Speaker frequency sweep test: map your speaker's full response

Stack sine tones at 100, 250, 500, 1k, 2k, 4k, 8k, and 16k Hz to map your speaker response. Walk the room to find room modes, and listen at 2 to 3 kHz for crossover issues.

A speaker frequency sweep test maps how your speakers respond across the audible band. Pure sine tones at octave-spaced frequencies let you hear where response dips or peaks, where the crossover between woofer and tweeter sits, and where the speaker or your room is lying. Stacking multiple tones is faster than sweeping one frequency up, and easier to hear problem frequencies in isolation.

By TechCompare · Updated

Oscillators
2
2 stacked tones
Frequencies
100 Hz + 1 kHz
Waveform
Sine
Per-oscillator lanes

Calculator

Frequency Generator

Your browser does not support the Web Audio API.
A
Preset A
3 oscillators - 100 + 1000 + (muted)
Preview

Open the full Frequency Generator ↗

How this is calculated

A real frequency-response sweep uses a sine whose frequency slides smoothly from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. Stacking discrete tones at 100, 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, 8000, and 16000 Hz instead lets you compare octaves side by side - walk the room and you'll find dips and peaks at specific spots. The crossover point between woofer and tweeter typically falls around 2 to 3 kHz, and you'll often hear a level mismatch or a phase issue right there. The 8 kHz band catches tweeter problems and cone breakup. The 100 Hz band catches room modes and subwoofer integration issues. Compare left and right speakers separately, especially for the 1 to 4 kHz band where small driver differences are most audible.

Verdict

A frequency sweep with stacked sine tones exposes speaker and room problems faster than any single piece of music. The 100 Hz band catches the room, the 2 to 3 kHz band catches the crossover, and 8 kHz catches the tweeter. Compare both speakers separately for the most diagnostic value.

More Frequency Generator scenarios

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between a frequency sweep and a stack of tones?
A sweep slides one sine continuously through the band, useful for spotting the overall response shape. A stack plays multiple tones at once, useful for comparing octaves directly and isolating problem frequencies. For finding a specific rattle or null, the stack is faster.
Where should a speaker crossover sit?
Most 2-way speakers cross around 2 to 3 kHz. Set the crossover too low and the woofer distorts at high volumes. Too high and the tweeter risks damage from low-frequency energy. If you hear a level mismatch or roughness in the 2 to 4 kHz band, the crossover network may need adjustment.