Sound Test

Click Left, Center or Right. You should hear each sound only from that side. Works with speakers, headphones and earbuds.

-6 dB

All sound tests

Speakers & headphones

Speaker TestChannels, full-range sweep, rattle check and wiring polarity.Headphone TestLeft/right, driver matching, 3D imaging, bass and seal.Bass TestFind the lowest frequency your speakers or headphones can play.Subwoofer TestCrossover blend, rattles, phase and room response.Surround Sound TestTest every 5.1 and 7.1 speaker, with true multichannel output.Polarity TestFind out if a speaker is wired out of phase, with a blind A/B test.Audio Latency TestMeasure Bluetooth and audio delay in milliseconds.Frequency TestSweep 20 Hz to 20 kHz to find your system’s frequency range.

Microphone

Mic TestCheck your microphone with live levels, playback and diagnostics.Decibel MeterMeasure noise levels in dB with your microphone.Spectrum AnalyzerLive frequency spectrum and spectrogram from your mic.

Hearing

Hearing TestCheck each ear across 250 Hz to 8 kHz and get an audiogram.Mosquito Tone TestHigh-frequency hearing check and estimated hearing age.Perfect Pitch TestIdentify random notes to test your absolute pitch.

Generators

Tone GeneratorPlay any frequency from 1 Hz to 22 kHz in four waveforms.Noise GeneratorWhite, pink, brown, blue, violet and grey noise.DTMF Tone GeneratorPlay and decode touch-tone phone keypad tones.Test TonesDownload WAV test tones, sweeps and noise for calibration.

How to do a sound test

  1. Turn your volume down to about a third. You can always turn it up. Sudden loud sound in headphones is unpleasant and can harm your hearing.
  2. Click Left. A voice says “Left”. It should come only from your left speaker or left earbud.
  3. Click Right. You should hear “Right” only on the right side.
  4. Click Center. The sound should seem to come from directly in front of you, or from the middle of your head on headphones.
  5. Tell the tool what you heard. After you play both sides, the tool asks how it sounded and gives you the fix for your exact problem.
The sound test with the Left speaker button playing, and the loop, sound type, volume and output device controls labeled
  1. Click a side to play it. The button lights up while it plays.
  2. Loop cycles Left → Center → Right until you stop it. Useful when you’re adjusting cables or settings.
  3. Change the test sound. Noise makes small level differences easier to hear.
  4. Volume for the test sound only. Your system volume still applies.
  5. Choose which speakers or headphones to test (Chrome and Edge only).

Tip: you can also use the keyboard. Press ← or L for left, C for center, and → or R for right.

What your result means

What you hearMost likely causeFix
Each sound from the correct sideEverything is workingNothing to fix. Try the frequency test next.
Left comes from the rightHeadphones on backwards, or speaker cables swappedSwap the speakers or cables, or check the L/R marks on your headphones.
Every sound from both sides equallyMono audio is on, or you’re on a single speakerTurn off mono audio in your accessibility settings (see below).
One side is silentLoose plug, faulty cable, balance set fully to one side, or a dead driverReseat the plug, reset the balance, and swap the speakers to find the faulty part.
One side is quieterBalance setting, earwax on an earbud mesh, or a worn driverCenter the balance, clean the earbuds, then compare with the headphone test.
Crackling or buzzingDamaged speaker cone, loose connection, or electrical interferenceRun the rattle sweep in the speaker test to find the frequency that buzzes.

How to fix left/right audio problems

Windows 11 and 10

  • Mono audio: Settings → Accessibility → Audio → Mono audio should be off.
  • Balance: Settings → System → Sound → select your output device → under Output settings, set the Left and Right volume sliders to the same value.
  • Enhancements: disable “Spatial sound” and any vendor audio app effects (Realtek Audio Console, Dolby Access, Nahimic) while testing. Some of them remix the channels.

macOS

  • Balance: System Settings → Sound → Output → select your device → drag Balance to the middle.
  • Mono audio: System Settings → Accessibility → Audio → turn off Play stereo audio as mono.

iPhone and iPad

  • Settings → Accessibility → Audio & Visual → turn off Mono Audio and set Balance to the center (0.00).
  • For AirPods, also check Settings → [your AirPods] → Accessibility → Audio Accessibility Settings → Headphone Accommodations.

Android

  • Settings → Accessibility → Audio adjustment (on some phones: Hearing enhancements) → turn off Mono audio and center the Left/right sound balance.

Bluetooth headphones

  • If audio suddenly turns mono and low-quality, the headset has switched to hands-free mode because an app opened its microphone. Close calling apps, or choose the stereo “Headphones” output instead of “Headset”.
  • If only one true-wireless earbud plays, put both in the case for 10 seconds, then take them out together. If that doesn’t help, forget the device and pair it again.

Which test do I need?

Frequently asked questions

Why do I hear the sound from both sides when I click Left?

Your device is playing audio in mono. Turn off the Mono audio accessibility setting (see the fixes above). A single built-in speaker can only play mono, and so can Bluetooth headsets in “hands-free” mode, which they switch to when an app is using the headset’s microphone. Close any calling app, or pick the headset’s “Stereo” or “Headphones” output instead of “Hands-Free”.

Why don’t I hear anything at all?

Work through these in order:

  • Is the system volume up, and is this browser tab muted? Right-click the tab to check.
  • Is the right output device selected? In Chrome and Edge you can pick it in the tool above. Otherwise check your system’s sound output.
  • Is the volume slider in the tool turned down?
  • Bluetooth headphones may be connected to another device.
  • On iPhone, turn up the media volume with the side buttons while a sound is playing.
What is the Center button for?

Center plays the same sound in both channels at once. On speakers that are set up correctly, it should seem to come from a point exactly between them (the “phantom center”). On headphones it should sound like it’s inside your head, in the middle. If it leans to one side, your balance is off or one side is weaker.

Does this sound test work with Bluetooth headphones and earbuds?

Yes. The test plays through whatever output your device is using, including AirPods, Galaxy Buds and other Bluetooth earbuds. Wireless audio has some delay, so the sound may start a fraction of a second after you click. You can measure that delay with the audio latency test.

Can I test a 5.1 or 7.1 surround system?

Yes. Use the surround sound test. If your browser and sound device support multichannel output (for example, a PC connected to an AV receiver over HDMI), it sends audio to each speaker separately. Otherwise it simulates the speaker positions in stereo.

Is anything recorded or uploaded?

No. All test sounds are generated or played inside your browser. This test doesn’t use your microphone, and nothing is sent to a server.