Can you actually hear both channels clearly?
Play a tone through your left and right speakers separately, then both together, to confirm your setup is actually stereo and not quietly running on one channel.
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A one-sided or incorrectly selected output can make voices, alerts, and shared media hard to hear during a call. Testing each channel separately helps you spot balance problems, reversed headphones, or a system output that changed without notice.
How to
Run the check in a few steps
- 1
Start low
Set a comfortable volume before playing the tone.
- 2
Test the left
Press Left channel and confirm sound comes from the left side only.
- 3
Test the right
Press Right channel and confirm sound comes from the right side only.
- 4
Play both
Press Play both and confirm a centered stereo sound.
Tips
Get a more reliable result
- Start the volume low.
- Confirm headphones are worn the correct way round.
- Check the system's own default output device first.
- Try a different cable or Bluetooth pairing if one channel stays silent.
FAQ
Questions people ask before a test
When you press Left or Right, the tone is meant to play from only that channel, so hearing it in one ear at a time is expected. If Play Both also sounds one-sided, check your OS balance setting or try a different pair of headphones.
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