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What does 800 Hz sound like?
800 Hz is a midrange frequency. It is a clear midrange tone, close to where the human ear does most of its work for speech and melody.
A 800 Hz sound wave completes 800 cycles every second, so one cycle lasts 1.25 ms. In air at 20 °C, where sound travels at about 343 m/s, each wave is 42.9 cm (1.41 ft) long; in water it stretches to 1.85 m because sound moves about 4.3 times faster there.
Musically, 800 Hz is 35 cents above G5 (783.99 Hz) in standard A440 tuning. Doubling it to 1,600 Hz raises the pitch by one octave; halving it to 400 Hz lowers it by one.
Wavelength of 800 Hz in different materials
| Medium | Speed of sound | Wavelength |
|---|---|---|
| Air (20 °C) | 343 m/s | 42.9 cm |
| Fresh water | 1,481 m/s | 1.85 m |
| Seawater | 1,500 m/s | 1.88 m |
| Helium | 1,007 m/s | 1.26 m |
| Steel | 5,960 m/s | 7.45 m |
| Glass | 5,640 m/s | 7.05 m |
Harmonics and octaves
Real instruments playing 800 Hz also produce harmonics at whole-number multiples of the fundamental. Their relative strength gives each instrument its timbre.
Which animals can hear 800 Hz?
Can hear it
Humans, Dogs, Cats, Horses, Cows, Sheep, Pigs, Goats, Rabbits, Rats, Gerbils, Guinea pigs, Hedgehogs, Raccoons, Ferrets, Opossums, Chinchillas, Elephants, Bottlenose dolphins, Chickens, Canaries, Budgerigars (parakeets), Cockatiels, Owls, Bullfrogs, Tree frogs, Goldfish, Catfish, Tuna
Cannot hear it
Instruments and voices that can play 800 Hz
Frequently asked questions
What does 800 Hz sound like?
It is a clear midrange tone, close to where the human ear does most of its work for speech and melody.
Can humans hear 800 Hz?
Yes. 800 Hz is inside the typical human hearing range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
What musical note is 800 Hz?
800 Hz is 35 cents above G5, which is 783.99 Hz in standard A440 tuning.
What is the wavelength of 800 Hz?
About 42.9 cm in air at 20 °C and 1.85 m in water.
Can dogs hear 800 Hz?
Yes – dogs hear roughly 67 Hz to 45,000 Hz.