Think You Have Golden Ears? Take These 10 Audio Challenges and Find Out

Most people fail at least half of these tests. Will you?

Audiophiles are known for hearing the smallest details in music. But how well do your ears actually perform when it counts?

This quiz includes 10 listening challenges that test your ability to hear differences in audio quality, tone, and detail.

1. Can You Hear the Difference Between MP3 and Lossless?

Compression algorithms remove audio data to save space, often at the cost of clarity, spatial detail, or instrument separation. In this challenge, you’ll hear three versions of the same track: one encoded at 128kbps MP3, one at 320kbps MP3, and one in lossless FLAC.

Your task is to identify which one is the true lossless version.

This test is a fundamental one in the audiophile world. If you can’t hear the difference between these formats, it’s either a testament to the quality of the MP3 encoding—or a sign your headphones, DAC, or ears may not be revealing enough.

Question:

Which track is the lossless version?

2. Imaging Test: Which Instrument Is in the Center?

Imaging refers to a headphone’s ability to place sounds within the stereo field. In this test, you’ll hear a mix where instruments are panned left, right, and center.

Your challenge is to identify which instrument is positioned dead center.

This matters because great imaging enhances realism. You’re not just hearing a mix—you’re inside it.

Accurate imaging can help you enjoy orchestral recordings, gaming, and live performances more deeply.

Question:

Which instrument is centered in the mix?

A) Vocals

B) Hi-hats

C) Guitar

D) Snare

3. Treble Test: Can You Spot the Flat EQ?

Treble affects clarity, detail, and even perceived space in music. In this test, you’ll hear three versions of a track: one with boosted treble, one with reduced treble, and one left untouched.

Can you pick the flat EQ?

This helps you identify whether your gear (or ears) exaggerate or mask high frequencies. Treble sensitivity also plays a big role in fatigue. So, this isn’t just about tone but about long-term listening comfort.

Question:

Which track had a flat treble EQ?

4. Sub-Bass Roll-Off: Which Track Lacks the Low End?

Some headphones and IEMs start to roll off frequencies below 40Hz, which means you’re not hearing the full weight of sub-bass elements.

In this test, one of the three versions lacks those deep lows.

Can you tell which one?

This challenge checks how your gear handles the lowest end of the spectrum—and whether your ears can pick up on the rumble that gives music its physicality.

Question:

Which track lacks sub-bass?

5. Dynamic Range Challenge: Which Track Has a Better Dynamic Range?

Loudness war mastering often crushes dynamic range, making everything equally loud but less emotional. You’ll hear two versions of the same song: one heavily compressed, one with full dynamic range intact.

Can you pick the one with better dynamics?

This matters because dynamics are part of what makes music feel alive. Without quiet and loud sounds, everything turns into mush.

Question:

Which track has a better dynamic range?

6. Time Alignment Test: Which Track Has a Delay?

In this challenge, you’ll hear two versions of the same song. In one version, the vocal track (or another key instrument) is delayed by a few milliseconds. It’s a tiny shift, but it can make the mix feel less focused or slightly off.

Can you hear which version is misaligned?

This test simulates the effect of poor driver timing in multi-driver headphones or recording issues in poorly mixed audio. It checks your sensitivity to temporal coherence—how well sounds lock in rhythmically and spatially.

Question:

Which track has a timing mismatch?

7. Mono vs Stereo Test: Which Track Is in Stereo?

This test challenges your ability to detect stereo width. You’ll hear two versions of the same track—one in full stereo, the other collapsed to mono.

Stereo playback allows instruments and sounds to occupy different positions across the left-right field, creating a sense of space and dimension. Mono flattens that entirely.

Being able to spot this difference is key for noticing stereo width limitations in headphones or issues in playback setups where stereo sound isn’t working properly.

Question:

Which track is in stereo?

8. Hidden Detail Test: What Did You Hear?

This track contains a barely audible sound hidden deep in the mix—something like a chair creak, a breath, or a studio noise. Can you hear it, and can you tell what it was?

This test is all about detail retrieval and how resolving your gear is.

Question:

What extra sound did you hear?

A) Cough

B) Finger snap

C) Chair creak

D) No extra sound

9. Tonal Balance: Which Mix Sounds Most Neutral?

In this test, you’ll hear three versions of a track: one is mid-forward, one has scooped mids, and one is tonally balanced. Can you pick the neutral one?

A well-balanced headphone is essential for honest listening. If one frequency range dominates, you’ll lose musical information elsewhere.

Question:

Which track sounded most tonally balanced?

10. Resolution Test: Can You Spot the Upsample?

You’ll hear two versions of the same track: one is true 24-bit/96kHz high-res, the other is a 16-bit/44.1kHz file that’s been upsampled.

Can you identify the genuine high-resolution file?

This tests your ability to hear transient detail, microdynamics, and depth that high-res audio can reveal—if your chain is resolving enough.

Question:

Which track is the actual high-res file?

Answers

Done with all 10 challenges? Check your results below to see how well your ears performed.