Speaker test
Three checks for any pair of speakers: are both channels alive and in the right place, does the full range play cleanly, and are they wired the same way round.
Volume first. Turn your device volume down before pressing play, then raise it slowly. Tones start quiet on purpose. Keep headphones off your ears until you know how loud it is.
1. Channel check
Each button pulses pink noise from one side. If Left comes from the right speaker, your cables or settings are swapped.
Now playing: Silent
2. Range sweep
A smooth glide from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. Listen for where the sound first appears and where it disappears, and for any buzz, rattle or sudden jump in loudness along the way. Press Mark when you hear a problem.
3. Polarity check
Sit centred between the speakers (or wear headphones). Switch between the two signals. In phase should sound fuller and seem to come from the middle. If Out of phase sounds fuller or more centred instead, one speaker or driver is wired backwards.
Polarity and phase: why a swapped wire kills the bass
Two speakers playing the same bass note add together in the air. If both cones push forward at the same moment, the waves reinforce. If one speaker is wired backwards (red and black swapped), its cone pulls back while the other pushes, and the two waves cancel. Slide the offset between the two waves to see what reaches your ear.
Left speaker Right speaker What you hear (the sum)
Combined level versus one speaker: 6.0 dB. In phase: the two waves add up to +6 dB, the full, solid centre image you want.
What to listen for, and typical ranges
| Speaker type | Where bass usually fades | What a problem sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Phone speaker | 300–500 Hz | Crackle or buzz on loud mids means a damaged or blocked driver. |
| Laptop speakers | 150–250 Hz | Chassis rattle during the sweep, especially 200–400 Hz. |
| Bookshelf speakers | 45–70 Hz | Port chuffing (a puffing noise) at low frequencies when loud. |
| Floor-standing speakers | 30–45 Hz | Boom at one pitch usually comes from the room, not the speaker. |
| Subwoofer | 20–30 Hz | See the subwoofer test. |
Figures are typical rather than guaranteed; check your speaker's specification sheet for its rated range (usually given at −3 dB or −10 dB).
Speaker placement basics
For stereo, sit so that you and the two speakers form roughly an equilateral triangle, with the tweeters near ear height and the speakers turned slightly towards you. Moving a speaker closer to a wall or corner increases bass; if the sweep reveals one boomy note, try pulling the speakers 30 cm further into the room.
Still not working? Describe it
An AI assistant turns your description into step-by-step fixes for your device and system. It only answers audio-equipment questions, and it can be wrong, so check steps against your device's manual.
Questions people ask
How do I test if my speakers are working?
Play the Left, Centre and Right signals above. Each should come clearly from the matching speaker. Then run the range sweep and listen for rattles, buzzes or sudden drop-outs, and finish with the polarity check.
Why does sound only come from one speaker?
Common causes are a balance setting pushed to one side (check your OS sound settings), a loose or damaged cable, a mono audio accessibility setting, or a failed amplifier channel. Swap the left and right cables: if the problem moves, it is the source or cable; if it stays, it is the speaker.
What does speaker polarity mean?
Each speaker has a positive (red) and negative (black) terminal. If one speaker is connected the other way round, its cone moves backwards relative to the other and bass cancels. It is harmless, but it makes the sound thin and diffuse.
Can this test surround sound (5.1 or 7.1)?
Browsers output stereo to most systems, so this page tests the front left and right channels. For individual surround channels, use your AV receiver's built-in test tone or a 5.1 test file played through a media player.
Keep testing
- Left / right testConfirm which side is which, plus a panning sweep.
- Subwoofer testBass tones from 10 Hz, a low sweep and a room-mode calculator.
- Frequency sweepLogarithmic or linear sweeps over any range and duration.