5.1 and 7.1 surround sound test
Press each speaker on the map and listen for it. The page tells you whether your browser is sending 2, 6 or 8 channels.
Surround sound test workspace
How to use
4 short steps.
Set the OS to surround first
Choose 5.1 or 7.1 as the speaker configuration in Windows Sound settings or your receiver before you start.
Read the channel line
It says whether the browser can send 6 or 8 channels or only stereo. With stereo, the speakers are simulated by panning.
Press each speaker
Front left, centre, front right, then sides, rears and subwoofer. Each should sound from that position.
Run Auto sequence
All channels play in order, one second apart, with the active speaker highlighted on the map.
What the result means
Match what you see to one of these.
Every speaker plays from its position
If each button sounds from the matching speaker and the channel line reports 6 or 8 channels, your browser, system and receiver are passing discrete surround.
The channel line says stereo only
If the browser reports two channels, the system is set to stereo or the browser cannot see the multichannel device. The map still plays every speaker, panned left and right, so you can check the front pair only.
One speaker is silent
If one channel plays nothing in 6 or 8 channel mode, check that speaker's wire at both ends and the receiver's speaker configuration. Then play the receiver's own test tone for the same speaker.
Rear or side channels play from the front
If rears fold to the front, the receiver or system is downmixing. Turn off any stereo, direct or virtual surround mode and set the source to multichannel PCM.
Troubleshooting
If the test fails, try these in order.
Select 5.1 or 7.1 in the operating system
In Windows, open Sound settings, choose the output, and set the speaker configuration. On a receiver, pick the multichannel PCM input mode. Reload and read the channel line.
Use a browser that supports multichannel output
Chrome and Edge report the device's channel count on Windows and macOS. Safari and most phones are stereo only. Try another browser and press a speaker.
Check the receiver's own test tones
If the receiver's built-in test plays every speaker but this page does not, the problem is between the computer and the receiver, not the speakers. Fix that link and retest here.
Check the silent speaker
Reseat the wire at both ends and confirm the speaker is enabled in the receiver's configuration. Replay that channel here.
What this test can't tell you
Where a browser check stops.
- Web Audio sends plain PCM. It cannot test Dolby, DTS or Atmos decoding, which only a bitstream from a player or game exercises.
- A reported channel count shows what the browser can send, not that each speaker is connected or placed correctly.
- With a stereo output the surround positions are simulated by panning, which shows only that the front pair works.
FAQ
Common questions about this test.
How do I test my 5.1 surround sound?
Set the speaker configuration to 5.1 in your operating system or receiver first, then reload this page. If the channel line reports 6 channels, press each speaker on the map and listen for it from that position.
Why do the rear speakers play from the front?
The browser or receiver is downmixing to stereo. Set the system output to 5.1 or 7.1 and turn off stereo or virtual surround modes on the receiver, then replay a rear channel.
Can a browser play 7.1 surround sound?
Chrome and Edge can send up to 8 channels of plain PCM when the operating system reports a 7.1 device. Safari and phones send stereo, and no browser sends Dolby or DTS bitstreams from this page.
What is the best test for surround sound?
Use this page to check each channel and the channel count, and your receiver's built-in test tones to check speaker wiring. For Dolby or DTS decoding, play a downloadable multichannel trailer through your usual player.
Should I test surround with headphones?
Headphones only ever receive two channels, so the map plays each position panned left and right. That checks spatial processing on a gaming headset, not discrete speakers.