Test Tones

Preview any signal with ▶, then download it as a WAV file. Choose the sample rate, bit depth, length and level first.

Bit depth
Preview volume (doesn’t affect downloads)
-12 dB

Reference tones

  • 1 kHz at −20 dBFSThe standard alignment tone for meters, gain staging and recorders.
  • 1 kHz at 0 dBFSFull-scale sine for checking clipping and meter calibration. Very loud: not for speakers.
  • 440 Hz (A4)Concert pitch, for tuning instruments.
  • 1 kHz, left channel onlyCheck channel routing and crosstalk.
  • 1 kHz, right channel onlyCheck channel routing and crosstalk.

Low frequencies

  • 20 HzThe bottom of the audible range. Mostly felt, and only big subwoofers reproduce it.
  • 50 HzMains hum in Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. Deep bass.
  • 60 HzMains hum in North America. Kick-drum territory.
  • 100 HzUpper bass. Most small speakers can play it.
  • 200 HzLow midrange. A common woofer and subwoofer test point.
  • 500 HzMidrange reference.

High frequencies

  • 10 kHzTreble. Checks tweeters and high-frequency loss.
  • 15 kHzMany adults over 50 can no longer hear this.
  • 20 kHzThe top of human hearing, rarely heard by adults. Also used to check that a system passes ultrasonic content.

Sweeps

  • Sweep 20 Hz – 20 kHz, 10 sLogarithmic sine sweep across the full range. Listen for dropouts and buzzes.
  • Sweep 20 Hz – 20 kHz, 30 sSlower sweep: easier to hear exactly where problems happen.
  • Bass sweep 20 – 200 Hz, 20 sFinds rattles, room resonances and subwoofer limits.

Noise

  • Pink noise −20 dBFS RMS (stereo)Independent left/right channels. Standard signal for speaker level calibration.
  • Pink noise −20 dBFS RMS (mono)Identical in both channels. For checking balance, phantom center and polarity.
  • White noise −20 dBFS RMSFlat spectrum for measuring frequency response and testing electronics.
  • Brown noise −20 dBFS RMSBass-heavy noise for subwoofer and room checks.

Channels & utility

  • Left / right channel identification1 kHz beep on the left, then on the right, repeating every 2 seconds.
  • Polarity pulsePositive-going pulses every 0.5 s for acoustic polarity checkers.
  • Silence (digital black)Exactly zero samples, no dither. For measuring noise floor and testing gaps.

How to get the right file

  1. Set the format to match what you’re testing. 48 kHz and 24-bit are right for most computers and audio interfaces. Use 44.1 kHz and 16-bit for CD players, older car stereos and USB sticks.
  2. Choose a length and tone level. The level applies to tones, sweeps and the left/right signal. The calibration tones and noise files have fixed, standard levels, shown on each row.
  3. Preview with the play button, at a comfortable preview volume.
  4. Download the WAV. The file name records exactly what’s inside, for example soundtester_1kHz_-20dBFS_48k_24bit_10s.wav.
Test tone library with the format options, preview volume, a playing preview and a download button labeled
  1. Sample rate, bit depth and length. These apply to every download.
  2. Level for tones and sweeps (calibration and noise files keep their standard level).
  3. Preview volume only affects what you hear here, not the file.
  4. Preview a signal.
  5. Download as WAV. The level and length of each file are shown next to the button.

What each test file is for

1 kHz at −20 dBFS: the alignment tone

This is the reference tone used throughout broadcast and recording. Play it through a mixer, interface or recorder and set the input so the meter reads −20 dBFS (or 0 VU / +4 dBu on analog gear). That gives the standard 20 dB of headroom, and every stage of your signal chain is then lined up to the same reference. It’s also the tone to use when checking that a recorder or meter reads correctly.

1 kHz at 0 dBFS: the full-scale tone

The loudest clean sine a digital file can contain. Use it to check a meter’s full-scale reading or to find where a DAC or interface starts to clip. Don’t play it through speakers at normal volume: it’s 20 dB louder than the alignment tone.

Single-frequency tones

Steady tones from 20 Hz to 20 kHz let you check a specific part of the range: does the subwoofer reproduce 20 Hz? Is 50 or 60 Hz hum in a recording the same pitch as the mains? Can you (or your tweeter) still produce 15 kHz? For interactive control over any frequency, use the tone generator.

Sine sweeps

A logarithmic sweep spends equal time in every octave, so it sounds even from bottom to top. Play the 20 Hz – 20 kHz sweep and listen for frequencies that drop out, jump in level, or make something buzz. The 20–200 Hz sweep is the quickest way to find what rattles in a car or room, and where your subwoofer gives out. Measurement software can also use the sweeps as a stimulus. For a guided version with a live frequency readout, use the frequency test.

Pink and white noise

Pink noise at −20 dBFS RMS is the standard signal for setting speaker levels. Play it through each speaker in turn and adjust until a sound level meter reads the same for each (typically 75–85 dB C-weighted at the listening position). The stereo file has independent noise in each channel. The mono file has identical channels, so it should form a sharp image exactly between two speakers. If that image sounds vague or seems to come from everywhere, check the polarity. White noise has a flat spectrum, which makes it the usual input for testing electronics and measuring frequency response.

Left/right identification

Beeps alternate between the left and right channels, which is useful when you can’t use this website on the device under test: a car stereo, a TV, a USB stick in a hi-fi, or a long cable run. Each beep should come only from its own side. To test interactively, use the sound test.

Polarity pulse

Short, positive-going pulses. An acoustic polarity checker (a small handheld device with a microphone) shows a green or red light for each speaker, telling you whether its cone moves outward on a positive signal. Without a checker, use the listening method in our polarity test.

Silence (digital black)

Every sample is exactly zero, with no dither. Use it to measure the noise floor of a playback chain (anything you hear is the device’s own hiss or hum), to check that an amplifier isn’t humming, or as a gap between test tracks on a disc.

dBFS, levels and safety

The levels here are digital. How loud a file sounds depends entirely on your volume setting. A few rules keep your ears and equipment safe:

  • Start with the volume low and raise it while the signal plays.
  • High-frequency tones (10–20 kHz) can damage tweeters at high volume, even when you can’t hear them. Never turn up the volume to “find” a tone you can’t hear.
  • Low-frequency tones and sweeps can push woofers past their safe excursion. If you hear distortion, flapping or knocking, turn down immediately.
  • Steady tones are more fatiguing than music. Take breaks.

Getting reliable results

  • Turn off audio enhancements on the device you’re testing: Windows sound enhancements, loudness, Dolby, “bass boost”, spatial audio and EQs all change test signals.
  • Avoid lossy conversion. Bluetooth (especially SBC), streaming apps and MP3 conversion can cut high frequencies and alter noise. Play WAVs over a wired connection when accuracy matters.
  • Match the sample rate to the device’s native rate so the operating system doesn’t resample the file.
  • Disable volume normalization in media players (Sound Check, ReplayGain, Spotify normalization), which would change the levels.

Frequently asked questions

Are these test files free to use?

Yes. The files are generated in your browser, and you can use them for anything, including commercial work, without attribution. Nothing is uploaded or tracked.

Why WAV and not MP3?

MP3 and other lossy formats change the signal. They cut high frequencies (often everything above 16 kHz), smear sweeps, and alter noise and silence. That defeats the purpose of a test file. WAV is exact and plays everywhere. If a device only accepts MP3 (some car stereos, for example), convert the WAV with a high bitrate like 320 kbps, and expect the highest tones to be missing.

What does dBFS mean?

Decibels relative to full scale. 0 dBFS is the loudest level a digital system can represent, and everything else is negative: −6 dBFS is half the amplitude, −20 dBFS is one tenth. It describes the level in the file, not how loud it will be in the room. That depends on your volume knob and speakers.

What does −20 dBFS RMS mean for the noise files?

Noise doesn’t have a steady peak, so its level is given as RMS (average power). The files follow the AES17 convention, where a sine wave’s RMS reading equals its peak dBFS. So pink noise at −20 dBFS RMS reads the same on an RMS meter as the 1 kHz −20 dBFS tone. That makes it the standard calibration level used in film and home theater (SMPTE RP 200). Noise peaks are higher, around −8 to −6 dBFS.

Which sample rate and bit depth should I choose?

Match the device or project you’re testing: 48 kHz is the standard for video, PCs and most audio interfaces, and 44.1 kHz is the CD standard. 24-bit is best for calibration and measurement. Choose 16-bit for older players and car stereos that don’t accept 24-bit files. 96 kHz is only useful for testing high-resolution playback chains.

Do test tones help break in new speakers?

There’s no good evidence that “break-in” with special signals improves speakers. Driver suspensions loosen slightly in the first hours of normal use, but music does that just as well. Playing loud tones for hours risks overheating the voice coils, especially tweeters. Use these files for testing, not burn-in.

Do the files loop without a click?

Yes. Every steady tone contains a whole number of cycles and starts and ends at a zero crossing, and the noise files are mathematically periodic. Set your player to repeat and the signal continues seamlessly for as long as you need. Sweeps fade in and out briefly because they aren’t meant to loop.

Tone GeneratorPlay any frequency from 1 Hz to 22 kHz in four waveforms.Noise GeneratorWhite, pink, brown, blue, violet and grey noise.Frequency TestSweep 20 Hz to 20 kHz to find your system’s frequency range.Speaker TestChannels, full-range sweep, rattle check and wiring polarity.