Speaker Test
Turn the volume down, then check each speaker plays on the correct side.
Turn your volume down before you start. Stop any tone that is uncomfortable.
Browsers only give a page two output channels, so these six buttons place each tone somewhere between left and right. They show you which side works. They can't tell you whether a real 5.1 channel is wired up.
Ready.
Every test runs inside your browser. Nothing you type, say, show or press is uploaded.
How to use this test
The speaker test plays a tone through the left speaker, the right speaker or both, sweeps from 20 Hz to 20 kHz to bring out rattles and gaps, and has six buttons that place the tone at points between left and right. Use it to check each speaker works and is wired to the correct side.
Turn your volume down, then press Left, Right or Both and listen for which speaker plays. Start the sweep to hear a tone rise from very low to very high; note where it becomes audible and where it fades out. Press Stop to silence any tone.
What the results mean
If the Left button plays on the right, the speakers or cable are swapped. If the sweep buzzes or rattles at low frequencies, something on the speaker or desk is vibrating. Most small speakers only reproduce the sweep from around 100 Hz; hearing it fade before 15 kHz is normal for many adults.
Common questions
Does the six-speaker test really drive 5.1 channels?
No. Browsers expose two output channels, so each of the six buttons places the tone somewhere in the stereo field. It tells you the left and right sides work; it can't address a center or rear speaker directly.
The sweep goes silent partway through.
Small speakers can't reproduce the lowest tones, and hearing fades at the top end with age. Silence at the very start and the very end is normal; silence in the middle points to a problem.
Can I test Bluetooth speakers?
Yes. Any output the browser can use works. Bluetooth adds a delay of a fraction of a second between pressing a button and hearing the tone.