This is a virtual instrument that will test the limits of what you can hear. You can test the frequency range via steps on a ladder from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. You can operate it by pressing a key on the keyboard or using mouse for greater speed. It isn’t intended as a diagnostic tool but a tool of curiosity. Enjoy the experience as an exploration of how well you are currently hearing.
Prepare the listening environment for best results. Headphones is better than speakers. Wired headphones are best since they provide complete coverage of the sound range. Laptop speakers tend not to produce very high or low frequencies accurately.
How to Use the Hearing Test Tool
Before starting your test, set your computer’s volume at what is comfortable to you. The widget plays pure sine waves that are potentially harsh if pushed too loud. There is a slider in the tone settings section of the widget to control the level of the tone. This setting defaults to a safe percentage. Maintain this setting during your entire test so that results will be comparable.
The segmented buttons on the top of the setup card allow you to select which ear you wish to test. You might choose to run it in both ears at the same time. You can even run it in isolated mode to get just a single ear (left or right) so that you could compare the difference later. Each ear maintains its own curve on the chart; the left and right have their own set of answers. You can also run the test twice and note the difference.
Note: When isolating, the sound is routed through the selected ear with stereo headphones. The other channel will be totally silent. That way you know if there’s an imbalance between ears. But often the differences are skewed by the headphones used and how well they fit.
Depending upon your confidence level, choose an answering option. For example, Yes/No mode is the quickest way to work up from low frequency tones to high. A tone sounds, and you select whether or not you heard it. On the downside, there’s a tendency to want to hear what you expect. If you suspect a tone, sometimes that may be enough for you to respond “yes” even if you didn’t actualy hear it.
In Two-Interval A/B mode, two consecutive intervals is played. One includes the tone; one does not. You’re asked to identify which interval included the tone. To confirm a frequency was heard, you have to get the answer correct three times in a row. It is slower then yes/no, but much more reliable because it stops guessing.
In yes/no mode, use the catch trials feature to keep yourself honest. With the option turned on, there will be an occasional silent trial. The widget will play nothing, but see if you react anyway. Did you think you heard something? Then the widget will tell you right then and there you did not, and throw out the answer. This ensures your high frequency limit is actual. It’s not due to expecting it. It’s not due to being anxious. You have more confidence in your final results with it on. Turn it off if you want. But leave it on to keep yourself honest.
The widget’s grid of buttons in the middle lets you move through the frequency ladder by clicking each button, which corresponds to a particular step on the ladder. After listening to a step, click yes/no if you think you hear something. If you answer yes, that means you still do and the widget will move on to the next step higher up on the ladder (automatically). If you say no, it just records a missed tone at that specific frequency. At this point, you can also choose to begin again at 8 kHz, or go all the way back down to 20 Hz. It turns out most people stop hearing at about 8 kHz. A ring highlights the currently selected step so you’ll never lose track of your place in the sequence.
To get the exact limit, click the “find my limit” button. That starts a process of repeatedly splitting the range in half, moving from the lowest (first) frequency you didn’t hear to the highest (last) one that you did hear. So it locates the limit in half steps every time. Each answer halves the range until it identifies exactly what the cut-off point in your hearing is. For example, if you can hear all the way up to Step 25 on the ladder and not any higher than that, it’ll tell you exactly which step was the last one… Giving you a very specific starting point. The result shows up as a narrow vertical line on the audiogram chart so you have an easy reference point.
The widget works like this: There is no need to touch the mouse, just use keyboard. Press Space to listen to the current tone again. Use Y or the Up Arrow to mark a tone as heard. Use N or the Down Arrow to mark a tone as not heard. Use the Left (or Right) Arrow to go to the previous (or next) step on the ladder. To change the selection of ears use E and cycle through them. With M switch from A/B mode to yes/no mode and vice versa. To toggle off/on catch trials use C. To begin a fine search press F. To jump back to 8 kHz press S. To reset all your results and start over press R. Note that when you have one of the sliders in focus these shortcuts are ignored. To reenable them click the background first.
Set the tone level according to what is comfortable. The volume is set by the level slider. This adjusts how loud the sine wave is played. It goes from a whisper to moderately loud. Keep the volume low, as high levels can damage your hearing.
Use the burst length buttons and select how long you want each tone to play. For higher frequencies, shorter lengths work well. For lower bass tones go longer so that it builds up in your ear. Pick 0.8 seconds, 1.5 seconds or 3 seconds based off your position on the spectrum.
Go and have a play in the free play section (bottom) and try out the sound. As you move the slider, sweep through all the frequencies continuously. While doing so hold down on the sound button. This allows you to smoothly glide from low bass to high treble sounds. You’ll be able to feel right where they stop.
The other option is to click on the reference tone buttons that allow you to listen to more familiar sounds such as a cymbal shimmer, or even a bass guitar or a tuning fork. They will jump the slider to these frequencies allowing you to then explore around them. There are no data records made here either. Go ahead and play around as much as you please.
As you go through it keep an eye on the chart below (known as an audiogram). It will plot out your responses in real time. The top row are heard tones. The bottom row shows missed tones. The left ear is marked differently than the right, or both are marked differently. You can overlay your results and compare. You’ll see the shaded area which represents the usual range of adult normal hearing. That gives you some idea of how your results fit into context.
Please know this isn’t a clinical audiogram. This is not meant to diagnose hearing loss. This is just a visual representation of what happened during your session. Don’t strain your ears. Your ears will get tired after listening to higher frequencies for extended periods of time. You may think there’s a tone that you’re not picking up but don’t be too quick to assume it’s gone. Wait a second and close your eyes if you like. Quiet tones are harder to hear when other sounds are present. The ideal scenario is a quiet place. To put your mind at ease, see an audiologist who can properly test you in a controlled setting.
To begin the test, simply click “play” under the first tone. Be sure to listen closely before choosing an answer. Either via keyboard or mouse, it’s easy and straightforward. Soon enough, your special curve of hearing will be drawn on-screen. It’s fun to learn what frequencies your ears can still hear.