[Hipper]

I'm now 60. At 54 I used test tones to see roughly what I could hear and found that 10kHz was weak but present, but 12.5kHz just gave me a pain in the ear. Above that, nothing.
 
The question I have on this subject is: as I apparently can't hear much above 10kHz should I alter the frequency response (FR) of my speakers. I did a rough (i.e. not good enough quality to satisfy here) test and found no difference whether I went up to 20kHz or made a slope from 10kHz down to -15dB at 20kHz.
 
The arguments for not altering the FR seem to be that we can detect sounds with other parts of our body and that perhaps the high frequencies can have an effect on the lower ones.

 

[Makiah S]

Quote:

I'm now 60. At 54 I used test tones to see roughly what I could hear and found that 10kHz was weak but present, but 12.5kHz just gave me a pain in the ear. Above that, nothing.
 
The question I have on this subject is: as I apparently can't hear much above 10kHz should I alter the frequency response (FR) of my speakers. I did a rough (i.e. not good enough quality to satisfy here) test and found no difference whether I went up to 20kHz or made a slope from 10kHz down to -15dB at 20kHz.
 
The arguments for not altering the FR seem to be that we can detect sounds with other parts of our body and that perhaps the high frequencies can have an effect on the lower ones.

Like the concept that Ultrasonic frequanices are preceived by skin cells on the face [the Take T Makers, Super Tweeter] so you can still feel sound. Maybe we can't hear it but the feel should still b there! Like the Deaf who can still love music! 

 

[xnor]

Considering the natural roll-off towards and especially beyond 20 kHz, wouldn't you need crazy levels to possibly feel something?

 

[Makiah S]

Quote:

Considering the natural roll-off towards and especially beyond 20 kHz, wouldn't you need crazy levels to possibly feel something?

Well they say it is a sub concious thing, your brain registers it and then some how translates it into what your hearing...so I guess like little extra face ears 

 

[Happy Camper]

Any good hearing tests for computer/headphones?

 

[HearingGuy]

I have a simple question. Can someone with age related hearing loss be an audiophile? Or to what extent does hearing loss effect the use of high quality components?

My father once adored music, all the Beatles and early rock and roll. He was even friends with Roy Buchanan, and still has a few of the Snake Stretchers records from the first pressing. I'm considering getting him some higher quality components, as his older gear has slowly crapped out. But is it worth it?

I got him a Sennheiser ALS last year and he likes it, but it's designed for hearing loss, and the specific ranges lost due to hearing loss, and not quality. He's 74 for what it's worth.

On a society note, its sad to see the rock stars of the 70's and 80's lose their hearing. The noise induced hearing loss is very real unfortunately. Both Bruce Springsteen https://saywhathearing.com/en/articles/hearing-loss/bruce-springsteen-hearing-loss-ambassador and Brian Johnson have had to suffer for their craft https://saywhathearing.com/en/articles/lifestyle/brian-johnson-of-acdc-on-living-with-hearing-loss

 

[Glmoneydawg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Necrolic /img/forum/go_quote.gif He can still be an audiophile and make use of decent equipment, but I wouldn't go out and buy him a $10000 headphone setup.

Why not,plenty of older people have exotic cars etc,etc,being old does not preclude them from the nice things in life.
I can think of many young people where $10000 phones would be more than a waste of time.In fact I can think of a lot of young people who are a waste of time.

Let the older generation enjoy what they have worked hard to attain,we will all be in there shoes one day.

Yep a lot of people aren't in a position to purchase hi end audio equipment,cars ect until their golden years,let em have it.

 

[old tech]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 43st /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have a simple question. Can someone with age related hearing loss be an audiophile? Or to what extent does hearing loss effect the use of high quality components?

Since this is the sound science forum, we should use a scientific approach t the problem.

First, we should define "an audiophile". As far as I know, apart from various dictionary definitions, there is no common interpretation of the term. I treat myself as audiophile, because - literally - I love listening to the music. I don't care about the hardware as long as it fulfills certain criteria (eg. allowing me to listen to the music that I like with satisfying quality, good build quality, nice design, made in the EU, no voodoo in manufacturer's philosophy, etc.). On the other hand, I don't think that people who buy expensive high-end equipment and use it once or twice a week to listen to one of their twenty-thirty CDs/LPs is not a music adorer/lover.

Next, one should prove that high quality components are distinguishable by normal-hearing listeners. So far, no ABX/DBT studies prove that above certain level of quality there are significant differences between amplifiers/preamps/cd players/DACs. These might be present if two devices have significantly different parameters (eg. one with very high and one with very low distortions level). Moreover, clipping can be heard easily, so underpowered amplifiers may be easily distinguished from more powerful ones when listening using low-efficient loudspeakers/headphones. I believe that transducers (together with room acoustic) play the most important role in sound quality and these can be easily distinguished, even in blind tests.

Finally, age-related hearing loss may affect the perception via the hearing system, but we should keep in mind that low and high frequencies may be perceived by receptors located in/under the skin. I have no knowledge if their sensitivity is also reduced in the elderly (I guess it is), though it looks like a very interesting issue.

There is no evidence at all that receptors under our skin or whereever can distinguish frequencies we cannot hear, regardless of age. Perhaps very low frequencies can be percieved through vibrations but high frequencies, no. I am willing to bet that if I blow a dog whistle while you are blindfolded you would not percieve it. You would percieve deep bass from a sub woofer but that is not music.

Anyway back to OP's question, yes you can still appreciate high fidelity at an old age. To some extent our brains make up for the hearing loss, particularly with familiar music and, as others have pointed out, the music magic is more in the mid-range rather than the frequency ends. The main effect aging has on hearing music is the hearing of detail. The reason is that our abilities to discriminate different sounds within sound declines with age, ie masking becomes more of an issue. This is also known as the 'cocktail party effect"

 

[old tech]

Yep a lot of people aren't in a position to purchase hi end audio equipment,cars ect until their golden years,let em have it.

Yes, a sad case of youth being wasted on the young.

 

[ev13wt]

He hasn't heard anthing above 10K since 37 years. It is quite common to be under 15K at 30 to 40 years of age.

Golden midrange: something that becomes important over time only.

Everyone can enjoy music, deaf people need more SPL, but they too can feel a beat and be audiophiles.

 

[Glmoneydawg]

Yes, a sad case of youth being wasted on the young.

And money being wasted on the older and perhaps smarter

 

[old tech]

Considering the natural roll-off towards and especially beyond 20 kHz, wouldn't you need crazy levels to possibly feel something?

Yes, it is a bit like having a video playback chain that can display light frequencies deep into ultraviolet. It makes no difference to the picture at all because we can't see those frequencies but if those frequencies were boosted enough that we could perceive it, we would fry.

 

[old tech]

Quote:

Well they say it is a sub concious thing, your brain registers it and then some how translates it into what your hearing...so I guess like little extra face ears

Who is they? Certainly they are not scientists or audiologists.

 

[Glmoneydawg]

Yes, it is a bit like having a video playback chain that can display light frequencies deep into ultraviolet. It makes no difference to the picture at all because we can't see those frequencies but if those frequencies were boosted enough that we could perceive it, we would fry.

Yep...laser beams comming out of the tv....on the bright side we wouldn't have to go to the kitchen to cook snacks

 

[Makiah S]

Who is they? Certainly they are not scientists or audiologists.

Did you just dig up a 5 year old message of mine? Goodness!

Member the

TakeT H2+ & Trafomatic Audio T2+

When these came out @jude did a Video on the Super Tweeter that you could use in conjunction with the headphone, according to TakeT the Super Tweeter increased resolution because your face/skin/hair ect... is sensitive to super sonic frequencies

That would be the "they" and in 2013 I think the TakeT system was relevant hence is why I refer to it