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What does 690 Hz sound like?
690 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 690 Hz sound wave completes 690 cycles every second, so one cycle lasts 1.45 ms. In air at 20 °C, where sound travels at about 343 m/s, each wave is 49.7 cm (1.63 ft) long; in water it stretches to 2.15 m because sound moves about 4.3 times faster there.
Musically, 690 Hz is 21 cents below F5 (698.46 Hz) in standard A440 tuning. Doubling it to 1,380 Hz raises the pitch by one octave; halving it to 345 Hz lowers it by one.
Wavelength of 690 Hz in different materials
| Medium | Speed of sound | Wavelength |
|---|---|---|
| Air (20 °C) | 343 m/s | 49.7 cm |
| Fresh water | 1,481 m/s | 2.15 m |
| Seawater | 1,500 m/s | 2.17 m |
| Helium | 1,007 m/s | 1.46 m |
| Steel | 5,960 m/s | 8.64 m |
| Glass | 5,640 m/s | 8.17 m |
Harmonics and octaves
Real instruments playing 690 Hz also produce harmonics at whole-number multiples of the fundamental. Their relative strength gives each instrument its timbre.
Which animals can hear 690 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 690 Hz
Frequently asked questions
What does 690 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 690 Hz?
Yes. 690 Hz is inside the typical human hearing range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
What musical note is 690 Hz?
690 Hz is 21 cents below F5, which is 698.46 Hz in standard A440 tuning.
What is the wavelength of 690 Hz?
About 49.7 cm in air at 20 °C and 2.15 m in water.
Can dogs hear 690 Hz?
Yes – dogs hear roughly 67 Hz to 45,000 Hz.