Mosquito Tone and Hearing Age Test: 8 to 20 kHz With the 17.4 kHz Teen Buzz
RingtoneGenerator plays a mosquito tone and any high frequency sound from 8 to 20 kHz in your browser, free to try. Tap the 17.4 kHz teen buzz, or take a 14-step hearing age test that climbs from 8 kHz, reports the highest tone you hear and compares it with published data on 324 ears. Use headphones on a phone or computer. It is free with no sign-in, nothing is recorded or uploaded, and it is not a medical test.
- Free, no sign-in or upload
- 8 to 20 kHz, 17.4 kHz preset
- 14-step hearing age test
- Compared with data on 324 ears
Teen buzz · 17.4 kHz
Steady · both ears
Start low. Steady test tones can sound louder than music, so turn up slowly and stop if anything feels uncomfortable.
- SpacePlay / stop
- ←→Frequency ±100 Hz (Shift ±10)
- YNI can hear it / I can't
- ↑↓Volume
- EscStop
17.4 kHz
17.4 kHz is the "mosquito" tone many teenagers can hear and most adults can't. Pulsed tones are easier to tell apart from ringing in the ears. Headphones work best; small speakers often stop around 16 to 18 kHz.
Ear age test
Use headphones in a quiet room and set a comfortable volume on the 8 kHz tone, then leave it. We play pulsed tones that get higher each step; tap "I can hear it" or "I can't". One step is silent on purpose, to check for guessing. It takes about a minute.
This is not a medical hearing test and can't diagnose hearing loss. Your speakers, headphones, volume and room all change the result. If you're worried about your hearing, see an audiologist.
Good to know
- Not a medical hearing test: the age band is a rough comparison with published data, not a diagnosis.
- Many phone and laptop speakers fade out above 16 to 18 kHz, which looks like a hearing limit but isn't.
- Tones stop at 20 kHz, half of your device's sample rate.
- Bluetooth adds a short delay and may thin out very high and very low tones.
- Every sound is generated in your browser. Nothing is recorded or uploaded, and there is no sign-in.
- Browsers only allow sound after you tap or press a key, so nothing plays until you press a button.
What Is a Mosquito Tone?
A mosquito tone is a thin, high whine near 17 kHz that most teenagers can hear and most adults cannot. The name comes from the Mosquito, a shop alarm made in Britain in 2005 to stop groups of teens from loitering; students soon turned the same sound into a ringtone their teachers could not hear. It works because the top of our hearing drops with age, a normal change called presbycusis. RingtoneGenerator plays the mosquito sound and every tone from 8 to 20 kHz, so you can hear where your own range ends.
- Small speakers often stop near 16 to 18 kHz.
- Bluetooth can thin out the highest tones.
- Too low a volume hides tones you could hear.
- Ringing in the ears can sound like a tone that is not there.
What This Mosquito Tone Page Does
Steady or pulsed high tones, a careful hearing age test and the data behind the result.
8 to 20 kHz
Drag in 50 Hz steps or tap one of 11 presets from 8 to 20 kHz. The arrow keys move 100 Hz, or 10 Hz with Shift.
The 17.4 kHz teen buzz
One tap plays the classic mosquito sound, steady or pulsed, which many teens hear and most adults do not.
14 steps, about a minute
The test climbs from 8 kHz to 20 kHz with I can hear it and I can't, and stops at the first tone you miss.
A silent check step
One step plays nothing on purpose. Say yes to it and the result warns you that guessing may have crept in.
Real published data
Your top tone is compared with response rates by age from a 2021 study of 324 healthy ears.
Private, starts quiet
The volume opens at 25%, there is no sign-in, and nothing is recorded or uploaded.
How to Test My Hearing Age in 3 Steps
About a minute with headphones in a quiet room.
- 1
Set up
Put on wired headphones if you have them, open Ear age test and press Start the ear age test. Set a comfortable volume on the first 8 kHz tone, then leave it there.
- 2
Answer each step
Pulsed tones climb from 8 kHz. Tap I can hear it or I can't (or press Y and N), and use Replay if you are not sure.
- 3
Read your result
See the highest tone you heard, a rough age band and the published table with your row highlighted. Press Test again to repeat it.
High Frequency Sound Tools
Two tabs: play a mosquito tone or any other high note, or run the hearing age test.
Play Any High Frequency Sound From 8 to 20 kHz
The High tones tab plays a pure high frequency sound anywhere from 8,000 to 20,000 Hz. Drag the slider in 50 Hz steps, tap a preset or use the arrow keys, and pick Left, Both or Right under Play in to hear one ear at a time. Each tone fades in and out smoothly, so there is no click. A live spectrum from 2 to 24 kHz shows the peak, so you can tell the tone is playing even when you hear nothing. The top stops at 20 kHz, or just under half your device's sample rate if that is lower.
Play a High ToneThe 17.4 kHz Mosquito Sound, Steady or Pulsed
The 17.4 kHz · teen buzz chip plays the classic mosquito sound, the pitch the original alarm used. Choose Steady for a constant whine or Pulsed for 0.45-second beeps with short gaps. Pulsed tones are easier to tell apart from ringing in the ears, while a steady one is better for checking a speaker. In the study behind the result, 78% of ears aged 21 to 30 heard 18 kHz but only 20% aged 31 to 40 did, which is why a tone this high splits a room by age so neatly.
Play the Teen BuzzEar Age Test With a Silent Check Step
The ear age test climbs through 8, 10, 11, 12, 12.5, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 17.4, 18, 19 and 20 kHz, using pulsed tones in the ear you choose. Answer I can hear it or I can't at each step, and the test stops at the first tone you miss. Somewhere in the middle, one step is silent on purpose; if you say you hear it, the result flags that guessing or ringing in the ears may have pushed the number up. While the test runs, the picture shows no live levels, so it cannot give the answer away.
Start the Ear Age TestYour Result Next to Hearing Range by Age Data
The result names the highest tone you heard and a rough band: 18 to 20 kHz is typical of people under 30, 16 to 17.4 kHz of people under 40, 14 to 15 kHz under 60 and 12 to 13 kHz up to about 70, while below 12 kHz is common after 60 or a sign that the device is cutting the tones. Under it sits the published table, with your row highlighted, showing what share of healthy ears in each age group heard 12.5, 14, 16, 18 and 20 kHz. It is a rough comparison, not a diagnosis.
See My Hearing Age RangeHearing Frequency Range by Age: Interactive Chart
Pick a frequency to see what share of healthy ears in each age group heard it. The chart is silent; the mosquito tone player above makes the sound.
- Age 21 to 30100%
- Age 31 to 4064%
- Age 41 to 5038.6%
- Age 51 to 6030.8%
- Age 61 to 7016.1%
Source: Wang M. et al., "Extended high-frequency audiometry in healthy adults with different age groups", J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 50:52 (2021), Table 2, 162 adults and 324 ears. Every group heard 8 kHz; the drop starts near 12.5 kHz and turns steep above 16 kHz.
Tips for a Fair Hearing Age Test
Most surprising hearing age test results come from the setup, not the ears.
Use wired headphones
Small speakers and Bluetooth often cut tones above 16 to 18 kHz, which looks like hearing loss but is not.
Set the volume once
Pick a comfortable level on the 8 kHz tone and leave it. Turning up at each step spoils the result and can hurt.
Quiet room, rested ears
Test away from fans and traffic, and not right after a concert or a loud commute.
Answer only when sure
Press Replay when in doubt. The silent check step catches guesses and ringing in the ears.
Hearing Age Test vs a Clinical Hearing Test
A hearing frequency age test like this one is a rough, fun check. Only an audiologist can test your hearing properly.
| Hearing Age Test vs a Clinical Hearing Test | RingtoneGenerator ear age test | Other online age tests | Audiologist hearing test |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free, at home | |||
| Tones tested | 14 steps, 8 to 20 kHz | Varies, often a sweep | Usually 250 Hz to 8 kHz, some clinics higher |
| Check for guessing | Silent check step | Rarely | Yes, by the tester |
| Shows the data behind the result | Published study, 324 ears | Often unsourced charts | |
| Left and right ear separately | Some | ||
| Calibrated levels | |||
| Can diagnose hearing loss |
Who Uses a Mosquito Tone
From party tricks to speaker checks; for tones up to 22 kHz, try the [dog whistle](tool:dog-whistle). Keep the volume moderate: high tones can be uncomfortable even when they seem faint.
Family hearing game
Play the 17.4 kHz teen buzz and see who hears it. Kids usually win, and the ear age test settles the score.
Science class
Show students how hearing changes with age, using the real numbers in the chart above instead of a made-up scale.
Speakers and earbuds
Find where a phone, laptop or pair of earbuds stops playing high tones. The headphone test checks left and right too.
A ringtone few adults hear
Save a 17.4 kHz tone with Download WAV in the tone generator. Phone speakers and compressed ringtone files may soften it.
Before a hearing check
Get a rough idea of your high range to mention at an appointment. It is a talking point, not a diagnosis.
Hunting a whine
Match the pitch of a whine from a charger or an old screen, then see it in a recording with the frequency analyzer.
Mosquito Tone and Hearing Age FAQ
Short answers about high tones, the ear age test and what the result means.
What is a mosquito tone?
A mosquito tone is a high-pitched tone near 17.4 kHz that many teenagers hear and most adults do not. It is named after the Mosquito, an anti-loitering alarm from 2005, and was later used as a ringtone that teens could hear in class and teachers could not.
Can I hear the mosquito sound?
Press the 17.4 kHz · teen buzz chip with headphones on and find out. In the study used here, 78% of ears aged 21 to 30 heard 18 kHz and only 20% aged 31 to 40 did, so under 30 you have a good chance, and over 40 a much smaller one.
How can I test my hearing age?
Open Ear age test above, put on headphones, set a comfortable volume on the 8 kHz tone and answer each step. In about a minute, you see the highest tone you heard and the age group that result is typical of.
How accurate is a hearing age test?
It is a rough guide. The age bands come from real data, but your speakers, headphones, volume and room all change the result, and people of the same age vary a lot. It cannot diagnose hearing loss; see an audiologist if you are worried.
What is the normal hearing range (Hz) by age?
Young people hear roughly 20 Hz to 20 kHz, and the top end falls with age. In the study behind this page, most ears aged 21 to 30 heard 18 kHz, most aged 31 to 40 heard 16 kHz, most aged 41 to 60 heard 14 kHz and most aged 61 to 70 heard 12.5 kHz. Every group heard 8 kHz.
What hearing test age range does the result use?
Five age groups: 21 to 30, 31 to 40, 41 to 50, 51 to 60 and 61 to 70, from a 2021 study of 162 healthy adults (324 ears). It cannot say anything precise about children or about people over 70.
Why do we lose high tones as we get older?
The hair cells at the start of the cochlea, which pick up the highest tones, wear out first. This loss of high-frequency hearing range with age is called presbycusis. It is normal and starts early, and loud noise can speed it up.
What is an ear age test?
An ear age test plays higher and higher tones until you stop hearing them, then matches that limit to the age groups where it is typical. Here it is a 14-step hearing frequency age test from 8 to 20 kHz, with one silent step to catch guesses.
Why can't I hear anything above 16 kHz?
It may be your ears, but often it is the device: many phone and laptop speakers fade out above 16 to 18 kHz, and Bluetooth can thin out the top. Try wired headphones and watch the spectrum on the High tones tab; a peak means the tone is being sent.
Is a high frequency sound harmful?
At moderate volume, no, but high tones can be uncomfortable or tiring, and they are easy to overdo because they seem faint. Keep the volume low, take breaks and stop if anything hurts. The volume starts at 25% on this page.
Can a mosquito tone repel mosquitoes?
No. Despite the name, there is no good evidence that sound repels mosquitoes or other pests, and this page does not claim to. The name only describes the thin, buzzing pitch.
Can I use the mosquito tone as a ringtone?
You can try. Set 17,400 Hz in the tone generator, press Download WAV, then turn the file into a custom ringtone. Phone speakers and compressed ringtone formats may soften or cut a tone this high, so check it on your phone.
Why does the test have a silent step?
To catch guesses. Ringing in the ears, or simply expecting a beep, can make you hear a tone that is not there. If you answer I can hear it on the silent step, the result shows a warning and suggests you try again.
Can I test each ear separately?
Yes. Set Play in to Left or Right before you start, with headphones on. Hearing often differs a little between ears; a big difference is worth mentioning to a doctor.
Is this mosquito tone test free and private?
Yes. It is free with no sign-in, every tone is made in your browser, and nothing is recorded or uploaded. It is not a medical hearing test.
More Tools Like the Mosquito Tone
More high tones, low tones and checks for your headphones and speakers.
Tones for Your Phone
Turn a sound into an alert or a ringtone, or browse ready-made ones. Songs go through the ringtone maker on our home page.
Play the Mosquito Tone and Check Your Ears
Tap the 17.4 kHz teen buzz, play any high frequency sound from 8 to 20 kHz, or run the hearing age test with headphones. This mosquito tone page is free, needs no sign-in and never records or uploads a thing.