Speaker and Headphone Test
Guide & FAQHearing safety: start with the volume low and raise it slowly. Test tones can be harsh, especially in headphones.
Sound
Left and Right play on one side only, so you can check that the speakers or headphones are wired and set up the right way round. Sound comes out of your system's current output device; change it in your system or browser sound settings.
Guide: Speaker and Headphone Test
How to test your speakers or headphones
Lower your system volume, then press Left. Only the left speaker or earcup should sound, and the L box on screen lights up. Press Right to check the other side and Both to hear a normal stereo signal. The alternating button swaps sides automatically so you can listen without touching the page.
Tones, noise and sweep
- Sine tone: a pure note you can set from 40 Hz to 8 kHz to look for rattles.
- Pink noise: a balanced hiss for checking the overall sound and placement.
- Frequency sweep: 20 Hz to 20 kHz in 20 seconds, with the current frequency displayed.
What to listen for
Crackling points to a loose connector or damaged driver, a hum to grounding or cable problems, and a missing channel to a broken cable or wrong balance setting. A weak low end is normal on laptop and phone speakers.
Safety
Keep the volume low at first, especially with headphones, and raise it gradually. Nothing is recorded or uploaded; all sounds are generated in your browser.
FAQ
How do I check the left and right channels?
Press Left and listen: sound should come only from the left speaker or earcup. Then press Right. If they are swapped, the cable, the headphone orientation or your system balance setting is reversed. Alternating mode switches sides every 1.2 seconds.
What is the frequency sweep for?
It glides from 20 Hz (deep bass) to 20 kHz (the top of human hearing) over 20 seconds. Listen for rattles, buzzing or dropouts, and notice where the sound fades in and out: small speakers rarely reproduce anything below about 60 Hz, and most adults cannot hear above 15 to 17 kHz.
Why can I hear nothing?
Check the system volume and mute state, that the right output device is selected in your system or browser, and that the volume slider on this page is not at zero. Some browsers also need a click on the page before they play sound, which pressing any test button provides.
What is pink noise?
Pink noise has equal energy in each octave and sounds like steady rain. It is used for speaker placement, room checks and finding rattles, because it excites all frequencies at once without the piercing quality of a single tone.
Is it safe for my speakers and ears?
The test starts at a low volume and sine tones are limited in level. Raise your system volume slowly, avoid long loud tones in headphones, and stop if anything sounds distorted or painful.
Does it test surround sound?
No. It tests stereo output: left, right and both. A browser cannot reliably address 5.1 or 7.1 channels separately.