Free Online Hearing Test: Check High Frequency & Ear Age
Free online hearing test. Measure your upper frequency limit, detect high-frequency hearing loss, and estimate your hearing age.
Most adults lose the ability to hear high-pitched sounds as they age. This condition, called presbycusis, is natural but can be accelerated by noise exposure. Use this tool to find your upper frequency limit.
Warning
Important: You must use headphones for this test. Phone and laptop speakers often physically cannot produce frequencies above 15,000 Hz, leading to false results. Set volume to 50%.
1. Ear Age Test (Sweep)
Click "Start" to play a tone that sweeps from high to low. Press "Stop" the moment you can hear the sound.
Ear Age Test
Find out your hearing age in under 2 minutes
How it works:
- We'll play tones from 8 kHz to 20 kHz
- For each tone, tell us if you can hear it
- Use headphones for accurate results
- Find a quiet environment
2. Manual Frequency Check
Test specific frequencies to map your exact range.
Interactive Hearing Test
Click a frequency to play, then mark if you can hear it
Everyone should hear this
Most adults can hear this
Many adults lose this range
Young adults and teens
Teens and young adults
Mostly teenagers
Human hearing limit
Start with low volume and increase gradually. Results vary by device and environment.
Hearing Age & Frequency Reference
| Max Frequency Heard | Estimated Ear Age | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 19,000+ Hz | < 20 Years | "Teenage" hearing. Excellent. |
| 17,000 Hz | 20-24 Years | Normal young adult range. |
| 16,000 Hz | 25-30 Years | Typical early adult limit. |
| 15,000 Hz | 30-40 Years | Common limit for 30s. |
| 12,000 Hz | 40-50 Years | High "shimmer" in music disappears. |
| 10,000 Hz | 50-60 Years | Speech may start sounding mumbled. |
| 8,000 Hz | 60+ Years | Significant high-frequency loss. |
Understanding High-Frequency Loss
High-frequency hearing loss is the most common type of hearing impairment. It happens because the hair cells at the base of the cochlea (which detect high pitches) are the first to be damaged by noise and aging.
Common Symptoms:
- The Cocktail Party Problem: You can hear people talking in a quiet room, but in a noisy restaurant, their voices blend into the background.
- "Mumbling" Voices: You can hear volume, but not clarity. Consonants like F, S, Th, K, and T (which live in the high frequencies) disappear. "Fish" sounds like "Fist."
- Missing Birds & Beeps: You stop hearing birds chirping or the high-pitched "beep" of the microwave.
- Tinnitus: A ringing or buzzing sound is often the brain's way of "filling in" the missing high frequencies.
Prevention is Key
Once hearing hair cells die, they never regenerate. Protect what you have left:
- Use the 60/60 Rule: Listen to music at no more than 60% volume for no more than 60 minutes at a time.
- Wear Earplugs: At concerts, sporting events, or when using power tools.
- Noise Cancelling Headphones: These let you listen at lower volumes in noisy places (like planes or trains) because you aren't trying to drown out the background noise.
FAQ
Is this a medical test?
No. This is a screening tool for educational purposes. It depends heavily on your headphones and computer volume. If you suspect hearing loss, visit an audiologist for a calibrated audiogram.
Why do I hear a "click" but no tone?
If you hear a click when pressing play but silence afterwards, you are hearing the speaker diaphragm engage (a mechanical transient), but your ears (or speakers) cannot reproduce the high frequency tone itself.
Can I retrain my ears to hear high frequencies?
No. High-frequency loss is usually physical damage to the inner ear. However, you can train your brain to better process the sounds you can hear, improving speech recognition in noise.
Related Tools:
- Decibel Levels Chart - See what sounds are dangerous
- Mosquito Ringtone - The 17.4 kHz teen test
- Tinnitus Matcher - Identify your ringing frequency