How do I test my speakers online?

Turn your volume down to about a third, then click Left, Center and Right on the Channels tab. Each speaker should say its own name. Then play the 30-second sweep to check the full frequency range, and the slow 20–200 Hz sweep to catch rattles. All sounds are generated in your browser, so nothing needs to be installed.

How do I know if my speakers are wired correctly?

Two checks. First, the Channels tab: “Left” must come from the left speaker. If it comes from the right, swap the cables. Second, the Polarity tab: version A (in phase) should have fuller bass and a solid center image. If version B sounds fuller, one speaker’s red and black wires are reversed. The polarity test walks you through a blind version of this.

Why can’t I hear the lowest part of the sweep?

Most speakers can’t reproduce the deepest bass. Laptop and phone speakers usually fade out around 150–300 Hz, small desktop speakers around 70–100 Hz, and bookshelf speakers around 45–60 Hz. Only subwoofers and large floor-standing speakers reach 20–30 Hz. Silence at the very start of the sweep is normal and not a fault. To find your speakers’ exact limit, use the bass test.

Can this test damage my speakers?

Not at sensible volumes. The risk comes from playing low bass or very high tones loudly for a long time, especially on small speakers and tweeters. Start low, raise the volume gradually, and stop if you hear distortion or the speaker cone moves visibly far. Never turn the volume way up to “find” a tone you can’t hear.

What does buzzing during the sweep mean?

If the buzz appears only at certain frequencies, something is resonating at that pitch: a loose screw, grille, cabinet panel, or an object near the speaker. Press lightly on different parts while holding that frequency to find it. If the buzz follows the sweep at every frequency, or sounds rough and fuzzy, the speaker cone or voice coil may be damaged.

Does this work for Bluetooth speakers and phones?

Yes. The test plays through whatever your device is using. A single Bluetooth speaker or a phone speaker is usually mono, so Left and Right will both come from the same place, which is expected. Bluetooth audio is compressed and often cut off around 16–20 kHz, so the top of the sweep may disappear earlier than on a wired speaker.

How do I test a 5.1 or 7.1 surround system?

This page tests stereo pairs. For a surround system with a center, surround and subwoofer channels, use the surround sound test, which can send audio to each speaker separately when your device supports multichannel output.

Speaker Test – Check Left/Right, Bass & Buzzing Online

How to test your speakers

Turn the volume down to about a third. Raise it gradually during the test. Low bass and high tones can surprise you at full volume.
Channels: click Left, Center and Right. Each speaker should say its own name, and “Center” should seem to float between them.
Sweep: play the 30-second sweep from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. The tone should rise smoothly, without buzzing, crackling, gaps or sudden jumps in loudness. Press Mark where it buzzes if you hear a problem.
Rattle: the slow bass sweep shakes loose parts. If something buzzes, use the fixed-frequency buttons to hold that pitch while you find the source.
Polarity: switch between A and B. A should sound fuller and more centered.
Pink noise: compare Left and Right. Both should sound equally loud and have the same tone.

The speaker test sweep tab during playback, with the frequency readout, sweep bar, play, mark and channel controls labeled — The current frequency of the sweep.
Progress through the audible range. Click or drag the bar to jump to any frequency.
Pause or resume. *Restart* starts again from 20 Hz.
Marks the current frequency when you hear a buzz. Marks appear as red dots on the bar and in a list below.
Sweep one speaker at a time to compare them.

Computer and laptop speakers

Before testing, check that the right output is selected. On Windows, open Settings → System → Sound and choose your speakers under Output. On a Mac, open System Settings → Sound → Output. In Chrome and Edge you can also pick the output device directly in the tool above. Laptop speakers have tiny drivers, so expect almost nothing below 150 Hz in the sweep. That’s normal, not a fault.

Bluetooth speakers

Most portable Bluetooth speakers are mono or have their two drivers only a few inches apart, so the Channels test will sound nearly centered whichever button you press. Use the Sweep and Rattle tabs instead: they show whether the speaker distorts or buzzes at higher volume. If the sound cuts out or stutters, move the phone closer and away from Wi-Fi routers and microwaves.

Home stereo and bookshelf speakers

Connect the computer or phone to your amplifier, then run all five tabs from your normal listening seat. Pay most attention to Polarity: a reversed wire on one speaker is common after moving or rewiring and makes the whole system sound thin. If one speaker is silent, swap the left and right speaker cables at the amplifier. If the silence moves to the other side, the amplifier channel or cable is at fault. If it stays, the speaker is.

What to listen for

Test	Good result	Signs of a problem
Channels	Each word comes only from its own speaker	Swapped sides, sound from both, or one side silent
Sweep	A smooth, continuous rise in pitch	Buzzing, crackling, dropouts, or one range much louder than the rest
Rattle	Clean bass tones that just fade out at the low end	Buzzing, rattling or flapping at specific frequencies
Polarity	A sounds fuller and more focused than B	B sounds fuller, or the bass is thin in both
Pink noise	Left and right sound the same; Both sits in the middle	One side duller, quieter or harsher

Troubleshooting speaker problems

No sound at all

Check that the speakers are powered on, that any volume knob on the speakers is turned up, and that the input selector on the amplifier matches the cable you’re using.
Make sure the browser tab isn’t muted, and that your system output is set to these speakers, not a monitor or headset.
For USB and Bluetooth speakers, unplug or disconnect them, wait ten seconds, and reconnect.

One speaker doesn’t play

Check the balance setting. Windows: Settings → System → Sound → your speakers → Left/Right volume. macOS: System Settings → Sound → Output → Balance.
On powered desktop speakers, one speaker usually contains the amplifier and feeds the other through a thin cable. Reseat that cable at both ends.
Swap the two speakers. If the silence follows the speaker, the speaker or its cable is faulty. If it stays on the same side, the problem is the amplifier or the source.

Buzzing or rattling

Run the Rattle tab and note the frequencies where it buzzes. Then hold one of those frequencies with the buttons below the sweep and lightly press on the grille, the cabinet panels, the screws around the driver and anything nearby, like a shelf, picture frame or window. When the buzz stops, you’ve found it. A rattle that appears at every frequency usually means a torn surround or a rubbing voice coil, which needs repair or replacement.

Hum that’s always there

A constant low hum, even with nothing playing, is usually a ground loop or interference from mains electricity. It sits at the mains frequency: 60 Hz in North America and in Europe and most of Asia. Compare it with these examples: and (a harsher version with harmonics). To fix it, plug all your audio gear into the same power strip, keep audio cables away from power cables, and try a ground loop isolator on the connection between the computer and the speakers.

Distortion at higher volume

If the sweep sounds clean at low volume but harsh when louder, the speaker or its amplifier is reaching its limit. Distortion usually starts in the bass first. Lower the volume, reduce bass boost in your EQ or sound enhancement app, and turn off “loudness” settings. If distortion appears even at low volume, check for a damaged cone or loose connection.

Weak or no bass

Hear how low your speakers really go with these examples: . If you can hear 100 Hz but not 40 Hz, that’s normal for most desktop and bookshelf speakers. If the bass is weak everywhere, check the Polarity tab first: a reversed speaker wire cancels bass. Moving speakers closer to a wall also boosts bass. For a detailed check, use the bass test.

Speaker placement tips

Equilateral triangle. Place the two speakers and your listening position at the corners of a triangle with equal sides, so the speakers are as far apart as you are from each one.
Tweeters at ear height. High frequencies are directional. Tilt or raise desktop speakers so the small tweeters point at your ears.
Toe-in. Angle the speakers slightly toward you. Adjust until the Center test sounds sharp and focused, right between the speakers.
Wall distance. Speakers close to a wall or corner get more bass, sometimes boomy bass. Start about 1–2 ft (30–60 cm) from the wall and adjust by ear with the Rattle sweep.
Symmetry. Put both speakers in similar surroundings. A speaker in a corner and another in open space will sound different.