Skip to main content

Sound test

Test your speakers and headset channels before you queue. Left, right, center, bass, and surround output with generated tones.

  • Free
  • No account needed
  • Works in your browser

Output routing: Detected when you play the first tone. Browsers block sound until you click, so press any Play button to start.

Test status

Ready. Press Play on any channel to start.

0 working0 failed0/7 checked

Left

440Hz · pan -1

L

Front left channel. Footsteps and gunfire from your left in-game.

Right

440Hz · pan 1

R

Front right channel. Check your right earcup or speaker.

Center

440Hz · pan 0

C

Center channel. On stereo output it plays equally in both ears.

Subwoofer

80Hz · pan 0

Sub

Low-frequency (LFE) channel. An 80Hz tone for bass drivers or a subwoofer.

Surround Left

660Hz · pan -0.85

SL

Rear left surround. On stereo headphones this plays as a left-panned tone.

Surround Right

660Hz · pan 0.85

SR

Rear right surround. On stereo headphones this plays as a right-panned tone.

Stereo

440Hz

LR

Alternates left then right. Quick check that both ears work.

Channel checklist

  • LeftNot checked
  • RightNot checked
  • CenterNot checked
  • SubwooferNot checked
  • Surround LeftNot checked
  • Surround RightNot checked
  • StereoNot checked

Headset channel map

Left ear

Sub

Right ear

Lime dots show which channel is playing. Match what you hear to the labeled ear.

Was this tool helpful?

Testing your gaming audio

What to listen for before ranked and why a two-minute check saves a match.

Plug in every new headset and run a channel test before the first game. It takes two minutes and catches problems that only show up once audio matters: a weak left driver, reversed channels, or a cable that cuts out when you move your head.

A quiet left ear mid-match can cost several rounds before you realize it is hardware, not game settings. A quick left/right tone test flags the problem before you queue. Check both ears, center dialog, and bass rumble on every new pair.

For each channel, listen for clarity and volume balance. Left and Right should hit the correct earcup at equal loudness. Center should feel centered, not pulled to one side. Bass at 80Hz should produce a low thump you can feel in open-back headsets and hear clearly in closed cups. If a surround channel sounds identical to front left or front right, your virtual surround software may be off or your game is outputting stereo only.

Mark each channel Working or Not working as you go. A full pass means you are ready to queue. Any failed channel is worth fixing before ranked: check cables, reinstall audio drivers, or toggle surround settings in your headset software.

Surround sound setup for gaming

5.1 vs 7.1 vs stereo, and when surround actually matters in competitive play.

Stereo (2.0) is what most competitive FPS players use. Valorant, CS2, and Apex output positional audio through left/right panning. A stereo headset with clear, balanced drivers is usually a better buy than a cheap virtual surround headset. If you play these games, prioritize left/right separation over channel count.

5.1 surround adds a center channel, subwoofer, and rear left/right speakers. It helps in story games, sim racers, and titles like Hunt: Showdown where rear audio cues matter. For gaming headsets, 5.1 is usually simulated through DSP rather than separate drivers. If your headset software exposes a 5.1 or 7.1 device, this test sends tones to each channel so you can hear where the virtualizer places them.

7.1 surround adds side channels on top of 5.1. Many gaming headsets offer a virtual 7.1 toggle in their software. This test covers the six 5.1 channels. On a 7.1 device, the surround tones play on the rear pair. A stereo baseline is easier to troubleshoot, so test stereo first and then compare the virtual surround mode on your own headset.

Whatever setup you use, confirm it in your game audio settings. Many titles default to stereo even when your headset software reports surround enabled. Run this test, then jump into a private match or firing range and listen for footsteps from each direction. The tone test catches hardware problems. In-game audio confirms software routing.

Test tone reference

Each channel plays a specific frequency. Left, Right, and Center play 440Hz (A4 note). The subwoofer channel plays 80Hz. Surround channels play 660Hz. The ear or speaker column assumes stereo headphones. On 5.1 output, each tone comes from its own speaker.

ChannelFrequencyWhat you should hearIf silent or wrong ear
Left (L)440HzTone in left ear onlyCable or driver issue
Right (R)440HzTone in right ear onlyCable or driver issue
Center (C)440HzEqual in both earsBalance offset in OS
Subwoofer (LFE)80HzLow rumble in both earsDriver roll-off or EQ cut
Surround Left (SL)660HzHigher pitch, left earSwapped channels or surround setting
Surround Right (SR)660HzHigher pitch, right earSwapped channels or surround setting

Related guides

More on audio testing and peripheral checks.

Sound test FAQ

Headset testing, surround channels, and troubleshooting quiet or dead speakers.

Press Play on each channel: Left, Right, Center, Subwoofer, Surround Left, Surround Right, and Stereo. Each tone plays for 1.5 seconds. Mark channels as Working or Not working after you listen. Use Play all to cycle through every channel with a short gap between tests.
Browsers block audio until you click or tap the page. Press any Play button once to unlock the Web Audio API. Also check your system volume, the volume slider on this page, and that the correct output device is selected in your OS sound settings.
Left, Right, and Center play 440Hz (A4 note). Bass/Subwoofer plays 80Hz, a low rumble. Surround Left and Surround Right play 660Hz, slightly higher pitch. The Stereo test alternates 440Hz in your left ear, then your right ear.
Yes for 5.1, if your browser reports 6 or more output channels. The tool checks this on your first tone. With a 5.1 or 7.1 output selected in your OS, each tone goes to its own channel: left, right, center, LFE (subwoofer), surround left, and surround right. On a stereo device, the surround and center tones are panned between left and right, so they only confirm left and right. The page tells you which mode is active.
Run the Left and Right tests back to back at the same volume. If one side is consistently weaker, check the Windows or macOS balance slider first, then the 3.5mm jack and the cable near the split. If the quiet side stays quiet on another device too, the driver or cable is the likely cause.
Yes, as long as the headset is connected and set as your default playback device. Bluetooth adds slight latency but does not block the test tones. USB dongle headsets (SteelSeries, Logitech, Razer) work the same as wired once paired.
To catch dead drivers, reversed channels, and broken cables before they affect a match. Plug in every new headset and run this before the first ranked game. Footstep audio in Valorant, Apex, and CS2 depends on clean left/right separation.
Yes. Select your speakers or soundbar as the default output in your OS, then run each channel. If the OS output is set to 5.1, the center and subwoofer tones go to those channels directly. On a stereo or 2.1 setup, the center and surround tones are panned between left and right, which is expected.

Up next