DeviceJig

Headphone Test

Check that your headphones or earbuds work and sit the right way round.

Start low: loud sound through headphones can damage hearing.

Left ear

You should hear this in your left ear only.

You heard:

Right ear

You should hear this in your right ear only.

You heard:

Around your head (binaural)

Sound should seem to circle you. The effect is stronger on some ears and headphones than others.

You heard:

Phase

A plays first with both sides in step, then B with one side flipped. A should sit inside your head; B should feel odd and spread out.

You heard:

Low sweep

Falls from 200 Hz to 20 Hz. Press the button when you stop hearing it.

High sweep

Rises from 1 kHz to 18 kHz. It can get piercing, so keep it low. Press the button when it disappears.

Bluetooth delay check

Warning: a small box flashes once a second while this plays. Skip it if flashing light affects you.

A beep and a flash, once a second. On wired headphones they feel together. On Bluetooth, the beep may lag behind.

The bars show what the page sends to each side, not what comes out of your device.

Result

Play each test and answer what you heard

The page can confirm which channel it sent. Only you can confirm what came out.

Limits of a browser: what this can't tell you
  • The page sends known sound to each side. It can't hear what your headphones produce, so results depend on your answers.
  • This isn't a hearing test or a frequency response measurement. The low and high numbers depend on your hearing, your device and the volume.
  • Bluetooth delay figures come from the browser and often miss the headset's own delay. Use the beep and flash as a rough feel only.
  • Noise cancelling, spatial audio, equalisers and other effects can change results. Turn them off first.
  • Some sound devices cut off high frequencies, and the sound card's sample rate also limits them.

Play each test, say what you heard, and get a plain result.

How to test your headphones

  1. Set your system volume low, put the headphones on with L on the left, and turn off noise cancelling and spatial audio.
  2. Play Left and Right, and answer what you heard.
  3. Try the around-the-head and phase tests.
  4. Use the sweeps, keeping the volume low, and stop when anything is unpleasant.

What your result means

  • One ear silent: on wired sets, wiggle the plug while playing. A crackle points to the plug, cable or socket.
  • Quieter on one side: check the balance setting and clean the mesh. Earwax can block earbuds.
  • Swapped: check the L and R marks, then the system's settings.
  • Sweeps: hearing changes with age and from person to person, so a low top note isn't a headphone fault on its own. Compare with another pair.

Common questions

How can I test my headphones?

Play the left and right tests above at low volume. Each should reach only one ear. Then try the other tests, and the page turns your answers into a result.

How can I test my earphones?

The same way as headphones. Wear them correctly, since a poor fit reduces bass, and clean the tips or mesh if one side is quiet.

What is the 60-60 rule for headphones?

A common rule of thumb: no more than 60% volume for no more than 60 minutes at a time, then take a break. It's general guidance, not a medical limit, because headphones differ in loudness.

Do Bluetooth headphones have delay?

Usually some, and it varies by headset and connection. The browser's own figure can miss the headset's part. The check above gives a rough feel, not a measured number.

Related tests

Privacy

Any page counting is cookie-free; see the privacy page. Results stay in this browser and join your device report.

Technical reference, read 2026-11-01: MDN: AudioContext.outputLatency.

Bluetooth is a trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc. DeviceJig is independent and is not affiliated with Bluetooth SIG or any headphone maker.

All 11 tests, by device

Find your device, pick the numbered part you want to check.

Screen

Mouse

Keyboard

Controller

Speakers

Headphones