Sound Alerts in an IRL Stream: OBS, Speaker & Audio Path

Animated diagram: the alert browser source runs in OBS. With a Bluetooth speaker the mic picks up the sound and the OBS source stays muted; with headphones the source stays active. Either way, viewers hear every sound exactly once. Both at the same time gives double audio or echo

What are sound alerts?

Sound alerts are sounds, memes, videos, and other playful reactions triggered by viewers or community events. StreamerHub, Sound Alerts, and Blerp can play this content through a personal browser source in OBS.

The alert source runs in OBS on your production PC. That makes it independent of whether the mobile video stream reaches the relay over RTMP, SRT, or SRTLA.

Basic IRL setup with a Bluetooth speaker: If the stream mic on your mobile rig picks up the speaker's sound, the sound source stays muted in the OBS audio mixer. Viewers then hear the sound once, through the real IRL signal. With headphones, the source has to stay on in OBS so viewers hear the sound too.

1. StreamerHub by Maertuerer | Dustin

StreamerHub is developed by Maertuerer | Dustin and comes first in this sound alerts guide because the hub can bundle soundboard and channel point sounds with other stream features. The sounds go into OBS through a personal browser source. For mobile playback, the in-house StreamerHub app can also be provided on specific request. That means StreamerHub sounds don't need an extra solution like StreamBuddy.

StreamerHub for sounds: Soundboard, channel points, chat triggers, alerts, and mobile playback can all be brought together inside StreamerHub. That keeps the flow from trigger to output easy to follow.

Open StreamerHub and connect the streaming account you want to use.
In the hub, open the sounds section or soundboard.
Pick or add sounds, and set up triggers such as chat actions or channel points as needed.
Copy your personal browser source URL and treat it like a password.
In OBS, create a new Browser source with a clear name like StreamerHub Sounds.
Paste the URL, control the audio output through OBS, and trigger a test sound.
For mobile output, ask the developer for the in-house StreamerHub app, set up your StreamerHub access in it, and send the audio to a Bluetooth speaker or headphones.

Everything in one hub: Besides sounds, StreamerHub also brings together alerts, chat TTS, bot commands, and OBS remote control. Start by enabling only the sound output, then test each additional feature on its own.

In-house StreamerHub app on request: The app, built by the developer himself, can be provided to selected users on specific request. It handles mobile StreamerHub output directly, so you need neither StreamBuddy nor a comparable third-party app. It is also meant as an extensible base for more StreamerHub features; as development continues, it is supposed to offer considerably more than the sound output described here. Which features become generally available depends on the state of development. Access and any costs are arranged directly with the developer. A general release is planned for later.

Request the StreamerHub app from Maertuerer | Dustin through the IRL4YOU Discord

2. StreamerHub, Sound Alerts, or Blerp?

Practical comparison for the OBS setup
Service	Focus	OBS integration	Best for
StreamerHub	Soundboard, channel point sounds, and other hub features	Personal browser source	Bundled IRL setups with sounds, TTS, alerts, and control
Sound Alerts	Sounds, videos, overlays, and platform events	Central browser source from the setup page	Classic alerts and custom-designed overlay scenes
Blerp	Interactive sound, video, and community triggers	Main source plus extra browser sources depending on the feature	Soundboard, video alerts, and interactive community features

3. Preparation

OBS Studio is installed and your streaming platform is set up.
You have an account with the alert service you want, linked to your streaming platform.
At least one alert or sound is enabled in that service's dashboard.
OBS has its own scene or scene collection for a safe test.

Protect the browser source URL: Don't show your personal source address in screenshots, chats, or public guides. Depending on the service, anyone who has this URL can access the alert source's output.

4. Setting up Sound Alerts in OBS

In the Sound Alerts dashboard, open the setup page and copy your personal browser source URL.
In OBS, click the plus sign in the Sources panel and choose Browser.
Create a new source named Sound Alerts.
Paste the copied URL and enable Control audio via OBS.
In the source list, place the source above the camera image and any other full-frame elements.
Trigger a test alert in the Sound Alerts dashboard and check picture and sound in OBS.

Official help: Sound Alerts Browser Source.

5. Setting up Blerp in OBS

In the Blerp dashboard, open the browser sources or alerts section.
To start, copy the main browser source. Only add extra sources once picture, sound, and tests work reliably with it.
In OBS, create a new Browser source named Blerp.
Paste your personal Blerp URL and control the audio output through OBS.
Scale the source to fit and trigger a test in the Blerp dashboard.

Depending on which features you enable, Blerp offers separate sources, for example for alerts, interactive elements, full-screen videos, or a dedicated VOD audio track. These sources give you more control, but they also add more audio paths.

Official help: Blerp Browser Source Breakdown.

6. More fun and sound services

Tangia: Viewer actions, sound effects, videos, and interactive overlays. Interesting for streams that the community steers heavily.
TriggerFyre: Twitch channel points can trigger sounds, images, or videos. More of an optional niche solution than a first pick.
Lumia Stream: Also ties stream events to lighting, smart home devices, and OBS actions. Mostly useful for special effects at the production location.
Streamer.bot: Local automation for custom OBS actions. The full setup is in its own Streamer.bot guide for IRL streams.

StreamerHub, Sound Alerts, and Blerp are the main examples in this guide. Some of these services can also handle classic platform events; the central alerts overview gives a first look. Follows, subscriptions, bits, raids, and donations are covered in detail in the dedicated stream alerts guide.

7. StreamBuddy: hearing alerts on the go through a speaker

You don't need this detour for StreamerHub: On request, the in-house StreamerHub app can be used directly for mobile sound output. The StreamBuddy route below is a general alternative for Sound Alerts, Blerp, and other services that only provide a personal browser source.

In an IRL stream, the OBS PC usually sits at home or on a server. With StreamBuddy for Android, you can also open your personal alert browser source on the mobile device. The phone sends the audio over Bluetooth to a portable speaker on your backpack. That way you catch follows, subscriptions, donations, or sound alerts while you're out.

Smartphone with a mobile browser source sending alert sounds to a Bluetooth speaker on the streaming backpack

StreamBuddy opens your personal alert browser source on the smartphone. The sound comes out of a Bluetooth speaker on your backpack.

Setting up StreamBuddy step by step

Connect the portable speaker to the Android phone over Bluetooth and start with the media volume low.
In the dashboard of Sound Alerts, Blerp, or whichever alert service you use, copy the personal browser source or overlay URL.
In StreamBuddy, open the main menu, choose Tabs, and tap Add tab at the bottom.
Choose Website as the type, give it a clear name like Alerts, and paste the personal URL.
Open the new tab and trigger a test in the alert dashboard. You should now hear the sound through the paired speaker.
Before you go live, test the volume, the mobile data connection, and how it behaves after a short connection drop. If needed, you can enable reloading after an interruption for the website tab.

Recommended audio path with a speaker: StreamBuddy plays the alert through the Bluetooth speaker. The mobile mic picks up that sound together with your surroundings. In OBS, mute the audio channel of that browser source so viewers don't hear the alert a second time.

Avoid echo and double audio: Never send the recorded speaker sound and the same alert directly from OBS at the same time. With headphones, the mobile TTS or alert audio usually doesn't reach the mic; in that case the browser source stays active in OBS. Use a private test recording to confirm that every sound plays exactly once.

Official help: Set up alerts in StreamBuddy and Add a website tab.

A note on IRL Link: IRL Link also offered mobile IRL, OBS, and overlay features. According to the project page, though, the old app is currently no longer available on Google Play or the App Store; a new app has been announced. That's why this guide uses StreamBuddy as the preferred solution that is currently documented.

8. Getting audio right in OBS

Audio monitoring for alert sources
OBS setting	You hear the alert	Stream hears the alert
Monitor Off	No	Yes
Monitor Only (mute output)	Yes	No
Monitor and Output	Yes	Yes

You'll find the setting in OBS under Advanced Audio Properties. If you want to hear alerts yourself and send them to the stream too, Monitor and Output is normally the right choice.

Which audio path fits your setup?
Setup	Alert in the mic?	Alert source in OBS	Result
Bluetooth speaker on the backpack	Yes, the mobile mic picks up the speaker	Muted in the audio mixer	Viewers hear the sound once, through the IRL signal
Headphones	Normally no	Leave active	Viewers hear the sound once, through OBS

Special case, IRL Bluetooth speaker: If the mobile mic picks up the speaker, mute the alert source directly in the OBS audio mixer. The "Monitor and Output" setting would be wrong in this setup, because it plays the sound again that is already in the IRL signal.

Under Settings → Audio → Advanced → Monitoring Device, choose your headphones or whichever device you want to listen on. Also check whether the alert source has been muted in the audio mixer.

Avoid double audio: Don't leave the alert dashboard open in a regular browser with sound on. Desktop audio and OBS monitoring can also pick up the same alert twice.

9. Using alerts across multiple OBS scenes

Don't create a new alert browser source with the same URL for every scene. Copy the existing source and paste it into other scenes with Paste (Reference).

That way all scenes use the same source. It prevents parallel playback, echo, and unnecessary browser processes. Alternatively, you can build one central nested alert scene and include it in your LIVE, LOW, and BRB scenes.

10. Testing properly and finding errors

Open OBS and make sure the alert source is visible and not muted.
Use the test function in the service's dashboard.
Watch the OBS level meter: if it moves, the problem is usually monitoring or the output track.
Make a short local OBS test recording and check picture and sound afterward.
If needed, reload the source from its properties or refresh the cache.
If there's still no output, copy the browser source from the dashboard again and recreate it.

Common alert problems
Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Picture but no sound	Source muted or wrong output track	Check the audio mixer and Advanced Audio Properties
Stream hears sound, you don't	Monitoring is off	Choose a monitoring device and try "Monitor and Output"
Double audio or echo	Duplicate source or extra desktop audio	Use references only and mute the browser dashboard
Alert sits behind the video	Wrong source order	Move the alert source higher up in OBS

11. Security, privacy, and copyright

Treat personal browser source URLs like login credentials, and regenerate them in the service's dashboard if you suspect a leak.
Only use sounds, music, and videos you have sufficient permission to use.
A "DMCA Safe" label or a separate VOD track does not replace your own rights check.
For platform connections and browser sources, the privacy terms of StreamerHub, Sound Alerts, or Blerp apply as well.
Set moderation, volume, and cost limits so viewers can't abuse alerts to disrupt the stream.

12. Common questions about sound alerts in an IRL stream

Why do I hear alerts twice or with an echo?

Usually the same source is running twice. Or desktop audio is on as well, or the alert dashboard is playing sound in a regular browser. In other scenes, use "Paste (Reference)" instead of new sources with the same URL. Mute the browser dashboard. And make a private test recording: every sound should play only once.

Should the alert source in OBS be muted?

It depends on how you listen. If the alert plays through a Bluetooth speaker and your phone mic picks it up, the source stays muted in the OBS audio mixer. If you listen with headphones, leave the source on, or viewers won't hear anything. Both are in the table in section 8.

Do I need StreamBuddy for mobile output?

Not with StreamerHub. You can request the in-house StreamerHub app instead. For Sound Alerts, Blerp, and other services with a personal browser source, this guide shows StreamBuddy for Android as an alternative (section 7).

How should I handle the browser source URL?

Like a password. Don't show it in screenshots, in chat, or in public guides. If you suspect misuse, regenerate it in the service's dashboard. More about alerts in general is in the alerts overview.

Can I use any sounds and videos as alerts?

Only content you have permission to use. A label like "DMCA Safe" or a separate VOD track does not replace your own rights check. Also set limits for moderation, volume, and cost so viewers can't disrupt the stream on purpose. For read-aloud messages, see TTS in a live stream.

Stream alerts setup service & consulting

We help with setting up StreamerHub, Sound Alerts, or Blerp, with OBS audio monitoring, with multiple scenes, and with tracking down double or missing alert audio.

Request the stream alerts setup service on Discord

Last checked: September 12, 2026 · Updated: September 30, 2026 · Published by IRL4YOU