1. A method of generating a personalized hearing profile for a user, comprising: selecting a reference hearing profile and one or more alternate hearing profiles from a source of hearing profiles matched with demographic profiles, based on input of personal demographic data about a user; playing reference and alternate versions of an audio sample, the reference version being played according to the reference hearing profile and the alternate version or versions being played according to the alternate hearing profile or profiles; receiving identification of a preferred one of the reference and alternate versions from the user; and selecting a personalized hearing profile for the user based on the identification.