Speaker test
Check left and right, bass and volume on new earphones or speakers before the movie starts.
PrivateNo uploadsRuns in your browserStart with a low volume and turn it up slowly. With headphones, keep it comfortable.
Stereo sweep
A soft sound moves from left to right and back, twice. It should glide smoothly with no gap in the middle.
Are left and right swapped?
Listen without looking. A chime plays on one side; tap the side you heard. 4 rounds.
Frequency range
A tone rises from 20 Hz to 20 kHz in 24 seconds. Tap when you first hear it, and again when it fades away.
Bass
Low notes. Listen for rattles or buzzing. Laptop and phone speakers are often silent below 100 Hz; that is normal.
Phase check
In phase sounds full and centred. Out of phase sounds wide and hollow. If it is the other way round, one speaker is wired backwards.
How to test your speakers and headphones
Set a low volume
Keep the system volume low. Pick your speaker or headphones from the list if you can.
Press Left, then Right
Each chime should come from one side only. Then play the stereo sweep and listen to it glide across.
Check range, bass and phase
Run the frequency sweep and mark where the sound starts and stops. Try the bass tones and the phase check.
Good to know
- Press Esc at any time to stop the sound.
- With headphones, check the L and R marks on the ear cups first. Many people wear them the wrong way round.
- If Left plays on both sides, Mono audio is switched on in your system's accessibility settings.
- Treble range drops with age. Hearing up to 15 kHz is normal for adults.
- Bluetooth headsets may sound thin while a call app holds the microphone. Close call apps and test again.
Questions people ask
How do I check if my left and right speakers are correct?
Press Left. The chime should come only from your left speaker or the left ear of your headphones. Then press Right. If they come from the wrong side, use the swap check below the buttons, then swap the cables or wear the headphones the other way round.
I hear sound from both sides when I press Left. Why?
Mono audio is probably switched on. On Windows open Settings, Accessibility, Audio and turn off Mono audio. On iPhone open Settings, Accessibility, Audio and Visual. On Android look under Accessibility for Mono audio. Some Bluetooth speakers also play everything from both sides.
What is the highest sound a person can hear?
Young people hear up to about 20 kHz. Most adults hear up to 14 to 17 kHz, and the limit drops slowly with age. Small speakers also stop early, so try headphones to see which one limits you.
How do I test the bass of my speakers?
Use the Bass buttons at 40 to 100 Hz with the volume at a moderate level. Good speakers and subwoofers play 40 Hz clearly. Phone and laptop speakers usually start around 100 to 200 Hz, so silence at 40 Hz is normal for them. Listen for rattles or buzzing too.
What does the phase check tell me?
In phase, the noise should sound full and come from the centre. Out of phase, it sounds wide, hollow and thin. If it is the other way round, one speaker cable has plus and minus swapped. Turn off and fix the red and black wires on one speaker.
Why is there no sound at all?
Check that the system volume is up and not muted, that the right device is chosen in your system sound settings (or in the Speaker list above), and that the browser tab is not muted. On a phone, the silent switch can mute web sound too.
Is this test safe for my ears and speakers?
Yes, if you start low. The test starts at a gentle volume. Turn it up slowly, keep headphones at a comfortable level, and avoid long high tones at full volume. Very loud low bass can damage small speakers.