Sound Test

How to test your speakers or headphones

Here's how to test speakers online in under a minute — no software, no account.

1. Set a low starting volume.

   Use the volume slider above and start around 30–40% — you can always turn it up once you know sound is working.

2. Click "Left," then "Right."

   You should hear the same tone, but only from the matching side. This confirms both channels and stereo separation are working.

3. Click "Both" to check overall output.

   This plays through both channels at once, which is the quickest way to confirm your speakers are connected and audible at all.

4. Try a few different frequencies.

   Use the presets or the fine-tune slider to move from a low bass tone up to a high treble tone, and notice if any range sounds noticeably weaker.

5. Run the full sweep for a broader check.

   The frequency sweep glides from 20 Hz to 20 kHz over a few seconds, covering the full range of human hearing in one pass.

Who tests their sound, and why

Gamers run a stereo test after setting up a new headset, since knowing footsteps are genuinely coming from the left or right channel — not just louder on one side — actually matters in competitive play. Remote workers test speakers before an important call, especially after switching to a new laptop, monitor, or conference room setup where the wrong output device is quietly selected by default. Anyone who's just bought speakers, a soundbar, or headphones runs this once out of the box to confirm both channels work before they're past the return window. People setting up a home theater or a new desk setup use the frequency test to catch a speaker that's noticeably weak in the bass or treble before they've lived with it for months. And when sound randomly "disappears" after a Windows or macOS update, this is usually the fastest way to tell whether it's the hardware or just a settings change. Remote workers checking their setup before a call often run our Mic Test right alongside this one, since a call needs both ends of the audio chain working.

How this sound test actually works

The tones you hear are generated live by the Web Audio API's oscillator node — nothing is streamed or downloaded, the waveform is built mathematically in your browser at the exact frequency shown. Stereo separation works by routing audio through a channel splitter, sending signal to only the left or only the right channel so you can confirm each speaker or earcup independently rather than guessing from a mixed signal. All of this happens locally; the only thing leaving your device is the sound itself, through your actual speakers.

Troubleshooting, matched to what you're actually hearing

No sound at all

1. Check the obvious volume controls first.

   The system volume, the app or browser tab's own volume (many browsers let you mute a specific tab), and a physical volume knob or mute switch on the speakers themselves — any one of these being at zero explains a silent test.

2. Confirm the correct output device is selected.

   Plugging in headphones, connecting a Bluetooth speaker, or using an external monitor with its own speakers all commonly change your system's default output device without you choosing to.

3. Test with a completely different pair of speakers or headphones.

   This immediately tells you whether the fault is in the output hardware or somewhere further upstream.

Sound only comes from one side

Run the left/right test on this page specifically — if one channel is silent here too, the problem is upstream of the speakers themselves (a cable, port, or balance setting). If both channels work fine here but music sounds unbalanced, check your system's balance slider, which sits separately from the main volume control and is easy to nudge by accident.

Sound is distorted, crackling, or cutting out

Bluetooth interference and a weak connection are the most common causes on wireless speakers and headphones — moving closer to the source device is worth trying before anything else. On wired setups, a loose 3.5mm connection or a frayed cable near the plug produces exactly this kind of intermittent crackle.

Checking your default output device, by operating system

Windows 10 & 11

Right-click the speaker icon in the taskbar and choose "Sound settings," or go to Settings → System → Sound. The "Output" dropdown at the top shows exactly which device Windows is currently sending audio to — this is the single most common fix for "my speakers used to work" complaints.

macOS

Open System Settings → Sound → Output and confirm the device you expect is selected and highlighted. Holding Option while clicking the volume icon in the menu bar gives a quicker shortcut to the same list.

Still nothing? Check for a driver update

Most desktop and laptop audio runs on a chipset built into the motherboard, customized and distributed by your computer's own manufacturer rather than as a generic download — checking their support site directly usually finds the right version faster than searching blind. Dell Support, HP Support, and Lenovo Support all have a dedicated drivers section — search your exact model number for the closest match.

Linux

Most desktop environments show output device selection in their own Sound settings panel, sitting on top of PulseAudio or PipeWire underneath. Running pactl list sinks short in a terminal lists every audio output the system currently sees, which is useful if a device isn't showing up in the graphical settings at all.

Sound problems at a glance

A quick reference for matching what you're hearing (or not hearing) to what's probably going on.

Understanding channels and frequency range

Stereo sound uses two separate channels — left and right — recorded or mixed slightly differently, so your brain can sense direction and space rather than a single flat wall of noise. That's why a left/right speaker check is so useful: it isolates each channel individually instead of testing them together, which can hide a channel that's silent but drowned out by the working one.

Frequency, measured in Hertz (Hz), is how low or high a tone sounds. Human hearing generally spans about 20 Hz (a very deep, felt-more-than-heard bass rumble) up to 20,000 Hz — 20 kHz — at the top end of audible treble, though few adults can actually hear that high. Bass covers roughly 20–250 Hz, midrange covers the bulk of vocals and instruments from about 250 Hz to 4 kHz, and treble picks up from there. A speaker or headphone that sounds "off" often has a specific range that's weak rather than an even problem across the whole spectrum, which is exactly what stepping through different frequencies helps you isolate.

Speaker and output types compared

Not every audio output is built for the same job, and knowing what you're testing helps set the right expectations.

Testing headphones vs. speakers

This sound test works identically for either one, but what to listen for is a little different.

With headphones, left and right separation should be obvious and immediate, since each ear is isolated from the other side entirely — if a channel is weak or silent, you'll notice right away. With speakers, some bleed between channels is normal simply because both ears can hear both speakers to some degree, so judge each channel by standing or sitting roughly centred between them rather than right next to one side, which can make a working channel seem louder or quieter than it really is.

If you're deciding between a pair of headphones and a set of speakers for the same task, run the full test — both channels, a few frequencies, and the sweep — on each, and compare not just whether sound plays, but how even it sounds across the low, mid, and high ranges.

More tools on ProDeviceTest

Troubleshooting a whole setup rather than just your speakers? These run the same way — instant, no download, right in your browser.

• Mic Test — check your microphone with a live waveform and recording playback
• Keyboard Test — check every key for stuck or unresponsive presses
• Mouse Test — check clicks, scroll, and cursor tracking
• Webcam Test — verify your camera before a call
• All Device Tests — the full category