Speaker Test (Sound Test)

How to Use the Speaker Test

This sound test plays short chimes through your left speaker, your right speaker or both, plus a smooth sweep from left to right. The bass sweep rises from 20 Hz to 250 Hz so you can hear when your speakers or subwoofer start to play. The left and right icons light up so you know what you should be hearing.

1. Set a low volume. Start quiet and turn it up slowly.
2. Press Both speakers. You should hear the chime from both sides equally.
3. Test Left and Right. Each chime should come from one side only.
4. Run the sweeps. Follow the sound from left to right, then check the bass.

No Sound? Check These First

• Is the right output device selected? On Windows click the speaker icon on the taskbar, on macOS open Sound settings.
• Is the browser tab muted? Right-click the tab and unmute it.
• Is the volume up on the speakers themselves and not just on the computer?
• Unplug and replug the cable or reconnect Bluetooth.
• Try the headphone test to see if the problem is the speakers or the computer.

Left and Right Are Swapped. What Now?

Swap the two speaker cables, or the left and right speakers on your desk. For a single stereo cable, check that it is plugged into the green output, not the line-in. Some sound drivers also have a "swap channels" option.

Testing a Subwoofer

Press the bass sweep and listen. Most small desktop speakers start at 60–80 Hz. A subwoofer should join in somewhere between 20 and 40 Hz. If it stays silent, check its power, its crossover setting and the cable to the sub output.

Frequently Asked Questions