Sound Test
Check your speakers or headphones: left, right, stereo, wiring and frequency range.
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Left and right
Speaker wiring (phase)
Play both. In phase should sound full and come from the middle. Out of phase should sound thin and hard to place. If they sound the other way round, one speaker is wired backwards.
Frequency sweep
How to use the sound test
- Turn your volume down, then press Left. You should hear chimes only from the left speaker or left ear cup.
- Press Right. The chimes should come only from the right. If they come from the left, your channels are swapped.
- Press Stereo sweep. The tone should glide smoothly from left to right and back, following the dot.
- Play In phase and then Out of phase to check your speakers are wired the same way round.
- Run the frequency sweep to hear how low and how high your speakers or headphones go. Press Stop when you can't hear it any more to see that frequency.
Reading the results
| What you hear | What it means |
|---|---|
| Left plays on the right (or the other way) | Channels are swapped. On headphones, check you're wearing them the right way round (L/R marks). On speakers, swap the cables. |
| One side is silent | A broken cable, a loose plug, a dead speaker, or the balance slider set fully to one side in your sound settings. |
| Both buttons sound the same, from the middle | Your audio is set to mono, or you're on a single speaker such as a laptop or phone speaker. Check your device's accessibility settings for "mono audio". |
| "Out of phase" sounds fuller than "in phase" | One speaker's + and − wires are swapped. Swap them on one speaker only. |
| The sweep fades out early at the low end | Normal for small speakers and earbuds. Most can't play much below 60–100 Hz. |
How high can you hear?
Young people can usually hear up to about 17,000–20,000 Hz. The top of the range drops with age and with exposure to loud noise, so many adults stop hearing the sweep somewhere between 12,000 and 16,000 Hz. Your speakers or headphones and your browser also limit what you hear, so treat the result as a rough guide, not a hearing test. If you're worried about your hearing, see a professional.
Tips
- Bluetooth headphones add a delay, so the sound may start a moment after you press a button. That's normal.
- If nothing plays at all, check that this tab isn't muted, the right output device is selected, and your phone isn't on silent.
- Keep the volume moderate. High-frequency test tones at high volume are unpleasant and can be harmful.
Frequently asked questions
Does this test use my microphone?
No. It only plays sound. To check a microphone, use the mic test.
Can it test surround sound (5.1 or 7.1)?
No. Browsers play in stereo, so this test checks left and right only.
Does it work on phones?
Yes, with headphones or the phone's speakers. Most phones have only one speaker (or two close together), so use headphones to check left and right.