How to test your speakers or headphones
- Turn your computer or phone volume to a comfortable level and leave this page’s Volume at 30% to start.
- Press Left, then Right. Each voice should come only from the matching speaker or earcup. Press Both and the voice should sound centered.
- Run the Full range sweep and listen for the tone rising smoothly from a deep hum to a high whistle, without crackles, buzzing or dropouts.
- Use the Bass sweep to see how low your speakers go, and listen for rattles that point to loose parts.
- For a pair of stereo speakers, play In phase and Out of phase. In phase should sound fuller and more focused.
What the results mean
- Voice from the correct side: both channels work and are connected the right way round.
- Voice from the wrong side: the left and right channels are swapped. See how to fix swapped channels.
- Voice from both sides when you press Left: your system is playing mono audio, or the device has only one speaker.
- Nothing from one side: one speaker, earcup or cable is faulty, or the balance setting is turned fully to one side.
- Sweep fades in late: normal for small speakers, which can’t play deep bass. The frequency where the sound becomes clear is roughly your speakers’ lower limit.
- Sweep disappears before 20 kHz: usually the limit of your hearing rather than your speakers. Hearing above about 15 kHz declines with age.
- Buzzing or rattling at certain frequencies: something is vibrating, such as a loose screw, a grille or an object on the desk. Note the frequency, then use the tone generator to find the source.
No sound? Fix it step by step
1. Choose the right output device
- Windows 11: click the speaker icon on the taskbar, then the arrow next to the volume slider, and pick your speakers or headphones. You can also use Settings › System › Sound › Output.
- macOS: open System Settings › Sound › Output and select the device, or click the sound icon in the menu bar.
- Monitors and TVs over HDMI or DisplayPort often become the default output without you noticing. If your monitor has no speakers, switch back to your speakers or headphones.
- Bluetooth: make sure the speaker or headphones are connected (not just paired) and chosen as the output.
2. Check every volume control
- Check the system volume, the mute key on your keyboard, and the volume knob or buttons on the speakers or headphones.
- On Windows, open the Volume mixer (right-click the speaker icon) and make sure your browser isn’t muted or turned down.
- Browsers can mute individual tabs or sites. In Chrome and Edge, right-click the tab and check for Unmute site; in Firefox, look for a crossed-out speaker on the tab.
3. Left and right are swapped
- Headphones: check the L and R markings and wear them the right way round.
- Speakers: swap the speakers’ positions, or swap the cables at the amplifier or computer. For powered speakers, the speaker with the controls and the power cable is often the right one.
- Software: some audio drivers and apps (for example, Realtek Audio Console or equalizer apps) have a channel swap option. Turn it off.
4. Sound from only one side
- Windows: Settings › System › Sound › your output device, then check the Left channel and Right channel balance sliders.
- macOS: System Settings › Sound › Output and drag the Balance slider to the middle.
- Push 3.5 mm plugs all the way in. A plug that is only partly inserted often plays one side only. Try another cable or port if possible.
Why speaker phase matters
Each speaker cable has a positive (+, often red) and a negative (−, often black) wire. If one speaker is connected the other way round, it moves inward while the other moves outward. Low frequencies then cancel each other out, and the sound loses punch and focus. Stand between the speakers, play In phase and then Out of phase. The out-of-phase version should sound thinner and more spread out. If it sounds better than the in-phase version, swap the + and − wires on one speaker.
Is this test private?
Yes. All sounds are generated or played by your browser on your device. The test doesn’t use your microphone and doesn’t send anything to a server.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I hear “Left speaker” from both sides?
Your audio is probably being mixed down to mono. On Windows, check Settings › Accessibility › Audio and turn off Mono audio. On a Mac, check System Settings › Accessibility › Audio. Some Bluetooth speakers and many single-speaker devices, such as phones held in portrait mode, also play everything from one place.
Can I use this as a headphone test?
Yes. Put on your headphones and press Left, Right and Both. The left voice should be in your left ear only and the right voice in your right ear only. Most headphones mark the sides with L and R on the headband or earcups.
What frequencies can people hear?
The textbook range of human hearing is about 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, but the upper limit falls with age and noise exposure. Many adults no longer hear tones above roughly 15,000 to 17,000 Hz, which is normal. Keep the volume moderate when testing high frequencies; a sound you can’t hear can still be loud.
Why do my laptop speakers produce no bass in the sweep?
Small speakers physically can’t move enough air to reproduce deep bass, so the bass sweep will sound silent or very quiet until it reaches the low hundreds of hertz. That is expected. Headphones, larger speakers and subwoofers should start producing sound much lower.
Is the tone generator safe for my speakers?
At moderate volume, yes. Avoid playing loud, continuous high-frequency tones for a long time, since they can damage small tweeters and are tiring to listen to. The volume control starts at 30% and is capped below full scale for this reason.
What is a speaker phase (polarity) test?
Stereo speakers should push and pull air in the same direction at the same time. If one speaker’s wires are swapped (+ and −), the speakers work against each other and the bass and center image weaken. The phase test plays the same noise in phase and then with one channel inverted, so you can hear the difference.