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80 Hz Tone

80 Hz is the standard crossover frequency in home cinema: below it the subwoofer plays, above it the main speakers do. Play it to check the subwoofer and mains blend smoothly.

  • Set a subwoofer crossover
  • Bass level matching
  • Speaker check

Start with your device volume low and turn it up slowly. Loud tones can damage hearing and small speakers.

Tone generator

20 Hz200 Hz2 kHz20 kHz

Presets

Frequency sweep (bass, subwoofer and treble test)

A tone glides from low to high. Note where the sound starts and fades, and stop the sweep at any rattle, buzz or boom to see its exact frequency.

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Stopped at . Press “Hold this tone” to keep playing it in the tone generator.

High-frequency hearing test

Tones play three beeps each, from 8 kHz up to 20 kHz. Use headphones in a quiet room at a comfortable, low volume. Your speakers limit the result too, and this is not a medical test.

Can you hear the beeps?

Left / right speaker test

Each button plays from one side only. Use the voice to hear which side is which, or pink noise to compare loudness and tone.

Polarity (phase) check

Sit between the speakers or wear headphones. “In phase” should sound solid and centred; “out of phase” wide, hollow and thin. If it’s the other way round, one speaker’s + and − wires are swapped.

5.1 / 7.1 surround sound test

Each speaker says its own name; the subwoofer plays a 50 Hz tone. Your computer must output 5.1 or 7.1 (set it in your sound settings), and Chrome or Edge work best.

Only stereo is available. On Windows open Settings → System → Sound → your output → Speaker setup (or Control Panel → Sound → Configure) and choose 5.1 or 7.1, then reload. On a Mac use Audio MIDI Setup → Configure Speakers.

You

Play a frequency

Testing the rest of your setup? Try the Mic Test, the Webcam Test, the Dead Pixel Test or the Keyboard Test.

About the Tone Generator

Pick a frequency with the slider or type it (440, 1.5k, 17 kHz), press Play and the tone sounds until you stop it. Change the wave shape, nudge by 1 Hz, 10 Hz or an octave, and send it to the left or right speaker only. The nearest musical note is shown, so it doubles as a tuning reference. Use it to test speakers and headphones, find rattles, match tinnitus pitch or check your hearing range.

How to use it

  1. 1 Turn your volume down first; pure tones can be loud.
  2. 2 Type a frequency or drag the slider.
  3. 3 Press Play, then adjust the wave, balance and volume while it plays.
  4. 4 Press Stop or Space to stop.

Frequently asked questions

How do I play a 80 Hz tone?

Press Play below. The tone plays until you press Stop. Start with the volume low, then turn it up; you can change the wave shape, nudge the frequency or send it to the left or right speaker only.

What is 80 Hz used for?

Set a subwoofer crossover. Bass level matching. Speaker check.

What is a sine, square, triangle and sawtooth wave?

A sine wave is a pure tone with no harmonics, the cleanest for testing. Triangle adds soft odd harmonics, square sounds hollow and buzzy, and sawtooth is bright and harsh, like a classic synthesiser. All four repeat at the frequency you choose.

Can a tone generator damage my speakers or ears?

Long, loud tones can. Start low and raise the volume slowly. Very low tones at high volume can overdrive small speakers, and high tones are tiring to hear, so stop if anything distorts or hurts.

Why can’t I hear very low or very high tones?

Human hearing runs from about 20 Hz to 20 kHz and narrows at the top with age. Small speakers rarely play below 100 Hz, and many laptops and Bluetooth headphones fade above 15–18 kHz.

How do I find my tinnitus frequency?

Play a sine tone at a low volume and move the slider until it sounds closest to your ringing, usually between 3 and 12 kHz. Note the frequency for your doctor or audiologist; don’t play tones loudly to mask tinnitus.