How to test your speakers
- Turn your system volume down, then press Left. You should hear three soft beeps from the left speaker only.
- Press Right, then Both. Both should come from the middle.
- Run the phase test and the sweep to check wiring and range.
If left and right are swapped, swap the cables at the amplifier or the computer, or check whether the speakers are placed the wrong way round. On a laptop, both speakers often sit close together, so the difference is small.
How the phase test works
Play In phase, then Out of phase. In phase, the sound seems to come from a solid point between the speakers. Out of phase, one side is flipped, so the sound gets thin, loses bass and seems to come from everywhere or from inside your head. If the two buttons sound the other way round, one speaker or one earcup is wired backwards. Swap the plus and minus wires on one speaker to fix it.
Frequency sweep and test tones
The sweep glides from 20 Hz, the lowest note people can hear, to 20 kHz, the highest. Small laptop speakers usually start around 150 to 200 Hz, so the first seconds are silent. Desktop speakers reach 60 to 80 Hz, and a subwoofer goes lower. A buzz or rattle at one frequency points to a loose part or a damaged cone.
Most adults stop hearing tones somewhere between 14 and 17 kHz, because hearing at high frequencies fades with age. So silence at the top of the sweep often comes from your ears, not your speakers.
Surround sound test
If your system reports 6 or more output channels, buttons for each surround speaker appear. Each plays a short burst of noise from one speaker. Channel order follows the standard 5.1 layout. If the surround buttons do not appear, your browser sees a stereo device. Set your sound output to 5.1 or 7.1 in the system settings and reload the page.
No sound from your speakers?
- Check that the right output is selected: on Windows under Settings, System, Sound; on Mac under System Settings, Sound, Output.
- Check the volume mixer on Windows. The browser can be muted on its own.
- Check that the tab is not muted. Right-click the tab and look for Unmute site.
- For wired speakers, check power and cables. For Bluetooth speakers, disconnect and pair again.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the questions people ask most about this test.
How do I test my left and right speakers?
Press Left, then Right. You should hear the beeps from one side at a time. If they come from the wrong side, the cables or speakers are swapped.
What does out of phase mean?
One speaker moves in while the other moves out. The sound gets thin and loses bass. It usually means the plus and minus wires on one speaker are swapped.
Why can I not hear the high tones?
Most adults cannot hear above 14 to 17 kHz. Hearing at high frequencies fades with age, so this is normal.
Can I test 5.1 surround sound in the browser?
Yes, if your system reports a 5.1 or 7.1 output. The surround buttons then appear and play each channel in turn.