Clinical Standard · Hughson–Westlake Method

Your Free Hearing Test

This ~8-minute test checks your hearing at eight frequencies in each ear — including the 3 kHz and 6 kHz points audiologists test — using the same step-up / step-down method used in clinics, plus built-in reliability checks.

1

🎧 Wear headphones

Use over-ear or in-ear headphones. Laptop or phone speakers will not work — tones must play to individual ears.

2

🔇 Find a quiet spot

Go somewhere with minimal background noise. Turn off music, fans, and notifications before starting.

3

🔊 Set your volume

You'll calibrate your device volume in the next step. Do not change it once the test begins.

4

👂 Press when you hear

Each time you hear a tone — even very faint — press the green button immediately. Press the grey button if you don't hear anything.

🔬 How does this test work? Pulsed tones are played at different volumes (dB HL) using the Hughson–Westlake method: volume drops 10 dB after a correct response, and rises 5 dB after no response. Your threshold at each frequency is the softest level you detect on 2 of the ascending runs. Right ear first, then left, in the clinical order 1000 → 2000 → 3000 → 4000 → 6000 → 8000 → 500 → 250 Hz. The test also includes silent "catch trials" and a 1 kHz retest per ear to score how reliable your responses were — the same checks audiologists use.

Headphones required · ~8 minutes · Results shown instantly

Patient Information

Please fill in your details before starting the test. Your results will be sent to our hearing care team at BuyHearingAid.com for review.

Full Name *

Please enter your full name.

Age *

Please enter a valid age (5–120).

Email Address *

Please enter a valid email address.

Phone Number *

Please enter your phone number.

🔒 Your information is only used to share your hearing test results with our audiologists at BuyHearingAid.com and will never be sold or shared with third parties.

🎧 Setup & Calibration

AWhat headphones are you using?

Different headphone types reproduce low and high tones very differently. Choosing the right type applies a matching frequency correction.

🎧Over-earCover the whole ear

🔌Sealed in-earSilicone tip seals canal (AirPods Pro etc.)

🎵Open earbudsRest loosely (classic AirPods)

❓Other / not sureNo correction applied

BSet device volume to 100%

Turn your phone or computer volume all the way up — you'll adjust loudness with the slider below instead. Full device volume gives the test the widest measurable range. Do not change it again once the test begins.

CMatch the tone to a known loudness

Click Play Tone. Now rub your hands together briskly about 10 cm from your nose — that sound is roughly 60 dB. Adjust the slider until the tone sounds about as loud as your hands rubbing. This anchors the test to a real-world reference.

Level 20%

Reference tone is off

DCheck your room noise (recommended)

Background noise masks faint tones and makes your hearing look worse than it is. Click below to measure your room with the microphone — nothing is recorded or sent anywhere.

Room noise not checked yet

🎧

LEFT EAR

Now Testing: Left Ear

Right ear testing is complete. You will now hear tones in your left ear only.

Make sure your headphones are on correctly, then press Continue when you are ready.

Testing Right Ear — frequency 1 of 8 0 / 18

Audiogram (updates live) Right (O) Left (X)

⏳

Preparing next tone — please wait…

🔊

Tone Playing

Press the green button if you hear anything at all

Did you hear the tone?

Answer before the bar runs out, or it counts as "not heard"

Spacebar = HEARD · Buttons activate when tone plays

📊 Final Audiogram — Hearing Thresholds Right (O) Left (X)

👂 Right Ear — Air Conduction (O)

— dB HL PTA

—

Hz	250	500	1k	2k	3k	4k	6k	8k
dB HL	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

👂 Left Ear — Air Conduction (X)

— dB HL PTA

—

Hz	250	500	1k	2k	3k	4k	6k	8k
dB HL	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Test Reliability

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⚠ This online screening uses the Hughson–Westlake step method with pulsed tones, catch trials, and retest checks, but cannot replicate a calibrated clinical audiometer. Values marked "≥" were limited by your device's maximum output — the true threshold may be higher. Accuracy depends on your headphone type, calibration, and room noise. Pure Tone Average (PTA) = average of 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz thresholds. This is a screening tool only — it does not replace a diagnostic evaluation (with bone conduction, speech testing, and masking) by a licensed audiologist.
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