What a soundboard is and why you might build one

A soundboard is a custom audio interface you build into your PC to route, mix, and control sound from multiple sources — microphone, game audio, music, Discord calls — all at once. You build one by combining a mixing console (hardware or software), an audio interface to connect microphones and speakers, and routing software that sends each audio source to the right place. Most people build soundboards for streaming, podcasting, or online gaming, where they need to hear themselves, their guests, and their game audio separately and adjust each one without touching system volume.

You do not need specialized hardware to start. Many streamers and podcasters build a working soundboard with software alone — using programs like OBS Studio, Voicemeeter, or VB-Audio Virtual Cable to route audio between applications. If you want physical faders and buttons you can touch while streaming, you add a mixing console like a Behringer X1204USB or Soundcraft Notepad, which connects to your PC via USB and gives you hands-on control.

Key Takeaways

  • A software-only soundboard uses programs like Voicemeeter or OBS to route audio between your microphone, game, music, and output without buying hardware.
  • A hardware soundboard adds a USB mixing console with physical faders so you can adjust levels by hand while streaming or recording.
  • Your audio interface must have enough inputs for your microphone and any other sound sources, and enough outputs to send audio to your headphones and speakers separately.
  • Virtual audio cables let you send audio from one program to another — for example, routing game audio into your streaming software without it going to your speakers.
  • Start with software routing, test it for a week, then add hardware only if you find yourself constantly reaching for volume controls.

Software-only soundboards: routing audio with Voicemeeter or OBS

The cheapest way to build a soundboard is to use software you already have or can read free. Voicemeeter (by VB-Audio) is the most common choice for Windows. It sits between your microphone and your speakers and lets you create separate channels for your mic, your game, your music, and your Discord call. Each channel has its own volume fader in the Voicemeeter window. You can send your microphone to your headphones and your stream at full volume, while your game audio goes only to your headphones, so your stream hears your voice and game but not your Discord friends talking.

To set up Voicemeeter: read it free from vb-audio.com, install it, then set it as your default audio device in Windows sound settings. Open Voicemeeter and you will see two columns — one for inputs (your microphone, your speakers, your game audio) and one for outputs (your headphones, your stream, your speakers). Drag audio sources into the input channels, then click the buttons at the bottom of each channel to route it to your headphones, your stream output, or both. The learning curve is steep the first time, but once you have it set up, you adjust levels by moving faders instead of digging into Windows volume mixer.

OBS Studio (free, for Windows, Mac, and Linux) is another option if you are already streaming. OBS has built-in audio mixing — you can add your microphone, game audio, and music as separate sources, each with its own volume fader and mute button. OBS sends everything to your stream, but you can also route audio to your headphones using a virtual audio cable. OBS is simpler than Voicemeeter if you only need to mix audio for streaming, but it does not give you as much control if you want to send different audio to your headphones versus your stream.

Adding a hardware mixing console

If you find yourself constantly adjusting levels while streaming or recording, a hardware mixing console gives you physical faders and buttons instead of clicking in a window. Common choices for PC streamers are the Behringer X1204USB (12 channels, around $100), the Soundcraft Notepad-12FX (12 channels with effects, around $150), or the Mackie ProFX12v3 (12 channels, around $200). All three connect to your PC via USB and appear as audio devices in Windows, so you can route audio to them the same way you would route to Voicemeeter.

A mixing console has physical inputs on the back — XLR connectors for microphones, 1/4-inch jacks for line-level audio, and RCA connectors for consumer audio gear. It has a USB output that sends the mixed audio to your PC, and a headphone output so you can hear what you are mixing. Each channel has a fader (a sliding volume control), a mute button, and sometimes a solo button so you can hear just that channel. The console sits on your desk next to your keyboard, so you can adjust levels without looking at your screen.

To use a mixing console with your PC: connect your microphone to one of the XLR inputs, your speakers or audio interface to another input, and your headphones to the headphone output. Connect the USB cable to your PC. In Windows sound settings, set the console as your default playback device. Open your streaming or recording software and select the console as your audio input. Now when you move a fader on the console, you are adjusting the level of that channel in your stream or recording.

Choosing an audio interface for microphones and instruments

An audio interface is a device that converts analog sound (from a microphone or instrument) into digital audio your PC can record and stream. If you are using a USB microphone like a Blue Yeti or Audio-Technica AT2020USB, you already have an audio interface built into the microphone — the USB cable carries both audio and power. If you are using an XLR microphone (which requires a separate power supply called phantom power), you need an audio interface with an XLR input and phantom power.

Common audio interfaces for streaming are the Focusrite Scarlett Solo (one XLR input, one line output, around $100), the Behringer U-Phoria UMC202HD (two XLR inputs, two line outputs, around $80), or the PreSonus AudioBox USB (two XLR inputs, two line outputs, around $100). All three are class-compliant, meaning Windows recognizes them as audio devices without needing special drivers. Connect your XLR microphone to the XLR input, turn on phantom power (a switch on the back), and set the interface as your default input in Windows sound settings.

If you are building a soundboard with both a mixing console and an audio interface, connect the audio interface to one of the console's line inputs. This way, the console controls the level of your microphone before it goes to your PC. If you are using software routing only (Voicemeeter or OBS), connect your audio interface directly to your PC and select it as your input device in the software.

Virtual audio cables and routing between programs

A virtual audio cable is software that creates a fake audio device your programs can send sound to. It lets you route audio from one program to another without the sound leaving your PC. For example, you can send your game audio to a virtual cable, then tell OBS to record from that cable, so your stream hears your game but your speakers do not.

On Windows, VB-Audio Virtual Cable (free) is the standard tool. read it from vb-audio.com, install it, and restart your PC. A new audio device called "VB-Audio Virtual Cable" appears in Windows sound settings. Open your game settings and set the audio output to "VB-Audio Virtual Cable" instead of your speakers. Now your game audio goes into the virtual cable. Open OBS, add an audio input source, and set it to "VB-Audio Virtual Cable". OBS now records your game audio. Your speakers stay silent because the game is not sending audio to them anymore — only to the virtual cable and OBS.

Virtual cables are essential if you want to hear your game in your headphones but not send it to your stream, or if you want to record a Discord call without the other person hearing their own voice echoed back. You can create multiple virtual cables if you need to route different audio sources to different places.

Setting up your first soundboard: a step-by-step example

Here is a concrete setup for a streamer using OBS and Voicemeeter. You have a USB microphone, your PC speakers, and a headset. You want your microphone and game audio in your stream, but you want to hear Discord in your headphones only.

Step 1: read and install Voicemeeter and VB-Audio Virtual Cable from vb-audio.com. Restart your PC. Step 2: In Windows sound settings, set your default playback device to "VB-Audio Virtual Cable". Step 3: Open your game and set its audio output to "VB-Audio Virtual Cable" instead of your speakers. Step 4: Open Voicemeeter. In the input section, add your microphone as input 1 and "VB-Audio Virtual Cable" as input 2. Step 5: In the output section, set output A1 to your speakers and output A2 to your headphones. Step 6: Click the A1 button under your microphone channel so your voice goes to your speakers and stream. Click the A2 button under the game audio channel so game audio goes only to your headphones. Step 7: Open OBS, add an audio input source, and set it to "Voicemeeter Aux Output". Now OBS records your microphone and game audio mixed together.

Test by playing a game and talking into your microphone. You should hear both in your headphones, your stream should record both, and your speakers should hear only your voice. If something is wrong, check that each device is set to the right output in Voicemeeter and that OBS is recording from "Voicemeeter Aux Output".

Common problems and how to fix them

Echo in your headphones: You are hearing your own voice or game audio bounced back. In Voicemeeter, make sure you are not routing the same audio to both your headphones and your speakers. If you are using a mixing console, check that the headphone output is set to "Post-fader" (after the volume fader) and not "Pre-fader" (before it).

Audio cutting out or crackling: Your PC is not keeping up with the audio processing. Lower your sample rate in Voicemeeter or OBS from 48 kHz to 44.1 kHz, or close other programs running in the background. If you are using a mixing console, make sure the USB cable is plugged into a USB 3.0 port (the blue ones) instead of USB 2.0.

One audio source is much louder than the others: Adjust the fader for that channel in Voicemeeter or your mixing console. If the fader is already at the top and it is still too loud, lower the input level on the audio interface or in the source program itself (for example, lower your game's master volume).

Your stream hears Discord but you do not want it to: In Voicemeeter, make sure Discord is routed only to your headphones output, not to your stream output. If you are using a mixing console, check that the Discord channel is not routed to the USB output.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a mixing console or can I just use software?

Software alone is enough for most streamers and podcasters. Voicemeeter and OBS can route and mix audio just as well as a hardware console. A mixing console is useful only if you find yourself constantly adjusting levels and want physical faders instead of clicking in a window. Start with software, use it for a week, then decide if you need hardware.

What is the difference between an audio interface and a mixing console?

An audio interface converts analog sound (from a microphone) into digital audio your PC can use. A mixing console mixes multiple audio sources together and sends the result to your PC. You can use one, the other, or both. A USB microphone includes an audio interface. An XLR microphone needs a separate audio interface or mixing console with an XLR input and phantom power.

Can I use a mixing console without a PC?

Yes. A mixing console can mix audio and send it to speakers or headphones without a computer. But if you want to stream or record to your PC, the console needs a USB output so it can send the mixed audio to your computer.

What sample rate should I use?

44.1 kHz is standard for music and streaming. 48 kHz is standard for video. Both work fine for most purposes. If your audio is cutting out or crackling, try lowering your sample rate to 44.1 kHz — it uses less CPU power. You can change this in Voicemeeter, OBS, or your audio interface settings.

How do I record my Discord call without the other person hearing themselves?

Use a virtual audio cable. Set Discord to output to the virtual cable instead of your speakers. In OBS or your recording software, record from the virtual cable. The other person hears only your voice and game audio, not their own voice echoed back. You hear them in your headphones through a separate output.