High End Audio and Your hearing as you get older

I also have tinnitis and happened to play some test tones yesterday to learn that while I can hear a 10k tone loud and clear, I near nothing at 12.5k (the next available test tone).

This caused some amount of panic - what am I missing out on on, etc. I researched hearing aids - the open ear kinds that boost only the desired frequencies but learned that they don't work above 10k...

My ears are very sensitive to the higher frequencies now. I can't enjoy a concert without earplugs (i.e. the combo of distortion and loud volumes is very painful). I can listen to my own system loud because it's clean.

I did recently learn that in some songs I can't hear the highhats until the volume hits 82 db, then I hear them loud and clear. Weird...

I am curious to know what musical information I am missing. I suspect it's not that much, but still...

To answer Fishboat, Anyone who rides a motorcycle without a windshield, ear covering helmet, or earplugs is getting about 110-120db at 60mph. That will definitely ruin your hearing. I have heard the phrase "listening at audiophile volume levels". Does this mean super loud like 110-120db? That will definitely ruin your hearing also.

If you can still discern the difference between a live performance and recorded one, I think you have lots of fun ahead of you. It's more than just frequency response.

considering the hearing curve, are there any studies which show that at a certain age, high frequencies (??? over 7k), sound rolled off by a few db ??

maybe it pays to have one's hearing checked starting at age 70.

WoodBurger put his finger on the hearing issue. How often have you been disappointed by a well spec'd component because it didn't sound good or surprised by a component that sounded great but didn't spec well. That scenario also works on the receiving end. Your ears can been measured by an Audiologist and spec'd lower than in the past but it doesn't mean you can't hear well unless you are severely impaired.

At 54 and having served on aircraft carriers in the Navy, and owning way too many motorcycles(using ear plugs these days) my hearing is not what it used to be. I might hear less, according to my wife, but I can still hear well. I still derive great pleasure from listening to well recorded music on a quality reproduction system.