has broken on me. The streamdecks worked, but the Low profile arm sags on every mic, the green screen supports weakened after 2 weeks, the lights disconnect constantly, and need to be reset, capture cards are temperamental, etc
And that's not just a me issue, all of those things are common issues amongst most streamers, but they don't get talked about by big influencers because of the grip elgato has on the marketing in this space.
So, when they announced Wave and Wavelink, I couldn't for the life of me understand buying a $200+ condenser mic that sounds the same as everything else, just for the software. Same with Rode unify/rode connect.
Something like Sonar that is free, and not locked behind hardware makes me so excited for the industry, because a new creator can spend $75 for a Samson q2u, get amazing quality audio on a dynamic mic so better noise reduction, never need to upgrade, and use Sonar to completely control all their audio sources.
Small creators getting actual quality on a budget is my goal, and the Elgato ecosystem sometimes feels like its expensive gear without much quality control going on.
@@StreamScheme
I agree, their audio solution makes little sense and I'm not arguing for that. My point is with the Stream deck+ including Wave Link you get a fairly well incorporated software with hardware that you likely will be able to use even as you grow out of using software for audio routing and aim for hardware instead.
To be frank, I have never touched either of the equipment you mention, I'm running a Blue Yeti, Vijim lights and the cheapest amazon boom arm I could find. I did recently invest myself in a Stream Deck+ and found Wave Link included which made me curious in how they compare. Is there any hardware support in Sonar? Hotkey bindings etc. for volume control, mutes etc?
I think if they continue with bringing in support for Touch Portal and other low budget stream deck alternatives this might be a very handy tool. And fill a void that Wave Link/Voicemeeter is now covering, especially Voicemeeter, also being free.
I see what you mean with budget however, some times it's easy to forget what's budget for one might not be for another.
I've been using sonar for ages such a good piece of free software
I'm pretty happy with my Beacn Mix Create with my Blue Yeti. That said I have been debating taking the Yeti OUT of the create mix and utilizing reaper filters for the mic. This has the advantage of recording dual track "Mix" and "Mic" separate so that if I want to do some creative editing, but keep game audio, it is much easier. I think I can get around that on the VoD track option on the mix create but I haven't messed with it yet. You know for say those 100 day type videos where you want to combine script with natural reactions but also have all game sounds. Anyway... Sonar is also pretty great but I get the same functionality (AFAIK) from the Mix Create which can do all the same settings looks like as Sonar.
Isn't the Mix Create software locked behind purchasing the Beacn hardware, which is $200-300 bucks? I haven't used it because that's already a dealbreaker for me. I want freedom to use any hardware, mics, gear, etc with any software.
As for the 100 Day videos, I did what you mentioned by essentially doing the setup I show with Sonar in this video using 6 track recording and individual audio channels in OBS, but with a Goxlr, and I also did it with a Bridgecast.
So if the Mix can do that method, you're all set.
Yeah you need to purchase the hardware. it is 200$ on amazon atm. I love it personally because all the different sections (game, chat, mic, etc) have physical knobs I can tweak w/out leaving a game or recording. I can hit mute on any channel, you basically sort of scroll between all your inputs on the LED screen. It's well done though definitely an additional monetary investment.
Being I don't know a ton about audio I figured for myself it was more a "let's try this thing" instead of getting a whole GoXLR setup and such. I've been quite happy with it! I'm sure there are still things in there that I haven't even messed with or figured out yet.
Also loved the point on mic peaking. I still do it sometimes if I get super excited. The Yeti is pretty sensitive and I have all the gates and stuff set but I'm stupid loud when I'm reacting to things sometimes and even that isn't quite enough to curtail it. The mic can only handle so much sound after all. Now I try to lean back and be loud and that helps some too lol.
Great video btw. I think Sonar is a really powerful tool.@@StreamScheme
@@StreamSchemeWill this audio editing and the filters work with corsair headset microphones?
Going to give this a crack and see what it's like. I do have a question for you though Eljay... OBS Has Application Audio Capture (BETA) now. Is this still worth getting when OBS can split audio sources like Discord, Game Audio, Mic, Browser, Steam Chat etc. in its own Audio Mixer?
Ive been using this program since its released and it really was worth it
They should add support for VST plugins. It's basically perfect except for missing vst support.
I’ve passed it on as well :)
Hi and a BIG thanks for a great channel!! I have watch a lot of your videos to setup SteelSeries together with OBS. But I can't find how to actually get Discord for a separate sound track. The problem I have is that you don't hear my team mates from our Discord chat. And it seams that I cant drag Discord to chat in SteelSeries. Pls can you help me or link to a video of you explaining that :)
The only feature preventing me from using the stream mix as the sole output for my stream is no audio ducking feature in Sonar. Still use Sonar to split audio and do the sidechain in OBS filters
Yeah, the Solo Stream mix is more for beginners, I do agree, personally during testing I found solo stream mixed worked fine, but did use all of the channels inside OBS to record individual audio sources for editing later.
I'm curious how Sonar compares to the Application Audio Capture plugin for OBS. Is one better or easier than the other?
Honestly, I'd go for the Rode. The frequency response seems weirdly thin and buzzy to me.
I use Wave XLR with wave link mostly because it was cheap 110$, and i already had an XLR microphone. But THIS is GODSENT. Voicemeeter obviously does it, but as a full beginner it was extremely confusing. Sonar is so much easier, has the same simple design that i love about wave link software, but don't need to spend money on hardware or such apart from what you already have.
Ill be telling and helping a Friend who streams to see if they would like to set it up since it would do wonders to their stream.
Nice video showing off the purpose of Steelseries Sonar.
I hope wavelink takes that drag and drop apps into channels feature. So annoying elgato makes you go through the windows audio device page instead.
I’m trying to split my audio in OBS using sonar but when I try to add all the different virtual channels it seems OBS won’t let me add all of them
Video on this soon.
Can you maybe link the website at least next time, i'm ready to click and download this mixer and you forgot to put it in description, the copy paste 'streamer gear list' and the other link are pointless in place of something related to the video. otherwise great video
sonar is amazing the only issue i have was that i use apple music and sonar didn't want to move apple music to a different channel other then gaming
I've gone from using voicemeeter, to the beacn software, to elgato wave software. I think you've helped solve one thing I missed from the beacn software when using the wave. But each of those I have had hardware to work with them and I dont think I can as of yet connect sonar with a stream deck+. If I could I would probably try it.
I have my mic always playing back the audio to my headphones so i always hear myself and didnt notice till messing with the sonar and some of the stuff you pointed out
Geniune question; why would you not just mix the viewers audio using Application Audio Capture? Uses an OBS source so it's less on the CPU + Built into the software natively.
I guess the con is if you change the actual base game audio you'll have to change it in OBS but I'm typically set it and forget it with audio.
Love the content!
So its a missold mic with Voice Meter included?
I just wish one of these damn companies would see the value in the routing table that the GoXLR had. I miss having a seperate output for my chat/discord. Where they could still hear like... sounds effects and stuff, but not be bale to hear my game. Things like that were useful, and are a big selling point for me on the GoXLR. Unfortunately I won't be buying another GoXLR because that thing lasted about a month before it fried, got it replaced, and then that one had issues right out of the box. And eventually dealing with customer service drove me away from it.
monitoring via software is basically impossible. it takes way too many cpu cycles to catch the input, reroute it and then send it.
Yep :) but I had to include it because it’s important for viewers, it’s a question constantly asked
@@StreamScheme i agree. it is an important point. I just think it might be worth adding that this is more of a standard rather than the exception to tamper expectations, so that the software is not unfairly antagonized by laypeople ^^
I love GG. The only Issue I'm having with no solution yet is the audio delay. When I speak into the mic there's a slight delay which shows in my discord overlay and webcam preview in streamlabs.
I've just spent so many hours figuring out the Bridge Cast for dual pc (laptop to desktop.. yeah I enjoy pain apparently lol) and a few hours after I figured it out, I find out about this... DAMN YOU STEELSERIES! 😂
Great video by the way! Love your content! Can I ask if you plan on making a video about the bridge cast? 🥺
Yep I am! Editor has all the footage for the review now, because my wife and I are having a baby soon so hopefully he gets it done!
@@StreamScheme CONGRATS!! Can't wait to see that video and compare with what I did haha
I'd like Sonar to have channel volume control on the Elgato StreamDeck before I try it again.
I am the target audience for this software and video. Thank you for sharing it, I will incorporate this tool into my setup.
hopefully it works better then elgato's wave link software. it great when it works, but it's buffer is pathetic. and end up having so many artifacts.
Well Rode Unify could be used the exact same way, but WITHOUT your Mic thrown into it. Which I think isnt necessary, since you want to add each track seperated anyway, which is also possible and what I am using as well.
Unify also costs money :)
@@StreamScheme It used to Costa money but its completely free now. They even have sent all users an Email informing about that and offering the XCM 50 for free to even use a Mic with it. At first sight i thought it Was a scam but I really got my XCM 50 for free
My question would be how big the audio delay is, I was able to notice audio delay in voicemeter when routing through it, which is why I cant really use it for Valorant
There's another solution for lag free mic monitoring: direct monitoring on an audio interface which has that feature.
Now that Voice Monitoring is gone from Realtek on Windows 11 (Why the hell ever)
is there a way to set up voice monitoring / mic monitoring aka "listen"-function in Sonar?
My one issue is that when sonar is on I won’t be able to hear my game or media Audio after using it. Also for some reason when I try to enter sonar is just infinitely shows the loading circle
I currently use Voicemeeter and Virtual Audio Cable to assist in spliting up the audio channels and audio balance, and a VST plugin for EQ on the my mic for Silibance removal in my voice (specifically I use TDR Nova). Obviously it's not the most user friendly setup but it works, but I'd be interested to know whether Sonar has any advantages over the setup I currently use. Does using Sonar offer any advantages over the traditional setup solutions other than ease of access or user friendliness?
for real, voicemeeter can be a pain in the RUMP. Especially if you swap sources often and your settings get messed up... I use virtual desktop with it for VR recording and it is a pain.
As someone who used Voicemeeter for 2 weeks, got annoyed, and deleted in because of how frustrating it was for me, I can't and don't want to pretend like your setup is better or worse, my biggest advice would be to test Sonar out, and see if it requires less work, or if you prefer it. No harm in trying, then swapping back if you don't, its free afterall.
@@StreamScheme A fair call, guess it's time to test it out a bit then! Thanks for the response!
@@capinkyky Yeah I've always heard the complaints about Voicemeeter and while I haven't encountered them myself I can see where a lot of things can go wrong with it, especially even just because of how muddled setting it up can get to the point where you either need to reset entirely or just give up. I'm just glad there is a better entry level solution for people getting into streaming
Unfortunately, Sonar doesn't do enough. If you need to capture a capture card's audio input you can't do that without either using it as the microphone input leaving that out of the mix, or using the actual capture application. This for many capture cards leaves out the use of OBS. Also the $179 version is only the USB Mic. The version with the XLR and interface is $329.
i did this, but the discord had issues saying it was not compatible. is there a video to help fix this?
had the same issue, i couldn't find any and just had to uninstall, was pretty good but whats the point if i cant use my mic to talk to friends over discord.
is there a clear video of how to have it set up in obs anywhere?
Coming soon, but it’s not going to be much different to this video since it’s just adding the stream mix source to OBS.
only complaint about sonar ive had is that i NEED an account and i need to have all the extra stuff with sonar that isnt good for performance on low ends so its kinda annoying but other than that its an amazing
I have a problem with it that the recommended distance is what - 6 inches? I generally sit about 12-15 inches from my microphone because I hate to have it that close...
Every microphone is recommended to be 6-10cm from your mouth unless it’s a lovelier or shotgun microphone. Every streaming mic is 6-10 though.
As far as I know the Elgato info is not fully correct. Yes, you need to use elgato hardware to use their audio mixer, but as far as I know, it's enough to have the stream deck+. Then you can also fully use it with every microphone.
I appreciate wanting to be specific but saying you need a streamdeck+ a product that costs hundreds of dollars actually is the point I am making. This is free :)
Can I ask how do you make it so that I can playback my desktop audio into my Microphone so that the people on my call can hear my Desktop audio without streaming my screen
I can't set the Chat audio to anything but the Desktop Audio sources meaning I have to choose between it and Media. Is there a solution to this problem?
I do love voicemeeter but maaaaan Sonar looks sick as fuck, i may have to switch
what annoys me the most about sonar is that its not seperate from the steelseries GG App and that you can't disable sources. I just want to use it to make my mic sound good, but then I have a billion different output sources with get set to default every time I restart my PC.
What would interest me, does this software add any input delay, does it impact performance? Im pretty sure I had issues with software like this before, so I stopped using it.
Tried sonar, it messed up windows audio, installed bunch of virtual sound devices and made a mess ….
That sounds like it was doing what it’s supposed to but you didn’t know how to set it up properly.
Can I ask a (probably) stupid question? With regards to setting OBS mix levels, what are the downsides / disadvantages of setting a limiter filter at or just above the maximum volume you'd want for each audio source in OBS (e.g. limiter for game sound at about -18db, limiter for music at around -25db, limiter for Discord at around -12db etc) and then just have those audio sources playing at an "acceptable" volume which pushes close to that limiter value, compared to doing it like this through Voicemeeter or Sonar?
The trouble I have is that certain games that I play either need to be or are naturally much louder or quieter than other games and I'm struggling to balance the audio levels and push the game sound up/down to the right kind of level whilst still being able to hear the quieter details nearer the game's sound-floor (like for example in Red Dead Redemption 2 with the subtle background/ambient sounds versus something like Quake Champions where it's a much louder overall game). I've tried using a compressor in combination with a limiter and an upward compressor to push the quieter sounds up in the mix but without success as it really needs some insanely fine tuning to avoid that "pulsing" volume when sounds are *just* in the 'wrong' range...I just really want to have my game audio sound "right" and have the right kind of depth and immersion, but NOT lose the clarity or muddy up the audio and its frustrating the Hell out of me! 😢
Does Sonar have VST support?
Windows audio mixer keeps resetting my volumes blowing out my ears and you know what I am going to try this just out of spite.
Have you ever tried streaming valorant? The ingame voip does not run on the games sound track , I have not found any solution for this yeat. If I don't record all sound that I hear, the stream can't hear my teamates talk.
FYI: Have you ever tried the stealseries arctis nova pro? It has 3 input you can use simultaniusly (usb , aux and bluetooth) to the wireless headunit.
I've spent shit tones on microphones lol. The one I use is $1450 lmao!! That Sonar sounds like the real cool feature. I need that.
windows has a monitor listen thing in the properties of the mic in the sound control panel...fyi lag free
I followed the stped you did at 5:55 But now my obs is picking my mic up from both Seelseries sonar - stream AND steelseris sonar - Mic
What the different between " stream " and " Mic "
So I have done the instructions however, my twitch vods seem to only contain gameplay audio. How to fix this within streamlabs?
curious what kind of latency is added, always noticed it in VB so went back to just using amp/dac and dealing with adjusting every app one by one
Latency will depend on everyone’s individual computer, I had almost none.