Is it a gender disorder?

There was a period of a few years where I was crazy active with audiophiles, going to meetings, having them over, and visiting their systems. This was back in the 90's, Black Diamond Racing Cones were new and I was taking them around trying them out everywhere. Many, many times. Almost invariably the guy would have a whole thing he put himself through straining to hear and agonizing over what if anything he could hear. Then at some point from the kitchen the wife who seemed to not be paying any attention at all as she puttered around cooking or whatever would say, "Whichever ones those are now are better, you can really hear the singer." Something like that. Time after time after time. 

This one audiophile, his condo was crammed with all last years Stereophile Class A gear, and first time I heard it was one of those deals where you do a double take to see if he swapped the CD you handed him because it sounds nothing like what you expected. I do NOT mean that in a good way. The sound was practically unlistenable. Classe, Genesis, MIT, on and on. All the best most highly regarded sought after gear of the day.  One of the worst price/performance systems I ever heard. 

They are over one night and after a while his wife sneaks up to me with this amazed dreamy can't believe its true look on her face and very quietly confides in me, "I could listen to this all night!" 

Never underestimate the female talent for deception. They hear way better than you think. 

The gender difference is that like, all you audiophiles are actually gadget fanatics, and it's pathetic, and you need help.  Like for instance, me, I know to stop at 47 different cooking knives, 5 pairs of speakers, 4 amplifiers, 6 headphones.  Why can't you all be reasonable like me?

Hi,
they can hear for sure and in a mysterious way they can understand new or changes even if not obvious.

My wife has the hearing I wish I had.
But only when I mention to my daughter how much some item cost 3 rooms away......

Rule no. 1. If your wife can’t hear it from the kitchen chances are good it’s a placebo.