2. misc-audio
  3. 1149021886

This should be controversial....hearing tests...

How many audiophiles out there have had their ears tested for hearing loss? Even partial loss? I bet the fearless would be surprised by the results. Has anyone tested their hearing with their own rigs to hear tones above 12,000 hz? 15,000 hz? 16,000 hz? I won't even ask about frequencies above 16-17,000 hz since most adults can not hear these high frequencies.

A hearing test will indicated if you have partial loss. This is the most important factor when evaluating systems since the selective hearing which occurs from a loss/drop in certain frequencies will most undoubtedly have an effect on one's ability to perceive neutrality and hence the benchmark from which all components are evaluated...

I.e.... for someone with damage to hearing in the 6-8000 hz. range, sparkle in a tube amp may be too hard or bright to the person with no hearing loss or damage in those frequencies......

Just an aside, hearing loss statistics are quite high for the general population. 10 million americans have suffered from noise induced hearing loss and 30 million americans are exposed to dangerous noise levels everyday. 12 million americans or more have tinnitus.

Does everyone think their hearing is perfect? Has anyone checked?

Just curious.

J
nudaddy
danlib1
819 posts
 
For all us middle aged audiofiles, how about this:

Schedule to undergo a hearing test at the same time we're getting our colonoscopy. They could do the hearing test while waiting for you to lose conciousness, then slide the scope in. When you come back a week later- 2 sets of results! No additional time wasted at doctor's offices!

It will make the woman in your life happy as well...proof that you're deaf and the consolation of knowing you had a 4 foot tube shoved up your butt will please any vengeful wife.
tfkaudio
591 posts
 
I think Bingo is the farmer's dog.
virtualimage
11 posts
 
Bingo is his name-o
albertporter's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
albertporter
4,949 posts
 
Better still Virtualimage, SING ALONG !

Sing Along
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Based on my own experience I believe that ability to hear a pure sine wave tone is not a comprehensive test of aural acuity. I believe that the ear responds to steepness of the pressure wavefront. I can hear the effect of HF roll off at a frequency well above that corresponding to the highest sine wave I can hear. For a person with 12KHz hearing, a 12KHz square wave will sound different from a 12KHz sine wave, yet the only difference is harmonics higher than 12 KHz. (Of course finding a tweeter that can do a decent square wave at 12 KHz will be a problem, but any distortion of the pure sine wave will suffice for this test).
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