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Audio Latency Test

Measure system audio buffer delays, Bluetooth headphone lag, tap-to-sound perceived response time, and acoustic speaker-to-microphone physical loopback latency in milliseconds.

1. Tap Reaction & Perceived Audio Delay

Click the pad below repeatedly. A sharp beep will trigger immediately on mouse down. Listen for audio delay.

TAP HERE
Instant Click Sound
Estimated Output Buffer Delay -- ms AudioContext query
2. Acoustic Loopback Pulse Latency

Unplug headphones (or place close to mic). This test emits a sharp click pulse from your speakers and detects the audio return through your microphone.

Status: Idle (Click button to begin)
Roundtrip Latency-- ms
Web Audio Base Latency-- ms
Hardware Buffer Size512 samples
Audio Latency & Delay Benchmark Guide

How to Use This Test

  1. Tap Delay Test: Click the "TAP HERE" box repeatedly. A sharp tone plays instantly upon your click, allowing your ear to gauge if the audio feels immediate or lagged.
  2. Acoustic Loopback Test: Unplug headphones so your speakers and microphone can hear each other. Click "Run Acoustic Loopback Pulse". The tool emits a sound pulse and calculates the exact roundtrip delay in milliseconds.
  3. Compare your result against the latency ratings below.

What Is a Good Latency Score?

  • Under 50 ms (Ultra Low): Imperceptible delay. Ideal for competitive gaming, music production, and live voice monitoring.
  • 50 – 120 ms (Normal): Typical for built-in laptop speakers and standard 3.5mm wired headphones. Great for movies and calls.
  • Over 150 ms (Noticeable Lag): Common with standard Bluetooth headphones; may cause audio desync in games or video dialogue.

Why Bluetooth Headphones Have Lag

Bluetooth transmits audio wirelessly by encoding it into packets and buffering data to prevent audio dropouts. Standard Bluetooth codecs (like SBC or AAC) add 150–250 ms of buffering delay. For gaming or video editing, wired 3.5mm connections or dedicated 2.4GHz USB wireless dongles offer much lower latency.

Operating System Audio Buffers

Every operating system (Windows WASAPI, macOS CoreAudio, Linux ALSA) uses an audio buffer (typically 256 or 512 samples) to ensure audio plays without crackling or stuttering. This buffer adds a small, harmless baseline delay of 10–20 ms.