Plug and Check

Audio

Speaker Test: Check Left, Right and Bass

Check that sound comes out of the right speaker. Play the left and right channels, a sweep from 20 Hz to 20 kHz and bass tones down to 30 Hz, on the output you choose, and get a report you can paste into a support chat.

Runs in your browser. Your answers and results never leave this device. No upload, no sign-up.

Turn your volume down first. Set your computer or speakers to about a quarter of full volume, then raise it slowly. Test sounds start at 20% and play only when you press a button.

The slider sets the test sound only; your system volume still applies.

Left and right channels

  • Where did you hear the left sound?
    Not checked
  • Where did you hear the right sound?
    Not checked

Frequency sweep

A tone glides from 20 Hz to 20 kHz in 20 seconds. Listen for rattles, buzzing, or the point where the sound fades out, and press Stop to note the frequency.

Now playing20.0HzNot started

Bass

Each button plays a low tone for 4 seconds; press it again to stop. Small speakers can't play the lowest ones, and that's normal.

Your output

Output channelsPlay a sound to see
Sample rate–
Output latency–

Got more than two speakers? Check each one with the surround sound test.

Your report

Run the test above. Your results will appear here as plain text you can paste into a support chat, a return request or a forum post.

How to test your speakers

  1. Turn your computer's volume down to about a quarter. The test sounds start at 20% and play only when you press a button.
  2. Choose the speakers you want to test in the Output list, if your browser shows one. Otherwise make them the default output in your system's sound settings.
  3. Press Left, then Right, and say where you heard each sound. Left and right in turn keeps both going while you check cables or move speakers.
  4. Start the sweep and listen for rattles, buzzing or a spot where the sound drops out. Press Stop to note the frequency.
  5. Play the bass tones from 30 Hz up, pick the lowest one you hear clearly, then copy the report.

What the results mean

Left and right

Works means the sound came only from the side we played. If the left sound comes from the right speaker, the speakers or their cables are swapped. If you hear it on both sides, something is mixing the channels together: a mono audio setting, a balance setting, virtual surround, or a single speaker that plays both channels. If you hear nothing on one side, that speaker, its cable or its socket is the place to look.

Frequency sweep

The sweep spends the same time on every octave, so it lingers in the bass and races through the treble. Small speakers stay silent at the start because they can't play deep notes, and most adults stop hearing the tone before it reaches 20 kHz, since the highest notes fade with age. Neither is a fault. A rattle or buzz at one pitch usually means something is loose: a grille, a screw, a cable touching the cabinet, or an object on the desk. Distortion that comes and goes with the volume means the speaker is being pushed too hard.

Bass

The 30 Hz and 40 Hz tones need a subwoofer or large speakers. Many desktop speakers start somewhere in the middle of the row, and laptop and phone speakers may play none of the tones at all. If you have a subwoofer and the lowest tone you hear is 80 Hz or higher, check the subwoofer's power, cable and volume.

Output channels

This is how many separate channels your browser can send to the current output: 2 for stereo, 6 for 5.1 and 8 for 7.1. It comes from your system's settings for that device, so a surround system that shows 2 is set to stereo.

Speakers not working? Try these fixes

No sound at all

The sound is going to another device, the volume is muted, or the browser tab is muted.

  1. In your browser, a muted tab shows a crossed-out speaker icon. Right-click the tab and choose the option to unmute it.
  2. Check the power, the volume knob and the input selector on the speakers themselves.

Windows 11

  1. Open Settings → System → Sound and, under Output, choose your speakers in Choose where to play sound.
  2. Check the volume slider on the same page, and select the speaker icon on the taskbar to make sure sound isn't muted.
  3. Open Settings → System → Sound → Volume mixer and check your browser's volume.

macOS

  1. Open System Settings → Sound and choose your speakers under Output.
  2. Check the Output volume slider and that Mute is off.

Sound plays through the wrong device

Your monitor, a headset or a TV connected over HDMI can become the default output when you plug it in.

Windows 11

  1. Open Settings → System → Sound and pick the right device under Output.

macOS

  1. Open System Settings → Sound → Output and select the right device.

In browsers that can choose an output, pick it in the Output list on this page instead.

Only one side plays

A balance setting, a mono audio setting, a plug that isn't fully in, or a faulty cable or speaker.

  1. Push the plug all the way in and try another cable or port.
  2. Swap the left and right cables at the speakers. If the silent side moves, the cable or the computer is at fault; if it stays, the speaker is.

Windows 11

  1. Open Settings → System → Sound, select your speakers, and check that Left channel and Right channel are at the same level.
  2. Open Settings → Accessibility → Audio and turn off Mono audio.

macOS

  1. Open System Settings → Sound → Output and set Balance to the middle.
  2. Open System Settings → Accessibility → Audio and turn off Play stereo audio as mono.

Left and right are swapped

  1. Swap the speakers' positions, or swap the two cables where they plug into the amplifier or the speakers.
  2. On a receiver or audio interface, check which output feeds which speaker.

A rattle or buzz during the sweep

  1. Lower the volume and run the sweep again. If the noise goes away, the speaker was being pushed too hard.
  2. Stop the sweep at the rattle, then press lightly on the grille, the cabinet and anything nearby to find what vibrates.
  3. If you hear crackling at every pitch, check the cable and the connectors.

A crackle that stays at low volume can mean a damaged speaker cone. Check your retailer's return policy or the maker's warranty.

The sound is muffled or sounds processed

Sound enhancements, virtual surround or an equalizer app can change what you hear.

Windows 11

  1. Open Settings → System → Sound, select your speakers, and turn off Audio enhancements and Spatial sound while you test.
  2. Check apps that came with your computer or sound card, such as an audio console or equalizer, for effects that are switched on.

macOS

  1. Quit any equalizer or audio effects app, and check System Settings → Sound → Output for a different device that such an app may have added.

Common questions

How do I test my left and right speakers?

Press Left, then Right, and choose where you heard each sound. If the left sound comes from the right speaker, the cables or the speakers are swapped. If one side stays silent, check the balance setting, the plug and the cable on that side.

Why can't I hear the start or the end of the frequency sweep?

Small speakers can't play the lowest notes, and most adults stop hearing the highest notes before 20 kHz; that limit drops with age. Silence at both ends of the sweep is normal and doesn't mean your speakers are broken.

Why don't I hear the 30 Hz and 40 Hz bass tones?

Those tones need a subwoofer or large speakers. Laptop, phone and small desktop speakers can't play them, so start listening from 60 or 80 Hz. If you have a subwoofer and hear nothing, check that it is switched on, connected and turned up.

Can I test another output without changing my default device?

Yes, in browsers that can choose an output: pick it in the Output list. Most browsers name your outputs only after you allow the microphone, so the page asks once, reads the names and closes the microphone again; Firefox shows its own chooser instead. Without a list, make the device your default in your system's sound settings.

Can a speaker test damage my speakers?

Not at a sensible volume. The test starts at 20% and its sounds are short, but long, loud bass tones can strain small speakers and your ears. Keep the volume moderate and stop if you hear distortion.

What does the number of output channels mean?

It is how many separate channels your browser can send to the current output: 2 for stereo, 6 for 5.1 and 8 for 7.1. If you have a surround system and see 2, your system's output is set to stereo; the surround sound test shows how to change that.

Something not right?

Tell us if your device wasn't found or a result looks wrong. Your browser, system and device model help us check.

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