Is it a gender disorder?

Yes, I believe for the most part it is gender driven, with the caveat that there are exceptions to that rule. My wife is fine listening to music on her I phone and or through the speakers in the tv, I on the other hand can listen to the same only as back ground music or in passing and even then find it a bit irritating. I have to say though, when she does listen with me through my system that she does enjoy it and understands why I have done what I have done as far as system building. Enjoy the music

It is not a disorder and it is not "a gender issue."

There was a period of a few years where I was crazy active with audiophiles, going to meetings, having them over, and visiting their systems. This was back in the 90's, Black Diamond Racing Cones were new and I was taking them around trying them out everywhere. Many, many times. Almost invariably the guy would have a whole thing he put himself through straining to hear and agonizing over what if anything he could hear. Then at some point from the kitchen the wife who seemed to not be paying any attention at all as she puttered around cooking or whatever would say, "Whichever ones those are now are better, you can really hear the singer." Something like that. Time after time after time. 

This one audiophile, his condo was crammed with all last years Stereophile Class A gear, and first time I heard it was one of those deals where you do a double take to see if he swapped the CD you handed him because it sounds nothing like what you expected. I do NOT mean that in a good way. The sound was practically unlistenable. Classe, Genesis, MIT, on and on. All the best most highly regarded sought after gear of the day.  One of the worst price/performance systems I ever heard. 

They are over one night and after a while his wife sneaks up to me with this amazed dreamy can't believe its true look on her face and very quietly confides in me, "I could listen to this all night!" 

Never underestimate the female talent for deception. They hear way better than you think. 

The gender difference is that like, all you audiophiles are actually gadget fanatics, and it's pathetic, and you need help.  Like for instance, me, I know to stop at 47 different cooking knives, 5 pairs of speakers, 4 amplifiers, 6 headphones.  Why can't you all be reasonable like me?

Hi,
they can hear for sure and in a mysterious way they can understand new or changes even if not obvious.

My wife has the hearing I wish I had.
But only when I mention to my daughter how much some item cost 3 rooms away......

Rule no. 1. If your wife can’t hear it from the kitchen chances are good it’s a placebo. 

Yes, audiophiles are largely a male only tribe. What this means is not clear.

When you consider all the time, money and energy we put into our hobby, endlessly hunting for something we can't quite define and often without any satisfactory conclusion, comparisons with a certain naval captain chasing some semi mythical white whale arise naturally.

Who knows, maybe all those centuries and centuries of hunting and exploring have left us with the equivalent of an audiophile gene?

Is this addiction a good or a bad thing? Well, there's probably lots of better and worse things to do in life. Such as stamp collecting or needless burning and looting.

On the upside there is always the thrill of finding new gear to explore and for many of us hope springs eternal.

The facts would seem to indicate that is the case.

Whether male or female sometimes they hear a difference but simply don't care.One spouse may agonize over choosing the perfect shade of cream drapes to blend with the sofa and the other sees differences but just doesn't care.And so on...

Seriously though.
She actually does really appreciate the half way decent HT rig I put together for her. When I was part way through upgrading it and she had to listen to TV speakers she was most displeased.
And she does hear differences in my rig but only major ones like new speakers.
Cables, fuses, heck no.... Lol

There’s the domestic tranquility to consider. Oft times the less said the better when asked how the system is sounding. 😬 If you’re not sure what to say, you can say, interesting. Or, what did you do to the system? Or, oh, really?

Both my exs said I played my music to loud!!!! It has to be them right ?

My father said "Turn down that music! It's too loud!" That was the live Creedence Clearwater LP on the KLH 9's! Keep On Chooglin'! Sounded real good loud!