Speaker test
Before you start: Lower device volume before testing speakers. Use short references and stop if you hear severe distortion, rattling or discomfort. Do not turn up an inaudible reference.
Speaker test references
Compare low, mid, high and broadband references through the current speaker path.
Each reference plays for at least five seconds. Run one at a time and record what you hear before changing the setup.
- 01
Low reference
A 250 Hz tone checks whether the current speaker path carries a lower reference.
Loading audio controls.
- 02
Mid reference
A 1 kHz tone provides a stable mid-band comparison.
- 03
High reference
A 4 kHz tone checks a higher reference without approaching the hearing limit.
- 04
Broadband reference
Pink noise makes obvious rattles, dropouts and intermittent changes easier to notice.
Check output, routing and obvious audible problems with known references.
Interpretation: The test can document what is audible through the complete current playback path.
Limit: It cannot calibrate SPL or separate room, amplifier, cable and speaker behavior without controlled follow-up tests.
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
- Use the normal speaker path: Keep the same browser, output device, amplifier setting and listening position for every reference.
- Compare four references: Run low, mid, high and broadband signals without changing device volume between them.
- Note repeatable symptoms: Record a rattle, dropout or missing range only when it repeats under the same settings.
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 speaker 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.
One side is reversed or heard on both sides: Check earpiece orientation, channel assignment and system mono settings before repeating. Downstream mixing can change stereo routing.
Source: ITU controlled-listening guidance.
Frequently asked questions
What does an online speaker test check?
It checks whether known browser references are audible through the current output path. Compare the low, mid, high and broadband references at the same conservative digital level.
Can this test measure speaker quality or room response?
No. Listening observations can help locate a repeatable problem, but calibrated acoustic measurements require suitable equipment and a defined method.
Why is a low or high reference quieter than the middle reference?
The references have different frequencies and spectra, while your hearing, speakers and room respond differently across frequency. Equal digital levels do not guarantee equal perceived loudness. Do not turn up a quiet reference to compensate.