Speaker Test

What is this tool?

The Speaker Test generates tones in your browser and routes them to one channel, the other, both, or a summed mono signal. Because the tone is synthesised rather than played from a file, its frequency and level are exactly what the controls say.

Seventeen frequency presets cover the audible range: 20, 30, 40, 60, 80, 100, 200 and 500 Hz, then 1, 2, 4, 8, 10, 12, 15, 18 and 20 kHz. That spread lets you check bass, midrange and treble separately rather than judging everything from music.

A waveform and spectrum view sit alongside. They display the signal the page is generating — useful for confirming what is being sent, not a measurement of what your speakers produced.

How to use it

1. Set the volume low before you startVolume presets start at 10%, 25% and 50%. Begin at 10%. A pure sine tone at a level that feels comfortable for music is considerably harder on both speakers and ears.
2. Confirm each channel with TEST LEFT, TEST RIGHT and TEST BOTHListen to one side at a time and check that the sound comes from the side the button names. If left and right are swapped, the wiring or the system's channel configuration is reversed — not the speakers.
3. Work through the frequency presetsStep upwards from 20 Hz. Small laptop speakers will produce nothing usable below roughly 100–150 Hz, which is a physical size limit rather than a fault. Listen for the point where the tone becomes audible and clean.
4. Run the sweep and listen for anything that is not the toneA sweep glides continuously through the range, which is the fastest way to find a resonance. Buzzing, rattling and sudden loud spots stand out during a sweep in a way they never do on isolated tones.
5. Use START QUICK TEST for a guided passThe quick test is a six-step sequence with PREVIOUS and NEXT controls, covering channels and frequency bands in order. STOP ALL AUDIO stops everything immediately if anything sounds wrong.
6. Tick the checklist as you goThe options are specific: left speaker works, right speaker works, both work, stereo image is correct, centre image is centred, balance appears equal, bass sounds clean, midrange sounds clear, treble sounds clear, no buzzing, no rattling, no obvious distortion. They record your listening result, not a measurement.

What the results mean

One channel silent

If TEST LEFT produces nothing while TEST RIGHT works, the fault is in that channel's path — the driver, the cable, the connector or the system balance setting. Check the operating system's balance slider before assuming hardware, because a fully panned balance produces exactly this symptom.

One channel quieter than the other

Usually the system balance control, speaker placement, or room acoustics rather than a failing driver. Swap the physical speakers left for right if you can: if the quiet side follows the speaker, it is the speaker; if it stays on the same side, it is upstream.

Buzzing

A rough, fuzzy edge on the tone, worst at low frequencies. It usually means the driver is being pushed past its excursion limit, or a loose component is vibrating. Lower the volume first — if the buzz disappears, it was overdriving rather than damage.

Rattling

A mechanical clatter that comes and goes, often at one specific frequency. Something is loose — a panel, a screw, an object resting on the speaker or the desk. It is a resonance rather than an electrical fault, which is why it appears at a narrow frequency range.

Distortion

The tone loses its pure character and gains harshness at higher volumes. Reduce the volume and retest. Distortion that persists at low volume points at the driver or the amplifier; distortion that only appears when loud is the system reaching its limit.

Nothing audible at 20 Hz

Expected on nearly all speakers, and on laptops it is expected far higher than that. Small drivers cannot move enough air at very low frequencies, and human hearing is also far less sensitive there. Silence at 20 Hz is not a fault.

What it can detect

• A channel producing no sound at all
• Left and right reversed relative to what the controls say
• The lowest frequency your speakers usefully reproduce
• Buzzing and rattling at specific frequencies, found quickly with the sweep
• Distortion that appears only above a certain volume

Limits worth knowing

A browser can only report what the platform gives it. These are the honest boundaries of this page, so a result is never read as more than it is.

• The page has a section headed “Browser Speaker Test Limitations”, and its FAQ asks “Can this test measure speaker frequency response?”, “Can this test measure speaker volume in dB?” and “Can this test measure THD?” No to all three. There is no microphone in the loop, so nothing about the sound in the room is measured.
• The meters show the digital signal the page is synthesising, before it reaches your sound card. They confirm what is being sent — they cannot confirm what came out.
• Real frequency response, SPL and total harmonic distortion require a calibrated measurement microphone and an anechoic or treated space. The page's FAQ says as much when it asks “Does this test require a microphone?”
• Your ears and your room are part of every result. Room modes can make one frequency far louder at your listening position than it is a metre away.

Tips

• Set your operating system volume to a moderate level and use the page's own volume control for fine adjustment. That way STOP ALL AUDIO is always an effective panic button.
• Sit centred between the speakers for the balance and centre-image checks. Sitting off to one side guarantees an off-centre image regardless of the speakers.
• Test with any equaliser or spatial-audio enhancement turned off first. Those features change frequency balance and will make a healthy speaker look uneven.

Troubleshooting

Related documentation

• AudioStereo TestChannel isolation, balance, separation and phase checks for any stereo setup.
• AudioSpeaker Balance TestA nine-position balance stepper from full left to full right, with separation checks.
• AudioAudio Frequency TestA 20 Hz to 20 kHz tone generator with sweeps, steppers and A/B comparison.
• AudioAudio Bass Test20 Hz to 250 Hz tones for sub-bass reach, rattle hunting and distortion checks.
• AudioHeadphone TestEars, balance, separation, bass and treble checks built for headphones and earbuds.