High-frequency hearing: what an online test can show
153
January 15, 2026
Daniel LuFull-Stack Engineer | Content Creator
A high-frequency sound test depends on both the listener and the playback equipment. Its result should not be read as an exact hearing age.
Categories：Popular Science、Tool Guides
A high-frequency sound test depends on both the listener and the playback equipment. Its result should not be read as an exact hearing age.
Try different frequencies and record results on this setup
The output depends on the headphones or speakers as well as the browser and listener.
Reading the result
Not hearing a particular tone does not, by itself, identify hearing damage or an exact hearing age.
🔗 Start Hearing Age Test
Try different frequencies and record results on this setup.
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What to record with a frequency test
Note the playback device and the conditions used. A result from one setup is not interchangeable with another, and a missing tone alone cannot identify the reason it was not heard.
The culprits are usually the following two points:
1. Headphone Volume Too High (Noise-Induced Hearing Loss)
If you wear headphones on the subway or bus, to drown out 80 decibels of ambient noise, you might turn the music up to 90 decibels or even higher. This is simply "sonic bombardment" for hair cells.
Geek Ear Protection Tips:
- 60/60 Rule: Volume no more than 60%, listening for no more than 60 minutes at a time.
- Buy Noise-Canceling Headphones: Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) isn't just for sound quality; it's for health. It allows you to hear details clearly at lower volumes, directly reducing sound pressure damage.
2. Don't Use Cotton Swabs to Clean Your Ears!
This sounds counterintuitive, but as geeks, we trust medical evidence.
Earwax (cerumen) has antibacterial and protective functions and is self-cleaning. Using cotton swabs often pushes wax deeper into the ear canal or can even damage the eardrum. If you feel blocked, please go to an ENT specialist for professional cleaning.