Soundboard for OBS Setup

OBS does not have a built-in soundboard. This guide covers how to connect LitPads to OBS on Mac using BlackHole, add it as an audio source, and trigger sounds with global hotkeys.

How Do You Add a Soundboard to OBS?

Adding a soundboard to OBS on Mac requires two components: a soundboard app (LitPads) and a virtual audio driver (LitLink, free). LitLink automatically creates a multi-output device and includes mic passthrough. OBS captures LitLink as an audio input source. Alternatively, BlackHole (free) works with manual Audio MIDI Setup configuration.

Recommended: LitLink is a free virtual audio driver with built-in mic passthrough and automatic multi-output device creation. No manual Audio MIDI Setup required.

OBS itself does not include soundboard functionality. The custom soundboard app runs as a separate application alongside OBS. Audio routing connects the two through a virtual audio device. This is the standard approach for all professional audio tools on macOS, not a LitPads limitation.

What Are the Setup Steps for OBS and LitPads?

The complete setup with LitLink takes five steps: install LitLink (free), open the LitLink app and enable System Audio Passthrough, enable Mic Passthrough in LitLink, open OBS and add an Audio Input Capture source, and select "LitLink Audio Bridge" as the device. LitLink handles multi-output device creation and mic mixing automatically. No manual Audio MIDI Setup required.
  • Install LitLink free download from litpads.app/litlink, signed and notarized by Apple
  • Open the LitLink app the companion app that controls audio routing
  • Enable System Audio Passthrough LitLink creates the multi-output device automatically
  • Enable Mic Passthrough mixes your real microphone with soundboard audio into a single stream
  • Add an Audio Input Capture source in OBS Sources panel > + > Audio Input Capture
  • Select "LitLink Audio Bridge" as the device OBS now captures both your voice and LitPads audio

With this setup, OBS receives a single mixed stream containing your microphone audio and any sounds you trigger in LitPads. You still hear everything in your headphones because LitLink's multi-output device sends audio to both your headphones and the virtual Audio Bridge device simultaneously.

Download LitLink to get started. The installer is 280 KB and takes under a minute from download to working setup.

Alternative: BlackHole also works as a virtual audio driver but requires manual Audio MIDI Setup configuration: install BlackHole 2ch, create a multi-output device combining your headphones and BlackHole, set it as system output, then add BlackHole as the OBS source. LitLink replaces all of this with a single toggle.

How Do You Trigger Soundboard Sounds During a Stream?

LitPads triggers sounds through global hotkeys on Mac that work while OBS and the game are in the foreground. Assign function keys, letter keys, or Ctrl combos to pads. Press the key during gameplay and the sound fires through LitLink into OBS without switching windows.

Global hotkeys use macOS Input Monitoring to capture keyboard events system-wide. The hotkey fires regardless of which application has focus. Streamers assign their most-used sounds to F1 through F12 for quick access during gameplay.

Audio ducking automatically lowers background music pads when a sound effect fires. The duck amount (5% to 80%) and fade time (0.05 to 2.0 seconds) are configurable in LitPads settings. This prevents sound effects from competing with background music in the stream audio mix.

How Do You Balance Soundboard Volume in OBS?

OBS provides per-source volume sliders in the Audio Mixer panel. The LitLink Audio Bridge input capture source has its own volume slider independent of other audio sources. Adjust the LitLink slider to balance soundboard volume against game audio and other sources in the stream output.
Per-Pad Volume
LitPads controls
Master Soundboard
OBS mixer slider
Duck Amount
5% to 80%
Duck Fade Time
0.05s to 2.0s

LitPads also provides per-pad volume controls. Adjust individual pad volumes within LitPads for fine control over relative sound levels. The OBS mixer slider then controls the overall soundboard volume in the stream. This two-layer approach gives precise control: per-pad levels in LitPads and master soundboard level in OBS.

OBS audio filters (compressor, noise gate, limiter) can be applied to the LitLink Audio Bridge source to prevent sudden volume spikes from loud sound effects. A compressor with a moderate threshold tames peaks without affecting quieter sounds.

Streamers who need more granular control over how audio reaches OBS can follow the dedicated virtual audio cable setup for OBS on Mac, which covers advanced routing configurations including separate channels for voice, game audio, and soundboard output.

Streamers who also need to capture gameplay or desktop audio alongside soundboard output should understand how to record internal audio on Mac, since macOS does not expose system audio to recording apps by default.

Can You Use OBS Hotkeys and Soundboard Hotkeys Together?

OBS has its own hotkey system for scene switching, recording, and other actions. LitPads global hotkeys operate independently at the macOS system level. Both hotkey systems work simultaneously without conflict as long as the same key is not assigned in both applications.

Reserve F1 through F8 for LitPads sound triggers and use Ctrl+Shift combos for OBS stream control. This prevents a single key from firing both a sound effect and a scene change.

The recommended approach reserves function keys for LitPads soundboard triggers (F1 through F8 for sounds) and OBS keyboard shortcuts for stream control (Ctrl+Shift combos for scene switching, recording start/stop). This prevents any key from triggering both a sound effect and a scene change simultaneously.

The Twitch sound alerts setup covers advanced OBS and soundboard integration strategies including scene-specific sound configurations and automated alert sequences.

Marcel Iseli DJing
Marcel Iseli

Indie Developer · DJ · Producer

LinkedIn

Marcel Iseli is an indie developer, DJ, and music producer with over 20 years behind the decks and in the studio. Rooted in hip hop culture, he collects drum machines, samplers, and vintage audio gear. LitPads grew out of that obsession: decades of triggering samples on hardware led him to build the software equivalent he always wanted.