What is the Speaker Test?
A speaker test plays test sounds so you can check that your speakers or headphones work and are set up correctly. This one checks the left and right channels, plays a frequency sweep from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, and compares in-phase and out-of-phase sound to catch speakers wired the wrong way round. All the sounds are generated in your browser.
Press Left, Right or Both and listen for the beeps. If the left beeps come from the right side, the channels are swapped, or your earphones are on the wrong ears. The sweep shows the range your speakers can play and helps you hear rattles or buzzing. The polarity test plays the same sound twice so you can tell whether both speakers push and pull together.
How to use it
- 1
Turn your volume down
Set your device volume low before you start, especially with headphones. You can raise it slowly afterwards.
- 2
Test left and right
Press Left, then Right. Each set of beeps should come only from that side. Press Both to hear them in the centre.
- 3
Play the sweep
Press Play sweep and listen as the tone rises. Note where it becomes audible and where it fades out.
- 4
Try the polarity test
Press In phase, then Out of phase. In phase should sound fuller and more centred.
- 5
Stop
Press Stop at any time to silence the test.
Features
Left, right and both
Beeps are played on the left channel only, the right channel only, or both, so you can tell at once whether stereo is working.
Frequency sweep
A tone rises smoothly from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz over 20 seconds, with the current frequency shown on screen.
Polarity (phase) test
The same sound is played in phase and then with one channel inverted. The difference shows whether a speaker is wired with + and − swapped.
Volume control and Stop
The test volume starts low and has its own slider. Stop silences everything at once, and sound stops when you leave the page.
No downloads
The tones are made with the Web Audio API in your browser. There are no sound files and nothing is recorded.
Popular uses
New headphones or earbuds
Check that left and right are the right way round and that both sides work.
Setting up speakers
Make sure the left speaker is on the left, and that neither is wired out of phase.
Finding a fault
Find out whether a missing sound comes from one channel, a loose cable or a damaged speaker that buzzes at some frequencies.
Checking your hearing range
See roughly where high tones fade for you. It's a rough check, not a medical hearing test.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I only hear sound from one side?
If Left and Right both play from the same side, check the cable or Bluetooth connection, the balance setting in your system's sound settings, and whether mono audio is turned on in accessibility settings.
Why can't I hear the top of the sweep?
That's normal. Hearing above about 15 to 17 kHz fades with age, and many small speakers can't play the very highest or lowest notes either.
What does out of phase mean?
Two speakers are out of phase when one moves forward while the other moves back. The bass partly cancels, so the sound feels thin and hard to place. It usually means one speaker's + and − wires are swapped.
Is the frequency sweep safe for my speakers?
At a low volume, yes. High tones at high volume can be harsh on small speakers, tweeters and your ears, so keep the volume down.
Why don't I hear anything?
Check that the volume slider and your device volume are up, and that the right output (speakers, headphones or Bluetooth) is selected. On an iPhone, turn off silent mode, because the ring/silent switch also mutes sound from web pages. Bluetooth adds a short delay, so sound may start a moment after you press the button.