How the bass test works
The sweep rises smoothly from 20 Hz, the bottom of human hearing, to 200 Hz over 40 seconds. Small speakers can't play the lowest part, so you'll hear nothing at first. The moment you notice sound or feel vibration, tap I hear it. That frequency is roughly where your speakers' bass response begins.
What's a good result?
| Device | Bass starts around |
|---|---|
| Subwoofer | 20–35 Hz |
| Over-ear headphones | 20–40 Hz |
| Bookshelf speakers | 40–60 Hz |
| Earbuds | 30–80 Hz (depends on fit) |
| Laptop | 100–200 Hz |
| Phone speaker | 150–300 Hz |
Tips for an accurate bass test
- Earbuds need a good seal. Loose earbuds lose most of their bass, so try a different tip size.
- Turn off bass boost and EQ to test the speaker itself, then turn them back on to compare.
- Room position matters. Speakers near a wall or corner sound noticeably bassier.
- Keep the volume moderate. Pushing small speakers on deep tones causes distortion that can sound like bass but isn't.
Bass sounds distorted or buzzy?
Run the speaker test to see whether the buzz appears at higher frequencies too. On a phone, buzzing after it got wet usually means water is still in the grille, so run the water eject sound and test again once it's dry.
Common questions
Why can’t I hear the low tones on my phone?
Phone and laptop speakers are too small to move enough air at low frequencies. Most fade out somewhere between 150 and 300 Hz. That’s normal and doesn’t mean the speaker is damaged. Try headphones to hear the full sweep.
How do I test a subwoofer?
Play single tones between 30 and 80 Hz. The subwoofer should produce a steady rumble with no rattles or flapping sounds. If nothing comes out, check its power, the crossover setting (usually around 80 Hz) and that the receiver or soundbar has the subwoofer enabled.
Something rattles at certain frequencies. Is it the speaker?
Often it’s a loose object, shelf or panel nearby vibrating along. Hold or move things near the speaker while a tone plays. If the rattle stays even with the speaker on its own, the cone or surround may be damaged.