Headphone Test
To test your headphones, turn the volume down, play a sound in the left channel, then the right, and check each comes from the correct side. Then check balance, bass and a frequency sweep. Most adult ears hear roughly 20 Hz to 16–20 kHz, and the top end drops with age.
Before you start
Turn your volume down before you start. Stop if anything is uncomfortable. Long exposure to loud or high-pitched sound can damage hearing.
These tests need JavaScript to make sound. The explanations below work without it.
Sound starts only when you press a button, at a low level with a soft fade-in. The level is capped in the code. Esc or the space bar stops it. On iPhone, turn off silent mode or web sound may stay muted. This is not a medical hearing test.
Left / right test
Balance test
Play the tone, then move the slider until it sounds exactly in the middle of your head.
Press a button to play.
Bass test
Play each tone (4 seconds) and tick the ones you can hear or feel. Start at 200 Hz and work down.
Very high or very low tones: keep the volume low and stop if it is uncomfortable.
Press a button to play.
Frequency sweep 20 Hz – 20 kHz
Very high or very low tones: keep the volume low and stop if it is uncomfortable.
Sweeping up: press once when the tone appears and again when it disappears.
Press a button to play.
How to do it
- Turn the volume on your device down low.
- Put on your headphones the right way round (L on the left ear).
- Play the left, then the right sound and check each comes from the correct side.
- Play the balance tone and center it with the slider.
- Play the bass tones and tick the ones you hear.
- Run the frequency sweep and mark where the tone starts and stops.
What each test tells you
- Left/right: whether the channels are the right way round and both sides work.
- Balance: whether one side is quieter, in dB.
- Bass: the lowest tone your headphones play at this volume.
- Sweep: the range from low to high that you can hear through these headphones.
Testing a microphone too? Use the free microphone test on testthemic.app.
Frequency bands
| Band | Range | What you hear |
|---|---|---|
| Sub-bass | 20–60 Hz | Rumble you feel more than hear: kick drum weight, film explosions |
| Bass | 60–250 Hz | Bass guitar, the body of drums and male voices |
| Low mids | 250–500 Hz | Warmth; too much sounds muddy |
| Mids | 500 Hz–2 kHz | Most of the voice and instruments |
| Upper mids | 2–4 kHz | Clarity of speech; the ear is most sensitive here |
| Presence | 4–6 kHz | Attack and closeness |
| Treble / air | 6–20 kHz | Cymbals, "s" sounds, sparkle |
Band edges are approximate and differ slightly between sources.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my headphones are left and right?
Play the left sound in the left/right test. If you hear it in your left ear, the channels are correct. Most headphones also mark the sides with L and R on the band, the ear cups or the earbud stems.
What frequency range should headphones have?
Many headphones are specified as 20 Hz to 20 kHz, which matches the commonly quoted range of human hearing. The number on the box says little about sound quality; how even the sound is across that range matters more.
Why is one earbud quieter?
The most common causes are earwax or dust in the mesh, a worn ear tip, a balance setting in the phone or computer, or a fault in that earbud. Use the balance test to see how big the difference is.
Why do I hear no bass?
Check that the earbuds or ear cups seal well, that no bass-cut or EQ setting is on, and that the volume is not too low. Very small speakers, such as in laptops and phones, cannot play deep bass at all.
Is it safe to test high frequencies?
Yes, if you keep the volume low. High tones can sound weak and tempt you to turn up, which is risky. This page starts quietly and caps the level, but stop at once if anything is uncomfortable.
Does this test record anything?
No. Every sound is generated by your browser with the Web Audio API. The page does not use your microphone, records nothing and sends no sound or results anywhere. You can check this in your browser’s developer tools.
Last updated: October 13, 2026