Speaker Test

Quick Tone Tests

Test speaker clarity across low, mid, and high frequencies. Three short sine tones — 60 Hz bass, 1 kHz mid, 8 kHz treble — confirm every band reproduces cleanly.

Idle
Left / Right

Sends a 440 Hz tone to one channel at a time so you can confirm your speakers are wired to the correct sides.

Idle
Polarity Check

Plays a 200 Hz tone in both channels — once in phase, once inverted. In phase sounds full; inverted sounds hollow. If they sound identical, a speaker may be wired backwards.

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Sine Sweep

A 12-second sine sweep glides from 20 Hz up to 20 kHz. Listen for drop-outs, rattles, or sudden distortion as it climbs.

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Music Playback

Play a short reference clip through one channel at a time, or both. Real music exposes faults that pure tones miss.

Idle

This online speaker test plays short reference tones through your speakers or headphones to confirm every part of the frequency range reproduces cleanly and that the left and right channels are wired correctly. Run the band tones first, then the L/R check, then the polarity test, and finally the sweep — anything odd along the way is your fault to chase down.

How to run the speaker test

  1. Set system volume to about 30 % to start.
  2. Play the 60 Hz, 1 kHz, and 8 kHz band tones — each should be clearly audible without rattling.
  3. Run the left, right, and both-channels test to confirm wiring.
  4. Sweep across the spectrum and listen for drop-outs, hiss, or distortion.

What to listen for

  • Buzz on bass — usually a desk object vibrating, not the speaker itself.
  • Harsh treble — try lower volume; cheap drivers distort up high first.
  • Hollow polarity test — one speaker is likely wired with reversed leads.
  • Sudden silence during sweep — possible blown driver or loose connection.
  • Channel reversed — left tone plays from the right speaker; check cable and OS settings.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my bass tone rattle in the speaker test?

Rattling at 60 Hz is almost always something physical near the speaker — a loose desk object, the speaker's grille, or a damaged cone. Move loose items first; if it persists with the speaker isolated, the driver is the suspect.

Is the speaker test safe at full volume?

Avoid running a low-frequency tone at maximum volume on small drivers — they'll overexcurse and pop. Start at 30 % and step up only as long as the sound stays clean.

Can I test studio monitors with this?

Yes. Pure sine tones and a sweep are useful on any speaker. Full calibration still needs a measurement microphone, but a quick speaker test catches obvious faults like blown tweeters or reversed polarity.