Tests / 02 — Channel balance
Channel balance test
Steady noise plays dead-center. Move the slider until it sounds centered inside your head — the number tells you how far off your pair (or your ears) are.
0%
balance offset
Adjust until the noise sits in the middle of your head, then read the offset.
Reading your result
- Within ±5% — normal. Small asymmetries in fit and ears are expected.
- ±5–10% — borderline. Re-seat the headphones and try again; fit changes balance a lot.
- Beyond ±10% — something’s off. Check the causes below before blaming the headphones.
Common causes of imbalance
- OS balance slider — Windows, macOS, iOS and Android all have per-side balance settings that get nudged by accident. Check these first.
- Blocked mesh — on earbuds, earwax or debris on the driver mesh is the number one cause of a quiet side. Clean gently.
- Worn connections — a failing plug or cable can drop one channel partially. Wiggle the jack while noise plays; crackling confirms it.
- Genuine driver mismatch — rare on healthy new units. If a brand-new pair needs more than 10% offset, that’s a fair return reason.
One more thing: mild left/right hearing differences are common and normal. If the imbalance follows you across every headphone, it’s probably you, not them — and worth mentioning to an audiologist if it’s new or sudden.