How to check if speaker hiss is noticeable

You hear a faint shhh from your speakers when nothing is playing. It may be audible only with your ear close to the speaker, or it may be loud enough to bother you at your desk. The important check is how it sounds from your normal listening position, not just how much noise a meter displays.

Use the Noise Meter to compare the room with the speakers off and on, then listen from the same spot. The comparison can show whether the hiss raises the sound level around you, but your ears decide whether it is noticeable.

Check for speaker hiss

1. Open the Noise Meter and allow microphone access when your browser asks. Put the device with its microphone near your usual listening position, not beside the speaker.
2. Turn the speakers off and pause other sound sources. Wait a few seconds for the room to settle, then note the Noise Meter reading. This is your rough room baseline.
3. Turn the speakers on, keep the computer or audio source silent, and listen from your seat. Note the meter reading again without moving the device or changing the room.
4. Move closer to the speaker and listen briefly, then return to your seat. Compare what you hear and the readings with the speakers off and on. Repeat once if a passing car, fan, or other sound interrupted the test.

If the speakers have a volume control, test at the level you normally use. You can also repeat with the speaker volume lower or higher, but change only one setting at a time. For speakers connected to an amplifier, test the complete setup as you use it, since the amplifier or audio cable can contribute noise too.

What the result means

You can hear hiss clearly from your seat

The hiss is likely to distract you during quiet work or between tracks. If the Noise Meter reading also rises with the speakers on, that supports what you hear, but it does not identify which device is producing the noise. Follow the fixes below to isolate the source.

You hear hiss only when close to the speaker

A faint hiss close to an active speaker may be masked by ordinary room sounds at your listening position. If you cannot hear it from your seat during quiet playback, it may not be a practical problem. Check again at night or in another quiet setting before deciding it has changed.

The meter changes, but you cannot hear a difference

The microphone may be detecting a sound that is too quiet or too high-pitched for you to notice from your seat. The meter also reacts to room noise, microphone position, and the microphone's own electronics. Use it for a comparison, not as proof that the speaker is faulty.

You hear hiss, but the reading barely changes

A phone or computer microphone may not pick up a speaker's faint high-frequency hiss well. It may also adjust its sensitivity automatically. Trust a repeatable listening comparison more than a small change in the displayed number.

How to reduce or locate the hiss

1. Lower the speaker gain. If the speaker has its own volume control, lower it and raise the computer's output volume to a comfortable level. If the hiss falls, the speaker's input gain may be amplifying noise.
2. Check the output volume and device. On Windows 11, open Settings › System › Sound and check the selected device under Output. On a Mac, open System Settings › Sound › Output and select the speakers you are testing. Confirm that the volume is not unusually high.
3. Mute the audio source. Keep the speakers powered on and mute the computer or source device. If the hiss remains, it is likely coming from the speakers, amplifier, or their power supply rather than from audio playing on the computer.
4. Check the cable and input. Turn the speakers off before disconnecting or reconnecting an audio cable. Then power them on and listen again. A loose or damaged cable, or a noisy connected device, can add hiss.
5. Try another source or outlet. Connect the speakers to a different audio source, and test a different power outlet if practical. Change one connection at a time so you can tell which change affects the noise.
6. Check microphone permission if the meter has no reading. In Windows 11, open Settings › Privacy & security › Microphone and allow microphone access for your browser. On a Mac, open System Settings › Privacy & Security › Microphone and enable your browser. Return to the test and allow access in the browser as well.

When the speakers may be faulty

Hiss that remains with the audio cable disconnected, is clearly audible from your seat, and persists on another power outlet or source points toward the speaker or amplifier. A very quiet residual noise can be normal for some powered equipment, especially when its gain is turned up. If the noise is new, has become much louder, or comes with crackling or dropouts, contact the manufacturer or a repair shop. Do not open powered equipment yourself.

Why the meter is only a guide

The Noise Meter uses the device microphone to estimate sound level in decibels. A browser microphone is not a calibrated measurement microphone, and the result can vary with the device, microphone processing, and where you place it. Decibels are also a logarithmic scale, so a small numerical change is not always easy to interpret by ear. For more on these limits, see Can a browser noise meter measure exact decibels?

For a fair comparison, keep the microphone in one place, use the same speaker volume, and repeat the check in a quiet room.