GearCheckHow to test your speakers or headphones
- Turn the volume down first, then raise it slowly once sound starts.
- Check left and right. Click each speaker. The sound must come only from the side you clicked.
- Check phase. Play In phase then Out of phase. In phase should be fuller and centered.
- Check the range. Run the sweep from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. Listen for rattles, buzzing or sudden drops.
No sound or one side missing?
- Wrong output device: on Windows click the speaker icon in the taskbar and pick the right output; on a Mac open System Settings → Sound → Output. Plugging in a monitor over HDMI or DisplayPort can silently switch output to it.
- Balance: on Windows, Settings → System → Sound → your device → Left/Right channel; on a Mac, the Balance slider under Sound → Output. A slider pushed to one side mutes the other.
- Mono audio: accessibility “Mono audio” settings send the same sound to both sides — turn it off to test stereo.
- Cables: a half-inserted 3.5 mm plug often plays on one side only. Push it fully in or try another cable.
- Bluetooth headsets in call mode sound thin and muffled. Close apps that use the microphone so the headset switches back to stereo music mode.
Understanding frequencies
| Range | What you hear | Typical speakers |
|---|---|---|
| 20–60 Hz | Sub-bass: rumble you feel more than hear | Subwoofers, large floor speakers |
| 60–250 Hz | Bass: kick drums, bass guitar | Bookshelf speakers, good headphones |
| 250 Hz–4 kHz | Mids: voices and most instruments | Every speaker, including phones |
| 4–20 kHz | Treble: cymbals, sibilance, “air” | Tweeters, headphones |
White noise contains all frequencies equally and sounds hissy; pink noise has equal energy per octave and sounds more balanced, which is why audio engineers use it to set speaker levels.
Related tests
Hearing the other side is only half of a call: check your microphone and webcam too. Testing a headset? See the headset mic test.
Frequently asked questions
How do I test left and right speakers?
Click Left, then Right. The chime should come only from that side. Use “Auto” to play left, right and both in turn. If the sides are swapped, your headphones are on backwards or the speaker cables are crossed; if one side is silent, check the cable, the balance setting and the speaker itself.
What does the phase test do?
It plays the same sound on both speakers, first normally (in phase) and then with one speaker inverted (out of phase). In phase should sound focused in the middle with full bass. If the out-of-phase version sounds more natural, one speaker is wired with plus and minus swapped.
How do I test bass or a subwoofer?
Use the 30 Hz and 50 Hz buttons or set the slider between 20 and 80 Hz with a sine wave. Small laptop and phone speakers can’t reproduce much below 100–150 Hz, so silence there is normal. A rattle or buzz at a particular frequency points to a loose part.
What is the highest frequency I can hear?
Run the sweep or set the tone generator high. Young people typically hear up to 17–20 kHz; by middle age most people hear up to 12–15 kHz. Many speakers and Bluetooth codecs also roll off above 15–16 kHz, so the limit may be the equipment, not your ears.
Is the speaker test safe for my speakers and ears?
At sensible volumes, yes. Start with the system volume low, especially with headphones, because pure tones can sound louder than music. Avoid long, loud bass tones on small speakers — they can damage the driver.