Online Headphone Test
Headphone Test
Check that your headphones, earbuds or AirPods work properly — left and right channels, stereo imaging, frequency response, polarity and bass — free, in your browser.
1 · Left / right check — the tone should come only from the matching ear.
2 · Stereo imaging
Noise glides slowly from your left ear to your right and back. It should move smoothly through the middle of your head without jumping, dropping out or pulling to one side.
3 · Frequency response sweep
A 15-second sine sweep from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. Listen for buzzing, rattling, sudden dips or a channel cutting out, and note where the very low and very high ends disappear.
4 · Polarity (phase) check
“In phase” should feel centred inside your head. “Out of phase” should sound wide, hollow and thinner in the bass — if the two sound the other way round, one driver is wired with reversed polarity.
5 · Bass check
Low sine tones. Good over-ear headphones produce 30 Hz as a felt pressure; most earbuds only start to sound clearly around 50–80 Hz. Keep the volume modest.
⚠️ Headphones put sound right at your ears — start quiet and raise the volume slowly.
How to use this headphone test
This headphone test runs five quick checks, from the basics to the details. Turn your device volume down first, put your headphones on the right way round, then work through the tests in order — it takes about a minute.
- Left / right check. Press Left, then Right. Each tone should play only in the matching ear. Center should feel like it comes from inside your head, not from one side.
- Stereo imaging. The pan test moves noise slowly between your ears. It should travel smoothly through the middle.
- Frequency response sweep. A tone rises from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. Listen for buzzing, rattling, sudden dips, or one ear cutting out at certain pitches.
- Polarity check. Compare In phase and Out of phase. In phase should sound fuller and better focused.
- Bass check. Play 30, 50 and 80 Hz to hear how far down your headphones reach. For a deeper look, use the bass test.
What each test checks
| Test | Checks | What “good” sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Left / Right | Channel mapping | Tone only in the matching ear |
| Center | Balance between ears | Sound sits in the middle of your head |
| L ↔ R pan | Stereo imaging | Smooth glide, no jumps or dead spots |
| Frequency sweep | Frequency response, rattles | Even, clean tone from low to high |
| Polarity | Driver wiring | In phase sounds fuller and centred |
| Bass tones | Low-end extension | 50 Hz clearly audible, 30 Hz felt |
Left and right headphone test
The left right headphone test is the one most people need. It tells you three things at once: whether both drivers work, whether you are wearing the headphones the right way round, and whether your computer or phone is sending the channels correctly. Games, films and music all mix sound to a specific side, so swapped channels put footsteps, dialogue and instruments in the wrong place.
If a tone plays in the wrong ear, first check the L and R markings on your headphones. If those are right, look for a swapped balance setting, a “mono audio” accessibility option, or an audio enhancement app that remaps channels. If one ear is completely silent, try another device: if the fault follows the headphones, the driver or cable is damaged; if it stays with the device, the problem is the output or its settings. Not sure what you are hearing? The left right sound test quizzes you with beeps on random sides and gives a verdict.
Headphone problems this test can reveal
- One side quieter than the other — usually an off-centre balance slider, earwax on the mesh, or a worn cable.
- Crackling or cutting out — play Center and gently move the cable near the plug and the ear cups. A crackle that follows the movement points to a loose wire.
- Buzzing at certain pitches — run the sweep. A rattle at one frequency usually means a loose part or a damaged driver.
- Weak or missing bass — earbuds need a good seal. Try a larger ear tip size before blaming the hardware.
- Vague, “inside-out” sound — compare the polarity tests. Reversed polarity on one side makes the centre image collapse.
Testing a headset with a microphone? Check the mic with the mic test. To test speakers instead of headphones, use the main sound test, and to find the highest pitch your own ears can hear, try the hearing frequency test. Playing along to a track? Tap the tempo with the tap BPM counter.