Perceptual Sine Sweep — 20 Hz–20 kHz
Play a perceptual sine sweep from 20 Hz to 20 kHz in equal hearing bands with even pitch steps and extra bass dwell. Free in your browser, no download.
Protect your hearing. Start at a low volume. Never raise the volume to make a tone audible. Levels are shown in dBFS, relative to full scale — not SPL.
How it works
The 20 Hz to 20 kHz range is divided into equal steps on the ERB hearing scale, so each step is one hearing band. Every band plays as a windowed sine with a click-free attack and release for an equal dwell, which advances slowly in hertz down low and quickly up high. The live readout tracks the current band in Plex Mono. Nothing is uploaded or recorded, and no sound plays until you ask for it.
A perceptual sine sweep walks the full audible range the way hearing works — in equal bands, not equal hertz. Thirty-two ERB-spaced steps run from 20 Hz to 20 kHz with equal dwell per band, so the bass advances slowly and the treble moves quickly while pitch climbs evenly. Watch the live frequency readout, follow the progress bar, and run the sweep up and down. Everything is generated live in your browser, and nothing is uploaded.
Hearing bands
Each step is one equivalent rectangular bandwidth. Low bands span a few hertz, top bands span kilohertz, which is why the sweep dwells longer down low.
Steps, duration, direction
Choose 16 to 48 steps, 12 to 48 seconds, and up or down. More steps means a smoother march. Down sweeps reveal the same limits in reverse and are worth one pass.
Aliases covered on this page: perceptual sine sweep, perceptual sweep, and hearing band sweep.
Frequently asked questions
What is a perceptual sine sweep?
A stepped sine sweep from 20 Hz to 20 kHz spaced evenly on the ERB hearing scale instead of evenly in hertz. Each step is one hearing band, so the bass gets many slow steps and the treble gets fewer fast ones.
How is this different from a log sweep?
A log sweep moves at a constant ratio per second, which already favors the bass. A perceptual sweep goes further and steps in equal hearing bands with a short gap-free envelope per step, so pitch climbs in even perceptual increments.
Why does the sweep dwell longer at low frequencies?
Hearing bands are narrow in hertz down low and wide up high. With equal time per band, the sweep advances a few hertz per step in the bass and kilohertz per step near the top.
How should I listen?
Use headphones at a low fixed volume and play the sweep once up, then once down. Note where your system drops out or rings — those are room, headphone, or hearing limits, never a diagnosis.
What settings should I start with?
Start with 32 steps over 24 seconds going up. That gives under a second per band, enough to hear each pitch settle without fatigue.
Is this safe for my hearing?
Start at a low volume and never raise it to chase a quiet band. The sweep starts only from a button you press, a persistent Stop and Mute are always available, and levels are reported in dBFS, relative to full scale, never in SPL.