Headphone Test

How to use

1. Select the headphones or earbuds as the system output, lower their hardware and system volume, and wear the marked left side on your left ear.
2. Set the page's App output gain low. It controls only the generated signal, not calibrated sound pressure.
3. Play Left, Right, Both / Center, and Alternating L/R. Record where each successful signal appeared before changing it.
4. Play the 80 Hz bass signal, reseat ear tips or earcups if bass is weak, and note whether the change follows the fit.
5. Use the 4 kHz signal briefly. Stop immediately if any sound is uncomfortable.
6. Play both In phase and Out of phase before recording the bounded phase comparison. Treat it as a listening comparison, not a wiring diagnosis.
7. Use Stop all sounds at any time. Hiding the tab or leaving the page also stops generated audio.
8. Save only observations you actually made. Up to five checks stay in this browser and can be cleared.
9. If a problem persists, retest the same headphones on another known-good device or cable before attributing it to the headphones.

What the result means

• Expected-ear observations support only that the selected browser channel reached the ear you reported during that signal.
• A wrong, missing, or weak side can come from fit, cable or adapter contact, OS balance/mono settings, Bluetooth profiles, spatial processing, the output device, the headphones, or hearing differences.
• A centered signal is a relative listening check. The page does not measure channel level, frequency response, driver matching, or sound pressure.
• In-phase and out-of-phase signals use opposite digital signs on the right channel. Your perceived contrast is subjective and does not prove physical driver polarity.
• No automatic pass/fail, hearing threshold, hardware diagnosis, or medical conclusion is produced.

Limitations

• The page generates known signals but cannot hear the output or identify the connected model.
• It cannot measure dB SPL, calibrated frequency response, distortion, latency, codec quality, or a hearing threshold without external calibrated equipment.
• Earbud seal, earcup placement, adapters, OS mono/balance, EQ, spatial audio, Bluetooth profiles, and active microphone use can change what you hear.
• A difference between ears may come from the listener rather than the device. This is not a hearing-health diagnostic.

Troubleshooting

No sound

Check system output device, browser mute, and that you clicked a play button after a user gesture.

Left and right seem reversed

Confirm the earcup markings and orientation, then check OS mono/spatial settings, cable or adapter wiring, and the same headphones on another device.

One side sounds weak or bass is thin

Reseat ear tips or earcups, clean accessible mesh without pushing debris inward, reconnect the plug or adapter, disable EQ/spatial processing, and compare on another source.

Bluetooth sound changes during calls

An active headset microphone can select a different Bluetooth voice profile. End the call or mic session, reselect the stereo output, and repeat the check.

A tone buzzes or rattles

Lower every volume control first. If it persists at a comfortable level, reseat the device and compare another cable, source, or headphone before drawing a hardware conclusion.

Related tools

• Speaker Test

  Run a left/right speaker test with finite tones, center, frequency checks, and a sweep. Record what you hear locally; the browser cannot listen or certify speaker health.

• Stereo Test

  Check left/right routing, center image, a finite left-to-right pan sweep, and bounded phase references with locally generated audio you confirm yourself.

• Microphone Test

  Test a microphone with a live waveform, browser-relative dBFS levels, reported input settings, an optional quiet baseline, and short local playback.

FAQ