--- title: "Captions but no translated audio in OBS: trace the signal" description: "Trace silent translated playback across synthesis, virtual cable, OBS monitoring, stream tracks, and the platform instead of reinstalling blindly." canonical: https://obstrans.net/en/blog/no-translated-audio-obs-troubleshooting language: en topic: obs-tech published: 2026-08-14 keywords: no translated audio OBS, captions but no sound, VB-Cable no audio, OBS audio troubleshooting, translation playback --- # Captions but no translated audio in OBS: trace the signal > Work from the translation app toward the audience: prove synthesis with an output test, follow the meter through the virtual cable and OBS, then use a local recording to separate routing faults from platform faults. "Captions work but translated audio does not" is a symptom shared by several failures. Captions prove that recognition and translation produced text. They do not prove that synthesis, device output, OBS capture, track assignment and platform delivery all worked. The fastest diagnosis is to move through the chain and find the **last point with observable signal**. ## The six checkpoints The path is: microphone → recognition/translation → TTS → CABLE Input → CABLE Output → OBS track → platform Every checkpoint needs evidence. "It should be configured" is not evidence. ### 1. Did TTS start? In ObsTrans, enable Voice translation and Playback translation, then verify that a cloned voice exists and is selected. A translated sentence in the workbench is only a text result; playback can remain silent without an active voice. Run the TTS output test from Audio settings. If the test is silent, the fault has not reached OBS. Check the voice, entitlement and selected output device before touching the encoder. ### 2. Is the app writing to CABLE Input? VB-CABLE naming appears backwards until you think from the application's perspective: an app plays **into CABLE Input**, while OBS records **from CABLE Output**. The relationship is documented on the [VB-CABLE site](https://vb-audio.com/Cable/index.htm) and in our [routing guide](/en/blog/obs-virtual-audio-cable-setup). ObsTrans supports a cable route and a local monitor route. Temporarily disable monitoring and test the cable alone. Hearing sound in headphones can otherwise hide a dead virtual route. ### 3. Does the OBS source meter move? Add Audio Input Capture to the scene and choose CABLE Output. Play a test phrase and watch that source's meter. OBS's [Audio Sources reference](https://obsproject.com/kb/audio-sources) warns that capturing the same device globally under Settings → Audio and again as a scene source can create echo. Prefer one explicit route and disable the duplicate. No meter means the fault is before OBS. A moving meter with a silent recording points to source properties or track assignment. ### 4. Is monitoring set to monitoring only? Open Edit → Advanced Audio Properties. Monitor Only (mute output) is the dangerous option: it lets the host hear the source while excluding it from the stream and recording. Use Monitor and Output when both host and audience need translation. Use Monitor Off when only the audience needs it. The Monitoring Device should be the host's headphones, never the virtual cable, or the path can feed back into itself. ### 5. Does a local recording contain translation? Record a complete cycle: speak, wait for captions, let playback finish, then replay the file. OBS's [Quick Start Guide](https://obsproject.com/kb/quick-start-guide) strongly recommends testing for a few minutes before a real stream. - Silent recording: remain inside the app-to-OBS path. - Correct recording: move to stream-track and platform checks. - Doubled recording: look for duplicate device capture or Desktop Audio recapturing the monitor. ### 6. Does the platform receive the same track? Listen in the platform control room and on a second device as a viewer. YouTube's official [troubleshooting guide](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2853835) uses the same boundary: if the stream is already wrong in the encoder, inspect sources and CPU; if the encoder is healthy, inspect outbound connectivity and platform status. When Advanced Output is enabled, verify that the track selected for streaming actually includes translated audio. Recording tracks and the stream mix are separate decisions. ## Keep a minimal incident record Record five booleans: TTS test audible, cable active, OBS meter active, local recording audible, viewer device audible. The next time the symptom appears, that record gives the team a starting checkpoint instead of another full reinstall. ## Steps 1. **Trigger an output test in the translation app** — Confirm that a cloned voice is selected and translated playback is enabled, then run an output-device test. Captions prove text exists; they do not prove TTS played. 2. **Follow the virtual cable** — The translation app should write to CABLE Input and OBS should capture CABLE Output. Watch the relevant device and OBS meters while a test phrase plays. 3. **Check the OBS source and duplicate capture** — Use Audio Input Capture for CABLE Output and avoid enabling the same device globally under Settings and again as a scene source, which can create duplicate audio. 4. **Check monitoring and stream-track assignment** — Do not use Monitor Only (mute output) when the audience needs the source. Use Monitor Off or Monitor and Output, then verify that the stream track includes translated audio. 5. **Divide the fault with a local recording** — If the recording is silent, stay upstream of the platform. If the recording is correct and the platform is silent, inspect the stream track, encoder status, and platform preview. ## FAQ ### How can captions work while translated speech is silent? Captions and playback are separate outputs. Recognition can finish while TTS is disabled, no cloned voice is selected, the wrong device is chosen, or OBS excludes the cable from its stream track. ### Why can the host hear translation but viewers cannot? Check Advanced Audio Properties first. Monitor Only (mute output) sends the source to the monitoring device while explicitly muting it from recording and streaming. ### Why is each translated phrase doubled? CABLE Output may be captured both globally and as a scene source, or Desktop Audio may recapture local monitoring. Keep one deliberate entry into OBS for each signal.