1,000 Hz tone
The reference test tone.
Volume first. Turn your device volume down before pressing play, then raise it slowly. Tones start quiet on purpose. Keep headphones off your ears until you know how loud it is.
Hz
Logarithmic slider, 1 Hz to 22 kHz. Space bar starts and stops.Waveform
0 dBFS is the loudest your device can play; every 20 dB lower is a tenth of the amplitude.
What 1,000 Hz is used for
The standard reference for audio levels and for the start of most hearing tests, because the ear is sensitive and stable around 1 kHz. Broadcast and studio line-up tones are usually 1 kHz.
| Period | 1.000 ms |
|---|---|
| Wavelength in air (20 °C) | 34.3 cm |
| One octave down / up | 500 Hz / 2000 Hz |
The generator above starts at 1,000 Hz. You can still move the slider to any other frequency, or open the full tone generator.
Questions people ask
Why can't I hear the 1,000 Hz tone?
Check the tab is not muted and the correct output device is selected. 1,000 Hz is well within the range of nearly every speaker and headphone.
How long is one cycle of 1,000 Hz?
1.000 milliseconds. In room-temperature air the wavelength is about 34.3 centimetres.
Keep testing
- Tone generatorSine, square, triangle and sawtooth from 1 Hz to 22 kHz.
- Frequency sweepLogarithmic or linear sweeps over any range and duration.
- Speaker testChannel, range and polarity checks for stereo speakers.