Bass and subwoofer test
Before you start: Lower device volume first. Do not raise it to make 20 to 40 Hz audible. Stop for strain, loud rattling or discomfort.
Low-frequency references
Play one short reference at a time. Begin with a low device volume and record what you hear before changing the path.
New references play for five seconds. The path check uses your selected signal level.
If you hear nothing but the ordinary speaker test works, run the 440 Hz path check below. It uses this page's audio engine but does not test your subwoofer. Then try 160 Hz upper bass at the same low physical volume. If 440 Hz plays but bass stays silent, check your speakers, output, connection, and equipment's own test tone or bass-management settings. Silence alone does not prove a fault.
Check headphones or speakers with the same short tones. Keep the fit, output and physical volume unchanged. Record each frequency, then repeat after changing one factor. A missing tone is not a hearing test or proof of a faulty driver.
The playable signal uses whole-number frequencies from 20 to 200 Hz, with the sweep start below its end, a selectable sample-peak level from −40 to 0 dBFS for new references, short durations and fades. Incompatible sweep presets are disabled. Digital level is not sound pressure.
Loading audio controls.
Keep or continue this check
The record contains settings, timestamps and self-reported outcomes, not raw audio or device identifiers. No data is uploaded. A portable ZIP contains the selected generated reference, not your observations.
Check whether a short bass reference is present, absent, weak, intermittent, or rattling in the current complete playback path.
Interpretation: The tool can document a self-reported low-frequency observation, save a known-good listening baseline, and compare two runs with identical signal settings.
Limit: It cannot measure frequency response, SPL, room modes, crossover frequency, absolute polarity, a discrete LFE channel, or a failed component from listening alone.
Safety and privacy: No sound starts automatically. Signals and analysis stay in your browser by default. Browser dBFS is not physical SPL.
How to use this test
- Start low: Lower the physical volume first. Do not turn it up just because a very low tone is inaudible.
- Record one reference: Play a short tone or sweep, stop, and record only what you heard at your normal listening position.
- Change one factor: Repeat the same reference after one safe placement, setting, connection, or source change. Record both results for an exportable comparison.
Choose the signal level: New references start at -40 dBFS peak. Select up to 0 in 5 dB steps, then press Play. This is WaveLocus's selectable range, not an industry standard or a physical-volume measurement. Zero is full-scale digital output; lower device volume before playback.
Reference and scope: Genelec publishes bass bursts and a separate full-scale 85 Hz phase-adjustment tone with volume-down instructions. Those are manufacturer-specific procedures, not a recommendation to start this browser test at 0. Keep the selected level fixed when comparing observations. Genelec bass test-signal procedures.
What is a bass and subwoofer test?
A bass test plays low-frequency sounds so you can check what you hear through headphones or speakers. This tool uses short sine tones and sweeps from 20 to 200 Hz. Record whether each reference is present, weak, absent, intermittent or rattling.
Subwoofer setup adds a different question: how low-frequency playback works with the main speakers and the equipment's crossover and routing settings. The browser sends stereo audio, not a dedicated subwoofer channel. Listening alone cannot measure bass extension, physical sound level or the correct phase and delay.
Why bass listening is not subwoofer calibration
Short bass tones and sweeps help document what you hear. Their digital gain does not establish acoustic output, a hearing threshold or the correct crossover setting. Genelec publishes bass bursts and a separate full-scale 85 Hz phase-adjustment tone with volume-down instructions. That does not define a universal browser bass level. The browser does not generate a discrete LFE channel.
Source: Genelec test-signal procedures. Read dBFS vs dB SPL to distinguish digital signal levels from physical sound pressure. Use the frequency sweep tool to investigate a broader range without treating audibility as a calibrated response.
How to interpret your bass and subwoofer test results
Ordinary audio works but low bass is faint: Check the device capabilities, headphone fit and equipment bass routing. Do not raise volume to chase an inaudible low tone.
A rattle repeats at one frequency: Stop for strain or discomfort. At low volume, check nearby objects and the equipment setup. Listening alone cannot prove damage.
Bass changes with position or setup: Repeat the identical reference after one change and record both observations. This does not measure a room mode, crossover response or discrete LFE channel.
Source: REW level-setting procedure.
Frequently asked questions
Is a bass test different from a subwoofer test?
The signals overlap. Bass playback checks headphones or speakers; subwoofer setup also concerns equipment routing and integration with main speakers. This page offers both listening workflows without claiming calibrated measurements.
Do frequency presets start playback or change the reference type?
No. Tone presets select a tone frequency. Sweep presets select a start or end frequency while keeping sweep mode. Press Play deliberately after choosing valid settings.
Can this test verify subwoofer response?
It records listening observations from the complete playback path. It does not measure SPL, room modes, crossover response or a discrete LFE channel.
What should I do if the bass reference is silent?
Stop playback and check the selected output, connection and subwoofer settings. Repeat the same short reference after one safe change rather than increasing volume.