How the test works
First you set a comfortable volume with a 1 kHz tone. Then a pure tone sweeps down from 20 kHz until you can hear it, and up from 8 kHz until it disappears. Your result is the average of the two, which cancels out most of the delay in your reaction.
Why high frequencies fade
The parts of the inner ear that detect the highest frequencies are the first to wear out, so the top of your hearing range drops slowly with age, and faster with long exposure to loud sound. Young people can often hear above 17 kHz; many adults can't. Testing each ear separately can show a difference between them.
What can affect your result
- Headphones and speakers: many can't play the highest frequencies at all
- Volume: too quiet and you'll miss tones you could hear
- Background noise and tiredness
This is a quick check for curiosity, not a diagnosis. A hearing test by an audiologist measures many frequencies at calibrated volumes.
Questions
What is the normal hearing range?
The textbook range for human hearing is about 20 Hz to 20 kHz, but that top end is mostly reached by children. It drops gradually through adulthood.
Why does my result change between tries?
Reaction time, volume, headphones and background noise all move it a little. Take it two or three times and look at the average.
Is the mosquito tone real?
Yes. Tones around 17 kHz are often audible to teenagers and inaudible to many adults, which is why they've been used as 'teen-only' ringtones and deterrents.
Can this test damage my hearing?
Not at a comfortable volume. Set the level with the 1 kHz tone first and keep it quiet. Stop if anything feels uncomfortable.
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