How to Read Your Audiogram and Use HearMetrics
Understand the chart, enter a hearing profile, and know which details the simulator cannot capture.
Published October 31, 2026 · HearMetrics editorial guide
Read the axes and symbols
An audiogram plots the softest tones heard at each tested pitch. Frequency runs from low to high across the chart; hearing level runs downward, so marks lower on the chart indicate that a louder tone was needed. Red O symbols commonly show right-ear air-conduction results; blue X symbols commonly show left-ear results. Always check your own chart’s legend.
Air conduction, bone conduction, masking, and “no response” symbols mean different things. Ask your audiologist which values to use if the marks are unfamiliar. Do not substitute a bone-conduction mark or a no-response arrow for a measured air-conduction threshold.
Source: ASHA consumer education: Audiograms and Hearing Loss Configuration (reviewed May 1, 2026).
A worked chart example
| Frequency (Hz) | Right ear O (dB HL) | Left ear X (dB HL) |
|---|---|---|
| 250 | 20 | 25 |
| 500 | 25 | 30 |
| 1000 | 35 | 40 |
| 2000 | 45 | 50 |
| 3000 | 55 | 60 |
| 4000 | 60 | 65 |
| 8000 | 65 | 70 |
The current simulator has controls for 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz. The 8000 Hz row shows additional chart information and has no corresponding input. Values outside the available slider range cannot be entered exactly; note that limitation rather than treating a clipped value as an exact match.
Enter a profile in the simulator
- Keep a copy of your diagnostic audiogram beside you. Open the simulator and find the hearing-profile controls.
- Use a preset only for exploration. For a custom profile, match each available frequency to the appropriate air-conduction threshold on your chart.
- The current simulator uses one hearing profile rather than separate left/right prescriptions. If your ears differ, explore each ear as a separate scenario; do not silently average them or treat the result as a fitting prescription.
- If a frequency or value is missing, leave it unresolved and ask your provider rather than inventing a threshold. Record any approximation you deliberately use.
- Check the entered values before comparing devices. Keep the same profile for every comparison.
An audiogram alone does not establish how well you understand speech in noise. The model’s hearing-loss adjustment is a simplifying assumption; it does not replace a speech-in-noise test. Read the model limitations.
Educational information. For hearing assessment, fitting, and individual advice, work with your hearing care provider.