Left / right sound test for headphones and speakers

Check that left and right are not swapped, hear how low and high your speakers can go, and spot wiring problems.

Start at a low volume. High-frequency and bass tones can be unpleasant at high levels, so keep the volume moderate, especially with headphones.

What each test checks

• Left / right: confirms the channels aren't swapped and both sides work. One silent side usually means a damaged cable, a bad jack or an off-center balance setting.
• Frequency sweep: shows the range your speakers and your ears can reproduce. Rattling at a certain point means something is loose.
• Bass: tests the low end. Big speakers and good headphones should play 40 Hz clearly.
• Polarity: if "out of phase" sounds more solid than "in phase", one speaker is wired with + and − reversed.

Only one side works?

On Windows, check the balance in Sound settings → Output device → Properties. On phones, look in Accessibility for "Audio balance" and "Mono audio". If the problem follows the headphones to another device, the headphones are faulty.

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