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Audio · headphone test

Headphone Test: Left/Right, Bass, Treble and Phase

This headphone test checks four things in a couple of minutes: that left and right play on the correct side (not swapped, silent or stuck in mono), how low the bass goes, where the treble fades out, and whether the two sides are in phase. Each part gives a plain verdict and a fix. It works with wired, Bluetooth and USB headphones and earbuds, starts at a safe volume, and runs entirely in your browser.

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How the headphone test works

  1. Step 1

    Turn the volume down

    Lower your system volume, put the headphones on (L on the left ear), and use the test-volume slider to bring the sound up gently.

  2. Step 2

    Play each part

    Left/right beeps, low bass tones, a rising treble tone and an A/B phase sample. Tell the test what you heard.

  3. Step 3

    Read the verdicts

    Each part says whether it's normal and what to change — settings, the cable, the fit, or the headphones themselves.

Left and right channel results

ResultWhat happenedFix
Left and right are correctEach channel played only from its own side.Nothing to fix.
Left and right are swappedSound meant for the left came out on the right, and vice versa.Check you're wearing headphones the right way round (look for L/R marks). For speakers, swap the cables. Also check Windows/macOS sound settings for a swap or balance option.
Left channel is silentNothing (or the wrong side) played when only the left channel was sent.Check the balance slider in your system sound settings, reseat the plug or cable, and try another device. If one earbud or speaker stays silent everywhere, it's likely a hardware fault.
Right channel is silentNothing (or the wrong side) played when only the right channel was sent.Check the balance slider in your system sound settings, reseat the plug or cable, and try another device. If one earbud or speaker stays silent everywhere, it's likely a hardware fault.
Playing in monoBoth channels came out of both sides, so stereo separation is lost.Turn off 'Mono audio' in accessibility settings (Windows: Settings › Accessibility › Audio; macOS: System Settings › Accessibility › Audio; iOS/Android have the same switch). Bluetooth headsets in hands-free/call mode are also mono.
No sound at allNeither channel was heard.Unmute and raise the volume, check the correct output device is selected, and make sure the browser tab isn't muted.

Bass extension by ear

Lowest tone you can hearBassTypical for
35 Hz or lowerDeep bassSubwoofers, good over-ear headphones and in-ear monitors with a seal
36–60 HzGood bassBookshelf speakers, most decent headphones and earbuds
61–100 HzTypical small-speaker bassSmall desktop speakers, soundbars without a sub, loose-fitting earbuds
Above 100 Hz, or noneLimited bassLaptop and phone speakers, monitor speakers

What this test can and can't tell you

  • Reliable: Left/right and mono problems. Playing one channel at a time is a definitive check of channel order, a dead side, or mono mode.

  • Estimate: Bass and treble are by ear. The lowest and highest tones you hear depend on fit, volume and your own hearing as much as on the headphones. Compare pairs on the same day rather than reading the numbers as specs.

  • Limit: Not a frequency-response measurement. Measuring a real frequency response needs a calibrated microphone and an ear simulator; a browser can't do that.

Headphone Test — frequently asked questions

How do I test if my headphones are working properly?
Play sound to each side separately and make sure it comes only from that side, then check bass and treble by ear and listen for crackling or distortion. This test does each step in order and tells you what's wrong if something fails.
Why is sound only coming out of one side of my headphones?
Check the balance slider in your system's sound settings and that 'Mono audio' is off, then reseat or replace the cable (or re-pair Bluetooth). If the same side stays silent on another phone or computer, the earpiece or cable is faulty.
How do I know if my headphones are in mono?
Play the left-only and right-only tones. If both play from both sides, you're in mono: turn off Mono audio in accessibility settings. Bluetooth headsets also drop to mono-quality audio when the microphone is in use (hands-free mode).
What frequency range should headphones have?
Spec sheets often say 20 Hz–20 kHz. In practice, good headphones with a proper seal reach down to 30–40 Hz audibly, while loose earbuds can lose bass below about 80–100 Hz. At the top, most adults hear up to roughly 12–17 kHz, so the treble test usually reflects your ears more than the headphones.
What does the phase test check?
If one side's polarity is reversed, stereo sound loses its centre and bass thins out. The test plays the same noise in phase and with one side flipped; the in-phase version should sound solid and centred.
Is this headphone test safe for my ears?
It starts at a low volume with a hard limit on output level, and every sound fades in. Still turn your system volume down first, and stop if anything is uncomfortable — high tones can be piercing.

Sources

  1. StereoPannerNode — MDN Web Docs
  2. OscillatorNode — MDN Web Docs

Last reviewed .

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