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Hearing loss and audio reviewers ? READ ON

I have always found it very funny that the age where many of us get finally able to afford some of the high end audio gear...comes at a time where our hearing is no longer 100%.

What about audio reviewers ?

What is even funnier is the ''analysis'' of minute sound differences between things like cables and amplifers by couch potato reviewers like Sam ''wine-and-dine-me-for-a-review'' Tellig - and so many others - that probably could not hear the difference between a Taco Bell and a cow bell - as we NEVER question their hearing ability.

Is this not a very important issue - and bias - to take into account - that would affect one's credibility when making any comments on how hi-fi gear sound? And these guys go on describing gear with ridiculous adjectives as if gear had a mind of it's own, and as if they can actually HEAR all of these subtilities.

I'm not saying some of these reviewers cannot hear properly - many can, of course. It's just that it would be nice to know what hearing competence they actually have before they use this very real power to either lift of harm some of the smaller manufacturers with their reviews.

What if, just for example, there was a hearing test done by an credible organization that showed that Mr.Tellig or (put your favorite reviewer's name here) and that showed hearing loss of 30% - or - even worse - a frequency area that has become insensitive to the reviewer. If for example, Tellig no longer can hear correctly in the midrange frequencies - and he goes on raving about brandX speaker and it's ''glorious midrange''?

I say publish a hearing graph for all of these reviewers that we put on a pedestal! I'm dreaming of course but you get the point...

B-T-W, same goes for ''expert'' salespeople comments in hi-fi shops.

This is why the ultimate test will always be our own ears-on experience. Anything else is just toy and gear lust - nothing wrong with that, that's what a large part of this hobby is about anyways....

What do you think ?
soniqmike
oregonpapa's avatar
oregonpapa
4,867 posts
 
At 77 years of age,. I'm probably among the eldest among the  membership here at Audiogon. I'm blessed with good hearing. I'm sure some of the ultra high frequencies have been compromised, but as some have said before in this thread ... the audio hobby continues to be enjoyable if you know what to listen for. 

At this point, my worry isn't with my hearing ... my worry is living long enough to listen to the thousands of recordings I've amassed over the years. 

Respect your elders guys ... you'll all be here soon enough (if you're lucky). 
tostadosunidos's avatar
tostadosunidos
1,197 posts
 
Oregonpapa, have you checked?  I was shocked and dismayed to find my h.f. hearing diminished while still in my forties.  Checking again years later, it has diminished further.  But I wouldn't have suspected it without an actual test.

Sometimes I get the feeling that 77 is the average age here, FWIW.
schubert
7,386 posts
 
I'm older than oregonpapa and I still  feel like my hearing is good as ever so screw any test . You hear more with your brain than your ears anyway.
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
Oregonpapa- To anyone who complains about the effects of aging, just reply- Yeah, man, I agree, getting old sucks.  The only thing worse is not getting old!
Schubert- Interesting idea.  I know I f'd up my hearing due to the combined effects of rock concerts and scuba diving in my teens and 20s, but I still get great enjoyment from music and can easily distinguish "live" music from a  distance, no matter what the circumstances.  For example, coming down the staircase of a noisy Grand Central Station, I was immediately aware that the guy selling CDs in the "food court" area had switched from the recording to playing himself.   
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,868 posts
 
I didn't get "Musician's Earplugs" (molded inserts that go into the ear canal, onto which are installed attenuator discs of varying dB---5-10-15) until I was in my late thirties. By that time I had developed a moderate case of tinnitus (ringing), which is somewhat annoying. I would guess most live concert attendants have as well. See an audiologist and have a pair of molded plugs made for yourself before your hearing suffers any more damage! 
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