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  3. 148401-20253

Well maybe it IS my hearing

Hi everyone,
Lately I've gotten into some lively debates. One thing which I'm afraid we don't take into account enough is our own personal hearing. Truth is there's now way I can hear like I did when I was 20 something. So, quite likely I hear very differently than other A'goners. Just because I personally can't hear a difference in a power cable / tweak doesn't mean you don't. I don't make that claim. 

However I think it is also unfair to accuse me of having an agenda if I can't.


Lastly, if I can't hear a difference, the financial value I place on a more expensive tweak = zero. That's just the way my wallet operates. I'm not buying to impress others. My stereo is not my Mistress whom I must serve with more and more expensive shoes.  I just made her a very pretty red and carbon fiber and aluminum power and she's going to have to be happy with that.


I do take exception to over broad, fact less claims of performance however, or people working very hard to explain to me how wrong a person I must be if I can't hear a difference.


I think this is good for you as well. Buy what your ears tell you have value, and don't be swayed by crowds.


Best,
E
erik_squires
erik_squires OP
16,008 posts
 
A well executed loudness switch is a godsend for those of us who don't have the luxury of hearing at live levels.
mtrot
804 posts
 
I would also submit that, even among a group of 20 year old audiophiles with hearing that would measure as "perfect" in a hearing test, there would be differences in the morphology of the inner and middle ears, as well as differences in the diameter and/or thickness of their tympanic membranes.  There could be differences in the density, thickness, and length of the fine hairs that push out ear wax.  Also, as mentioned above different people may have different neurological activity as the brain processes the sound.

It seems to me that all these factors could result in people with similar results on hearing tests actually perceiving the sound differently.
nyev
1,031 posts
 
I’m in my forties and my test indicates I have mild (and I’m told typical for my age) tapering of higher frequencies.  Audiologist told me I may find it becomes more difficult to track conversations in noisy environments. Counter-intuitively my preference as I get older is for a slightly warmer richer sound from my system with slightly less pronounced high frequencies.  When I was younger I always wanted tone controls so I could bump up the treble.  Now I have no need for that.  Odd, and my musical tastes have not changed that much.  To be honest, I’m lucky my hearing isn’t totally shot from blasting my headphones way too loud starting from when I was 10, until I was about 30 or so.  Not to mention all the concerts I’ve been to.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,703 posts
 
@jrpride did I what I see happening all the time in social media: taking a comment from another and mischaracterizing it to mean something that was neither stated nor even implied. To see what I'm talking about, read my original comment above, then his reaction to it. I once again prove to myself that my expectations are too high.
dwhess's avatar
dwhess
72 posts
 
lhasaguy,  I enjoyed your post regarding your hearing. We have a few things in common. I'll be 70 next month, flew helicopters in the Air Force, spent 21 years in law enforcement and have a touch of tinnitus. My hearing is actually still good but I'm probably not able to appreciate some sounds like most folks. I heard a pair of speakers recently that sell for $16K. It sounded great but not night and day from my system, probably my hearing limitation. I've benefited greatly from some of the posts here and that has made my listening very enjoyable.  Doug
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