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High-frequency hearing check: test playback up to 20 kHz

A disappearing tone can reflect playback limitations or hearing. Wired headphones can improve repeatability, but neither wired nor Bluetooth playback makes this a clinical hearing test. Seek a qualified hearing professional for concerns.

This browser tone sweep can demonstrate which frequencies you can hear through your current playback setup. It cannot measure your personal hearing limit: the source, codec, speaker or headphone response, DSP, volume, and background noise all affect the result.

By TechCompare · Updated

Oscillators
1
Single tone
Frequencies
8 kHz
Waveform
Sine
Per-oscillator lanes

Calculator

Loading tone generator…

How this is calculated

This is not a calibrated audiogram. Bluetooth has no universal 16 kHz cutoff: frequency response depends on the codec, settings, and device. A wired connection can remove some codec variables but does not guarantee accurate high-frequency output. Use a known playback chain at a comfortable volume, never turn it up to force an inaudible tone to become audible, and do not interpret the result as a diagnosis.

Verdict

A browser tone generator is a great self-test for high-frequency cutoff and a poor substitute for an audiogram. Use wired headphones, test both ears separately, and treat the result as a baseline to compare against the same setup a year from now. Sudden changes or any difficulty in the 1 to 4 kHz speech band should send you to an audiologist.

More Frequency Generator scenarios

Subwoofer test
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Room resonance
Room resonance, also called room modes, is the standing wave pattern that forms in any enclosed space at low frequencies.
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Headphone rattle
A headphone rattle test isolates buzzing that music masks.
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Related guides

Tinnitus frequency match
The companion tool for matching tinnitus pitch at the high-cutoff band.
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17 kHz mosquito ringtone
A classic high-frequency tone that pairs with hearing-test results.
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Frequently asked questions

What frequency can the average adult hear up to?
Most adults can hear up to about 15 to 17 kHz. The 20 kHz upper limit is what children and young adults can perceive. Hearing loss at the high end is normal and progressive from your twenties onward, called presbycusis.
Can I trust an online hearing test?
Only as a rough indicator. The result depends as much on your headphones and playback volume as on your ears. A real clinical audiogram measures hearing threshold in calibrated decibels across the speech band. Use this tool for relative comparisons - same headphones, both ears separately, repeated over time - not for diagnosis.
Why can I hear a high tone on one set of headphones but not another?
Most consumer headphones, especially wireless ones, roll off above 16 kHz. The reason you can't hear 18 kHz might be your headphones, not your ears. Wired in-ear monitors and studio headphones typically extend to 20 kHz or beyond.

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