High Frequency Response Test (8-22 kHz)

Background

Humans hear frequencies from 20 Hz up to 20,000 Hz. As we get older, or exposed to loud sounds which damage our ears (such as loud rock concerts), the upper limit decreases.

This test helps you benchmark the highest boundary of your system's frequency extension. If you can't hear any of the high frequencies played back during this test, don't blame your speakers too quickly. Unlike low frequencies, high frequencies are easily reproduced through smaller (and cheaper) speakers. Assuming your sound card is not prone to aliasing - please refer to the third paragraph - the weakest components in this test are your ears.

This extended high frequency audiometric test can be seen as an audiophile-grade hearing test, assessing the very last octaves of our hearing and the frequencies that we are supposed to hear when we are young and in good health. Since regular audiograms produced by audiologists do not cover those frequencies, this test is highly valuable for us audio enthusiasts.

For a regular hearing test, use our Online Audiogram Hearing Test or the test available from myHearingTest.net.

The test file

A -9 dbFS sweeping sine tone, from 22 kHz (supposedly inaudible) down to 8 kHz (if you can't hear this one, consider checking your hearing). On the top of the test tone, a voiceover tells you which frequency is currently playing.

Play back the file until you start hearing the underlying high pitch tone as it descends. The voiceover tells you the frequency you have reached. This frequency more or less represents the upper limit of your audio system, or your hearing.

Confirm your result with our High Frequency Audibility Blind Test.

Beware of possible Aliasing!

Cheap sound cards may have trouble reproducing the highest frequencies of this test. At best, they won't reproduce anything. At worst, ghost frequencies will be generated in the audible range. These frequencies are not representative of the file's contents!

Check your sound card with our Online Aliasing Test.

Sometimes a system aliases only when played through a browser. In such a case, download the original file (click the small arrow) and play the test tone straight from your hard disk through your favorite audio application. Alternatively, you can try the 48 kHz version of our test (reason is that your sound card may run at 48 kHz and is poorly resampling our original 44.1 kHz test file).

Related pages

Polls related to this high frequency test

• @ forums.stevehoffman.tv
• @ forums.digitalspy.co.uk

Other High Frequency Hearing Tests

• Online Hearing Test (Audiogram) (125-8,000 Hz)
• High Frequency Audibility Blind Test (10+ kHz)
• Mosquito Tone Hearing Test (17+ kHz)

Low Frequency Test

• Subwoofer and Low Frequency Response Test

Other External Links

• Frequency Range of Human Hearing
• Listening and Hearing
• Loud Music and Hear Damage
• Online Hearing Test (Warble Tones)