Subwoofer & Bass Test
Play bass test tones and a 20–200 Hz sweep to check that your subwoofer works, find rattles and set the crossover. Free bass test in your browser.
Volume warning: test tones start quiet. Raise the volume slowly. Loud tones, especially bass and high frequencies, can damage speakers and hearing.
How to test
- 01Start with the volume low. Bass at high volume can damage speakers.
- 02Play the 60 Hz tone: your subwoofer should play it clearly.
- 03Play the sweep and listen for rattles, drop-outs or a sudden boom.
- 04Try the lowest tones to see how deep your system goes.
Getting a subwoofer to play
In a home cinema, the AV receiver or soundbar decides what goes to the subwoofer. It sends the film's dedicated bass channel (LFE) there, plus any bass below the crossover frequency from the other speakers. If the subwoofer is set to None in the speaker setup, or it's in standby, nothing reaches it.
The tones here play through your normal left and right channels. With bass management on, your receiver routes them to the subwoofer; to test the LFE channel on its own, use the Surround Sound Test.
Placement tips
- Corners boost bass but also exaggerate booming notes. If one tone in the sweep is much louder than the rest, try moving the subwoofer along the wall.
- The 'subwoofer crawl': put the subwoofer at your seat, play the sweep, and crawl around the room. Where the bass sounds most even is where the subwoofer should go.
- Try the phase switch (0° / 180°) and keep the setting that sounds fuller at your seat.
- A crossover of 80 Hz is a good starting point for most speakers.
What your result means
Clear, even bass across the sweep
Your subwoofer and settings are working.
Nothing to fix.
No bass from the subwoofer
It's off, not set up in the receiver, or not getting a signal.
Follow the fixes below.
One note much louder (a boom)
A room resonance.
Try moving the subwoofer; corners boost bass the most.
Rattles or buzzing
Something loose in the room, or the driver is overdriven.
Lower the volume and find the rattling object.
How to fix it
AV receiver or soundbar
- In speaker setup, set Subwoofer to Yes (or LFE + Main).
- Set the crossover to 80 Hz as a starting point.
- Run the receiver's auto-calibration, if it has one.
Subwoofer itself
- Check the power and the auto-standby light.
- Turn up the subwoofer's own gain a little.
- Try the phase switch (0°/180°): pick the setting where bass sounds fuller at your seat.
Questions
How low should a subwoofer go?
Most home subwoofers play down to 25–35 Hz. Small speakers and laptops usually stop around 80–120 Hz.
Will this test show my subwoofer channel (LFE)?
Bass here plays through your normal left and right channels; your receiver sends it to the sub if bass management is on. To test the LFE channel itself, use the Surround Sound Test.
Can bass tones damage speakers?
Yes, at high volume, especially sustained low tones on small speakers. Start low and turn up slowly.
Is anything uploaded?
No. The test runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you see, say or film is sent to us or stored anywhere.