How good are your ears?

[RUSSET]

My brother Chris, a bass player, is just 65, & had a free NHS ear test two weeks ago. We knew he had a hearing problem over the last 5-6 years from the ...... Eh ? What ? half past three ! exclamations he made regularly. After much resistance he eventually went for a test, & now has a pair of virtually invisible (stereo) hearing aids. He is now hearing sounds he hasn't heard for years. He takes them out when his missus starts. The point is, if you are a pensioner, you can get the tests & hearing aids for free, & also the batteries. Trouble is he can hear all my bum notes now, too.

Tony.

[RayL]

The test in Andy's post 1 is a dud.

Using professional Audio Technica ATH-M50 headphones (£140) and a studio CD test disk of accurate sine wave frequencies, 12K is clearly audible to my ears (as are 13K and 14K). The 12K from Andy's test is not audible. The same applies to the frequencies above that. This may be for a number of reasons, but no-one who tries Andy's test should worry that their hearing is faulty. If they want to check they should use a reliable test, or have it done by a professional.

I couldn't try Jim's test frequencies site, as it wanted to put up unwanted pop-ups and I don't allow those on my computers.

Mark Burton's hearing test has value, as it checks the ear's response under increasingly noisy situations (the 'cocktail party' test - understanding someone speaking in the middle of a noisy party)

Ray

[roger bayliss]

I passed Mark Burtons test which says I am not hearing impaired, but after 12,000 Hz I could not really hear anything much.

[abstamaria]

I tried some other tests elsewhere and can hear 12000 Hz. But my secretary can hear several levels above me in that You Tube test I first posted. She is 28. I could not hear beyond 8,000. But one of our staff,, who is 40, could.

[abstamaria]

The test in Andy's post 1 is a dud.

Using professional Audio Technica ATH-M50 headphones (£140) and a studio CD test disk of accurate sine wave frequencies, 12K is clearly audible to my ears (as are 13K and 14K). The 12K from Andy's test is not audible. The same applies to the frequencies above that.

Ray

Ray, sorry to disappoint you, but I just played the YouTube video on my Mac without headphones. Everyone here in the house, except me, heard the 12,000 Hz tone clearly (or so they say). That includes my wife (who is 63) and staff averaging about 40. As I mentioned, my secretary heard two or so levels above that; she is below 30, I can just hear 12,000 if I concentrate, but it is weak.

The video is of course just a waker-upper, and there are much better tests out there. I posted it on my Facebook wall to warn kids who are permanently attached to their MP3 players.

Andy

[RayL]

Andy,

I'm glad that some people are hearing 12K from the clip in particular circumstances. My worry is that it is not reproduced by all equipment (as you will have seen from some of the replies in this thread). This could lead people to worry that their hearing is faulty, where in fact there is nothing for them to hear. If the test does not work equally for all listeners then it is not a good test.

Ray

[abstamaria]

That's very true, Ray. But get some teenagers to listen and see what happens.

I did some of the more sophisticated tests and find 11,000 Hz is very clear, and 12,000 is audible, but drops off. It's all a matter of sound level, of course. But now I know that that 20,000 Hz set of monitor speakers may be more than I need!

It's also a matter of age, too, unfortunately, so hearing loss is probably inevitable. We players are especially at risk, especially drummers. The cymbals are probably the culprit.

Best,

Andy

[Didier]

I passed Mark Burtons test which says I am not hearing impaired, but after 12,000 Hz I could not really hear anything much.

Don't worry. Some 12 years ago I saw the film "Tous les matins du monde" (All the mornings of the world) which is about a story of viola da gamba players.
These instruments have a tone which is very rich in harmonics, yet the sound in the movie theater was absolutly amazing, altough it was played in Dolby Stereo SR which is an optical analog sound system limited to 12 KHz.
No need of 20 KHz for a good Hi-Fi sound...

Didier

[ecca]

The original test was inaudible to me, all of it.
The other tests I could hear........ some of.
It's all completely useless information anyway as there's nothing you can do about it.

[Paulps]

The original test was inaudible to me, all of it.
The other tests I could hear........ some of.
It's all completely useless information anyway as there's nothing you can do about it.

You can always get hearing aids! I did about four years ago, and now the wife tells me to turn the TV up instead of down like she used to do!!