What is 17,000 Hz?
17,000 Hz is a tone in the very high treble region — near the top of human hearing. Its nearest musical note is C10 (about +26 cents away), and its sound wave is roughly 0.02 m long in air. Because it is a pure sine wave, it contains only this one frequency with no harmonics, which is exactly what you want for testing and calibration.
17,000 Hz is famous as the 'mosquito tone' — the high pitch used in anti-loitering devices that many teenagers can hear but most older adults cannot, because sensitivity to this region declines with age. It is a common 'hearing age' test tone. Keep the volume modest: very high tones can be fatiguing and are easy to play too loud without realising.
What you can use a 17,000 Hz tone for
- Informal 'hearing age' / high-frequency hearing checks
- Testing tweeter and headphone treble response
Can you hear 17,000 Hz?
This is near the very top of human hearing. A minority of adults hear it at all, and your speakers or earbuds also have to be capable of reproducing it. Silence here is common and usually not a concern. If you are testing your hearing, do it at a modest, consistent volume in a quiet room and compare both ears. For a full walkthrough, see our at-home hearing range test guide. Remember this is a self-check, not a medical diagnosis.
Frequently asked questions
What is a 17000 Hz test tone?
A 17000 Hz test tone is a pure sine wave vibrating 17,000 times per second. It falls in the very high treble range (near the top of human hearing) and its nearest musical note is C10. You can play it instantly above to test audio equipment or your hearing.
Can everyone hear 17000 Hz?
This is near the very top of human hearing. A minority of adults hear it at all, and your speakers or earbuds also have to be capable of reproducing it. Silence here is common and usually not a concern.
What note is 17000 Hz?
The nearest equal-tempered note to 17000 Hz is C10 (about +26 cents away).
Is it safe to play 17000 Hz?
Yes, at a sensible volume. Start low and raise it gradually. Very loud tones of any frequency can harm hearing or, at very low frequencies, over-drive speakers — so keep levels comfortable and take breaks.
Explore more test tones
Need a different pitch? Browse every test-tone frequency, or jump to a nearby one:
You can also use the full test tone generator for frequency sweeps, speaker balance and polarity checks, and the tinnitus matcher.