Headset test
Before you start: Start quietly and use headphones to avoid feedback. Microphone capture can change headset playback mode. Stop capture and playback before changing the connection.
Stereo + microphone
Check one headset path.
Each output reference plays for five seconds. Use the intended connection mode. Record what you hear before and while microphone capture is active; a changed result can be consistent with an input-related mode change, but this browser cannot prove a Bluetooth profile switch.
Loading audio controls.
Microphone activation
Compare before and during capture.
After allowing the microphone, replay the same reference to check whether headset output changes during capture. This cannot identify the Bluetooth profile.
Check stereo output and microphone input, then compare headset output before and during microphone capture.
Interpretation: It records whether each reference is audible, whether input is present and whether you observe an output change while capture is active.
Limit: A change can be consistent with an input-related mode change, but the browser cannot prove a Bluetooth profile switch, identify a faulty component or establish remote call quality.
Safety and privacy: Start at low device volume. Microphone permission is optional and capture starts only after your action. Raw microphone audio stays in this browser. Stop capture and playback when finished.
How to use this test
- Check output first: Choose the current connection mode. Play left and right at low volume, then record the stereo result without changing the connection.
- Check the microphone deliberately: If you want to test input, choose Allow headset microphone, speak normally and record the microphone result. Review only the settings the browser exposes.
- Compare during capture: While the microphone is active, replay the reference and record whether output changed. Stop the microphone when finished. If a result failed, use Continue to diagnosis to carry those observations forward.
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: Keep the same selected level between channel references and repeated observations. Controlled-listening guidance supports consistent reproduction conditions; it does not prescribe a universal browser routing-test level. ITU controlled-listening guidance.
Why routing uses matched references
Left and right references use the same source settings with the inactive channel silent. Both sends a coherent signal to both channels; its total physical loudness depends on the playback path. These are presence and routing observations, not measurements of hearing or acoustic calibration. Changing the source level clears the guided observations so results from different settings are not combined.
Source: ITU guidance on controlled reproduction. Read dBFS vs dB SPL to distinguish digital signal levels from physical sound pressure. Use the left and right audio test to isolate channel routing before interpreting a speaker or headphone symptom.
How to interpret your headset test results
The reference plays through the expected output: This confirms audible output through this browser path at these settings. It does not measure physical loudness or certify the device.
A reference is silent or intermittent: Stop and check browser mute, system output and connections. Repeat the same reference after one change; silence alone does not identify a broken component.
Output works but microphone playback does not: Output and input are separate paths. Check the selected microphone and permission before changing the headphone output.
Source: ITU controlled-listening guidance.
Frequently asked questions
How do I test a headset microphone and stereo output?
Check left and right output first. Then allow microphone access and compare playback while capture is active. Record the connection mode and any audible change.
Does changed Bluetooth sound prove a profile switch?
No. A change during capture can be consistent with a communications mode, but the browser cannot establish which Bluetooth profile or component caused it.
Why do device names sometimes appear only after allowing the microphone?
Browsers can hide input labels before permission is granted. Grant access only when you intend to run capture, then inspect the labels the browser actually exposes. A label does not prove which physical microphone captured the sound.