2. amps-preamps
  3. 168008-87782

Considerations prior to your next purchase

I propose that applying the term audiophile to a person over fifty is an oxymoron and such, that person can’t really be trusted to make competent choices when it comes to purchasing or discerning what actually sounds best.


According to Decibel Hearing Services https://decibelhearing.com/high-frequency-hearing-loss/ it is very hard for a person over 50 to hear over 12,000hrz and I suspect that most in that group who consider themselves audiophiles probably can’t get close to that as we tend to enjoy or enjoyed in the past the louder volumes which is a known destroyer of high frequency hearing


If you notice from the linked chart most people over 18 can’t hear over 17,400hrs so truth be told the only true audiophiles are probably 12 year old girls. Because they can actually hear 20 to 20,000hrs they are the only group who are truly qualified to actually make component sound decisions


(The other option which actually might be easier is to train cats to make the decision but I’ll explore that in a later thread.)


What I’m proposing is actually based on the babysitting model where you would hire the true audiophiles to come either with you to the stereo shop or in your home space to perform the listening tests. The benefits to them would not only be short term CASH but also long term. I fear that the whole high end stereo complex is going to die out when the current crop of wanna be audiophiles die off. Just think in 10 years there would be a population of new listeners that could tell the difference from booming bass and flabby bass. They would be a catch for every 22 year old guy with a stereo. Maybe they could even effect the music scene where recording and dynamics matter.


Thoughts?


128x128danager
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danager's avatar
danager OP
955 posts
 

Wow, I want to thank everyone. It must be my public education or my inability to swim??? or my weak brain that made me think that qualifications don’t matter only experience. I never knew that the worlds best speakers don’t need to go over 15K because nothing happens in that quarter of the frequency range anyway or it doesn’t matter if my interior designer is color blind as long as they’re old. Also thanks for the realization that hearing doesn’t really matter in HIFI because I’m perfectly able remember what it sounded like when I could hear it.

I attacked no one personally only a definition of a label. So yes, by all means don’t consider your deficiencies on your next purchase of anything. Hell I bet you could do your own brain surgery because you’ve been cutting your own meat for 50 years.

And maybe just maybe watch Soylent Green which is a movie about man’s inhumanity to man but be sure to turn it loud so you can hear it.


millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Soylent Green is people.
danager's avatar
danager OP
955 posts
 
You gave it way.  Now nobody has watch it.
speakermaster
738 posts
 
I am just going to say that judging good sound does not require perfect hearing, you can still tell clarity, dynamics, tonal quality, and bass response with less than perfect ears for sure.
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