Does OBS have noise suppression built in?

Yes — a Noise Suppression filter with three methods: RNNoise (default, AI-based, more CPU), Speex (lighter, adjustable dB), and NVIDIA Noise Removal (RTX cards with the Broadcast SDK installed). Right-click your mic source → Filters → + to add it.

RNNoise or Speex — which should I pick?

RNNoise, unless your CPU is already sweating: it’s the better cleanup and it has no knobs to misconfigure. Speex is the budget lane — start at its -30 dB default and increase suppression only until the noise dies, because past that it starts eating your voice.

Why does my voice sound robotic after adding suppression?

Over-suppression — usually Speex pushed too far, or two suppressors stacked (OBS filter + Discord toggle + app suppression all at once). Run ONE suppressor per signal path and let the gate handle the silence.

OBS noise suppression: RNNoise vs Speex vs NVIDIA, set up right

OBS ships real noise suppression for free — three engines deep. The whole game is picking the right method for your rig, putting it in the right slot of the filter chain, and not stacking it on four other suppressors.

BUILD 2026.07.30paths & prices verified vs vendor docsby the Loadout Audio squad

Add the filter, chip by chip

Right-click mic source→Filters→+→Noise Suppression

Three methods live in that dropdown, and the honest ranking is the documented one: Noise Suppression filter methods: RNNoise (default, higher quality, more CPU), Speex (lighter, adjustable level, default -30 dB), NVIDIA Noise Removal (needs NVIDIA Broadcast SDK/redistributable + RTX GPU).

Method call, by rig

RNNoise — the default and the right answer for most: genuinely good AI suppression, zero configuration, paid for in CPU. On anything modern the cost is noise-floor level; on a potato, listen for encoder strain.
Speex — the classic DSP fallback: lighter, with a Suppression Level slider (default -30 dB). More negative = more aggressive = more voice damage. Move it in small steps.
NVIDIA Noise Removal — RTX owners only, needs the Broadcast SDK/redistributable installed; it’s the Broadcast engine living inside OBS, GPU-billed. Pick it when you want NVIDIA quality but only OBS needs the cleanup.

Filter order matters

Suppression first in the chain, then the noise gate, then compression/limiting if you use them. Gating before suppression makes the gate’s job noisier; compressing before suppression amplifies the exact junk you’re trying to delete. Top-to-bottom in the filters list is signal order — drag to fix.

Frame budget — measure yours, 60 seconds

RNNoise bills your CPU; the NVIDIA method bills your GPU. Anyone quoting an exact FPS cost without your rig in hand is selling something — run the benchmark instead:

Pick a repeatable scene (same map spot, same settings) with an FPS overlay running.
Note average FPS for 30 seconds, filter OFF.
Toggle the filter ON. Same scene, 30 seconds, note it again.
The difference is your real cost. Re-check after driver updates.

your framesfilter cost = measured, not quoted

Community reports put modern-GPU costs in the low single digits and older RTX 2060-class cards higher — treat those as rumors with good intentions, not specs. Your overlay outranks every forum post, ours included.

What the filter won’t fix

Comms: the OBS filter cleans your stream audio, not what your Discord squad hears — that’s the Discord toggle. Echo: suppression targets noise, not reflections; furniture beats filters there. And a mic that’s silent rather than noisy is a triage case, not a filter case.

Lobby questions

Does OBS have noise suppression built in?: Yes — a Noise Suppression filter with three methods: RNNoise (default, AI-based, more CPU), Speex (lighter, adjustable dB), and NVIDIA Noise Removal (RTX cards with the Broadcast SDK installed). Right-click your mic source → Filters → + to add it.
RNNoise or Speex — which should I pick?: RNNoise, unless your CPU is already sweating: it’s the better cleanup and it has no knobs to misconfigure. Speex is the budget lane — start at its -30 dB default and increase suppression only until the noise dies, because past that it starts eating your voice.
Why does my voice sound robotic after adding suppression?: Over-suppression — usually Speex pushed too far, or two suppressors stacked (OBS filter + Discord toggle + app suppression all at once). Run ONE suppressor per signal path and let the gate handle the silence.