[Sarchi]

Women in general take little interest in high end audio. There are probably a bunch of reasons for that (like that we're a bunch of nerds), but one of the recent threads got me wondering about this again.

My wife occasionally likes to rhyme off various caveman theories; e.g. why am I more rattled by the kids' bickering after a long day? She muses that it could be men have more acute hearing, that we needed it so we could protect the tribe in old times, etc.

Is there any evidence of this at all? All I've ever heard from studies is that men lose their HF hearing faster than women (I think).

 

[grape ape]

The only thing I've personally noticed is that all my male friends and I can hear the high pitched whine of a TV being on (with out audio coming from the tv) from anywhere in the house while none of my girlfriends ever can. I wouldn't call that a study and it could just be a fluke.

 

[Wodgy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarchi /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've ever heard from studies is that men lose their HF hearing faster than women (I think).

This is true. Women of comparable age tend to have better intact high frequency hearing.

Women aren't as into audio gear because gadgets in general are less interesting to them, not because they have inferior hearing or appreciate music less.

 

[Duggeh]

Say what?

 

[ken36]

Of course it's true.

 

[nickknutson]

I think it's just selective hearing...they seem to hear what they want.

 

[MH79]

I think they are more concerned with what they wear on their feet rather than what they wear on their ears.

 

[indigo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeHunt79 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think they are more concerned with what they wear on their feet rather than what they wear on their ears.

Not when it comes to earrings that are measured in carats.

 

[Schalldampfer]

I actually thought that it was the opposite. I can distinctly remember a head-fier who let his wife listen to his gear and noticed that his wife picked out more finesse than he did.

I'd search for it, but I have no clues to search through the myriad of threads.

 

[Quaddy]

i sometimes think women must have the more sensitive hearing, as how come everytime i mutter something untoward under my breath after a disagreement, (even i can barely hear it!) - they say a moment later, "and dont think i couldnt hear that"??

WTH?

 

[Zorander]

I do think women have the better ears than men. It's just that they are not so much into gear-fi compared to men.

 

[LawnGnome]

Like it has been said, it has been proven women on average have better hearing than men.

Women in general just aren't into tech things like men are. If anything though, I'd say more women are into audio than things like overclocking.

 

[PiccoloNamek]

Nothing in my experience has led me to believe women actually have more sensitive than men. Women may lose their high frequency hearing later or less readily than men, but if you compared a man and a women with equally intact hearing, I don't think one or the other would have better sensitivity or discrimination.

 

[LawnGnome]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PiccoloNamek /img/forum/go_quote.gif Nothing in my experience has led me to believe women actually have more sensitive than men. Women may lose their high frequency hearing later or less readily than men, but if you compared a man and a women with equally intact hearing, I don't think one or the other would have better sensitivity or discrimination.

Well obviously, since they both have equally intact hearing.

This 5 pound weight weighs as much as this 10 pound weight if I make them both ten pounds. Pretty much what you said.

Not only do women on average hear better than men, different races hear better than others.

With Caucasian males hearing the worst of the tested.

http://www.aip.org/isns/reports/2006/010.html

Kind of makes you think about how most of the hi-fi reviewers are middle aged white men.

 

[PiccoloNamek]

I didn't mean "if they had equal hearing" but rather, if both of them had equally undamaged hearing, I don't think there would be much difference in their discernment.

Edit: Extremely interesting link! Luckily, my hearing is certainly more sensitive than normal.

Quote:

Kind of makes you think about how most of the hi-fi reviewers are middle aged white men.

I knew they couldn't be hearing those cable differences!