Controlled signal
The tool generates the test inside your browser with a bounded app-level gain. Your operating-system and hardware volume remain separate.
5.1 & 7.1 Surround Sound Test
Run this 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound test one channel at a time. Choose a layout, play the front, center, side, rear and LFE positions, and record what each physical speaker does. When the browser and selected output expose enough channels, the test uses discrete playback; otherwise it clearly switches to a stereo spatial simulation.
Play a channel, then record only what you physically hear.
Browser limit: When six or eight output channels are unavailable, this tool presents each named position through an HRTF stereo simulation. The LFE button becomes a low-frequency cue, not a discrete subwoofer test.
Local by default
Output tests do not upload audio. Microphone tools request permission only when started and explicitly state what stays in memory.
SCOPE / 01
What this test checks
The workbench addresses the six positions in a 5.1 layout or all eight positions in a Windows 7.1 home-theater layout. If the browser reports enough output channels it sends one discrete signal at a time; otherwise the same map becomes an explicitly labeled HRTF stereo simulation.
- Configuring a Windows PC, HDMI connection, AV receiver, soundbar or multichannel interface.
- A center, side, rear or LFE channel is silent, swapped, distorted or unexpectedly folded into stereo.
- Which browser-reported output channel is active and what you physically hear from that position.
- Whether a guided 5.1 or 7.1 sequence follows the expected front, center, side, rear and LFE order.
- Whether the current path exposes six or eight channels or requires a stereo spatial fallback.
- Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, codec bitstreaming or any licensed surround format.
- AVR calibration, speaker distance, room correction or a physical result that you did not personally confirm.
PROCEDURE / 02
How to run this test
Keep the level moderate and change one thing at a time so the result remains useful.
- 01
Configure Windows and the AVR for the same 5.1 or 7.1 layout, then start at a low hardware volume.
- 02
Choose the matching layout and read the browser-reported output path before trusting the result.
- 03
Click individual speakers or use Guided auto test, confirming correct, wrong, silent or distorted after every signal.
- 04
Correct one Windows setting, AVR mapping or cable at a time, then repeat the same channel.
INTERPRETATION / 03
What your result means
Match what you heard or saw, change one variable, then use the linked check to verify the result.
| Observation | Likely cause | Next step | Retest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01Every discrete channel reaches its expected physical speaker. | The browser-reported multichannel path, Windows channel order, AVR mapping and observed wiring are consistent for this test. | Keep the same output format and use the result as a baseline after future hardware or driver changes. | Confirm stereo channels |
| 02A signal plays from the wrong physical speaker. | Windows speaker configuration, the AVR input map, interface routing or physical wiring may assign the channel to another position. | Compare the selected Windows layout with the AVR map, then change one assignment or cable before retesting. | Check left and right first |
| 03One or more main channels are silent or distorted. | The output format, connection, amplifier channel, speaker or processing mode may be missing or overloading that path. | Lower every gain stage, bypass enhancement modes and compare the AVR's built-in channel test. | Diagnose missing sound |
| 04The LFE cue is silent while the other channels work. | Crossover, bass management, redirected bass or browser downmixing can suppress the cue without proving the subwoofer has failed. | Check AVR bass management and its native subwoofer test before changing hardware. | Run a controlled bass test |
VARIABLES / 04
Why results can vary
The generated signal stays controlled; the physical device, room and system path can still change what reaches you.
Reported channel count
The Web Audio destination reports what the current browser path exposes, which can differ after changing HDMI, drivers or the Windows speaker layout.
AVR and Windows mapping
A correct eight-channel stream can still reach the wrong cabinet when the operating system, interface or receiver uses another assignment.
Bass management
Receivers may redirect low frequencies, apply a crossover or omit an LFE cue depending on speaker-size and listening-mode settings.
Stereo HRTF fallback
Virtual side and rear perception varies by headphones, speaker placement and head-related transfer function; it is directional evidence, not physical wiring proof.
LIMITS / 05
Browser limits and safety
REFERENCES / 06
Technical and setup references
Official standards and platform guides used to define channel capability, ordering and physical speaker placement.
W3CWeb Audio API 1.1
Defines multichannel AudioDestinationNode behavior and ChannelMergerNode routing.
Open official source ↗MDN Web DocsAudioDestinationNode: maxChannelCountExplains the browser-reported maximum channel count for the physical destination.
Open official source ↗Microsoft LearnChannel MaskDocuments the Windows 7.1 home-theater PCM speaker order used by the discrete map.
Open official source ↗DolbySpeaker Setup GuidesProvides physical placement diagrams for common 5.1 and 7.1 home-theater layouts.
Open official source ↗Apple SupportSet Up External Speakers for Surround SoundShows the native macOS route for assigning and testing multichannel speakers.
Open official source ↗5.1 & 7.1 Surround Sound Test questions
Can a browser output real 5.1 or 7.1 channels?
Sometimes. Web Audio can expose more than two destination channels when the browser, operating system and selected hardware provide them. The page reports the available count and falls back to stereo simulation when six or eight channels are unavailable.
What is the difference between 5.1 and 7.1 here?
The 5.1 map uses front left, front right, center, LFE and two surround channels. The 7.1 map adds separate rear left and rear right positions, following the Windows home-theater PCM order shown in the technical references.
Why is the LFE channel silent?
Crossover settings, bass management, redirected bass and browser downmixing can all affect the LFE cue. Confirm the subwoofer with the receiver's native test before assuming a hardware failure.
Is this a Dolby Atmos test?
No. It checks browser-reported channel routing or simulated positions and does not decode, certify or validate Dolby Atmos or DTS:X.
Why are rear positions simulated on my device?
The selected browser output exposed fewer than the required six or eight channels. HRTF processing can suggest a rear direction over stereo, but it cannot address a physical rear speaker independently.