Why Is Web Cassette Not Producing Any Sound?

Web Cassette is an online tape effect by Klevgrand that runs in your browser, so silence almost always comes from one of four places: the browser tab is muted, the page never received audio input, the browser lacks the required audio permissions or support, or the audio is being processed but not routed back out. Work through the checks below in order — most cases are resolved by the first two.

Check the obvious output chain first

Before touching any settings inside the page, confirm sound can leave your machine at all.

• Tab mute: Right-click the browser tab and check that "Mute site" is not enabled. A muted tab shows a small speaker-with-slash icon on the tab itself.
• System volume: Confirm the OS output volume is up and not routed to a disconnected device (for example, headphones that were unplugged).
• Output device: If you use multiple outputs, make sure the browser is sending audio to the device you are actually listening on.
• Other tabs: Close or pause any other tab playing audio — some browsers duck or suspend background audio, which can make Web Cassette appear silent.

If any other site plays sound normally in the same browser, the problem is inside Web Cassette or its permissions, not your hardware.

Confirm audio is actually reaching the effect

A tape effect only produces output when it has input. If nothing is feeding it, silence is the correct result, not a bug.

• Microphone input: If you are using live input, the browser must be granted microphone permission. Look for a permission prompt (often a small icon in the address bar) and allow access. If you previously clicked "Block," the prompt will not reappear — you must reset the permission for the site in the browser's site settings.
• File or source input: If you loaded a file or routed another source, verify it is selected as the active input and that playback has actually started. A paused source produces no signal.
• Input level: Some sources start at zero gain. Raise the input level and watch for any meter or visual activity in the interface — movement there means audio is arriving and the problem is downstream.

Rule out browser support and page state

Web Cassette is a browser-based audio tool, so it depends on modern Web Audio support.

• Use a current browser: Try the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari. Outdated browsers may lack the audio APIs the tool relies on.
• Refresh the page: A stale or partially loaded page can leave the audio graph uninitialized. A hard refresh often restores sound.
• Try a second browser: If it works elsewhere, the issue is specific to your first browser's settings or extensions.
• Disable interfering extensions: Ad blockers, privacy extensions, and script blockers can prevent audio from initializing. Test in a private/incognito window with extensions disabled.

Common causes at a glance

If it still will not produce sound

• Check whether the browser is waiting on a user gesture — many audio tools stay suspended until you click or press play inside the page. Interact with the interface once.
• Confirm you are not in a restricted environment (managed work browser, kiosk mode) where microphone and audio output are blocked by policy.
• If the page shows no interface at all, the problem is loading, not audio — reload and check your connection.

Once input is flowing and the tab is unmuted, Web Cassette should pass processed audio to your output. If a meter shows signal but you still hear nothing, the fault is in your output routing, not the effect.