FacebookTwitter
Hatrack River Forum   
my profile login | search | faq | forum home

  next oldest topic   next newest topic
» Hatrack River Forum » Active Forums » Books, Films, Food and Culture » Can you hear it? (Page 1)

  This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2   
Author Topic: Can you hear it?
neo-dragon
Member
Member # 7168

 - posted      Profile for neo-dragon           Edit/Delete Post 
I've heard about this a few times before but I've never tested it out: the infamous sound frequency that only younger people can hear.

link

I'm 23 and I can hear it. My dad can't.

Well, can you?

Posts: 1569 | Registered: Dec 2004  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Euripides
Member
Member # 9315

 - posted      Profile for Euripides   Email Euripides         Edit/Delete Post 
18. I hear it very clearly. It's also an incredibly annoying sound.
Posts: 1762 | Registered: Apr 2006  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Mike
Member
Member # 55

 - posted      Profile for Mike   Email Mike         Edit/Delete Post 
I'm 26. I hear it, and it's annoying. Aww man, now my ears are ringing.
Posts: 1810 | Registered: Jan 1999  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
neo-dragon
Member
Member # 7168

 - posted      Profile for neo-dragon           Edit/Delete Post 
My 27 year old brother can hear it too... I guess it really won't work for a ring tone for teens only. I'm really curious about the upper limit. Like I said, so far someone as old as 27 has heard it easily.
Posts: 1569 | Registered: Dec 2004  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
aspectre
Member
Member # 2222

 - posted      Profile for aspectre           Edit/Delete Post 
I can easily hear it, and even higher frequencies. I'm rather surprised that the "high frequency" that adults are s'poseta be unable to hear is actually that low. But then I've never shoved Walkman/iPod/etc speakers into my ears. And have always worn earplugs to loud concerts/movies/etc, and while working around loud/shrill/ringing noises.
Posts: 8501 | Registered: Jul 2001  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
cmc
Member
Member # 9549

 - posted      Profile for cmc   Email cmc         Edit/Delete Post 
I'm 27 and I can hear it just fine... And I just learned that I'm *gasp* OLD!!!
Posts: 1355 | Registered: Jul 2006  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Boon
unregistered


 - posted            Edit/Delete Post 
I'm 30 and I hear it fine. I almost wish I couldn't. Ouch.

I actually have the opposite problem. I can't hear certain low tones. Unfortunately, they are common in some men's voices.

IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
hugh57
Member
Member # 5527

 - posted      Profile for hugh57   Email hugh57         Edit/Delete Post 
I read about this somewhere else (on Usenet, maybe alt.callahans) and the upper limit seemed to be somewhere in the mid-thirties, though people in their late thirties often could only hear it faintly. There were exceptions, some in their forties reported hearing it fine. [Dont Know]

I'm 49, and I can't hear it at all. Doesn't sound like I'm missing much.

Posts: 241 | Registered: Aug 2003  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Telperion the Silver
Member
Member # 6074

 - posted      Profile for Telperion the Silver   Email Telperion the Silver         Edit/Delete Post 
I'm 30 too and hear it just fine.
It's almost the same as that high pitched whine that at TV makes when it's turned on.

Posts: 4953 | Registered: Jan 2004  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
ketchupqueen
Member
Member # 6877

 - posted      Profile for ketchupqueen   Email ketchupqueen         Edit/Delete Post 
I hear it, although it's kind of soft. It's freaking annoying and gave me a headache. I agree, it sounds rather like the tv turning on. I'm 23.5.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Lavalamp
Member
Member # 4337

 - posted      Profile for Lavalamp           Edit/Delete Post 
I'm 48, have played drums my entire life in very loud bands, and can hear that tone just fine.
Posts: 300 | Registered: Dec 2002  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Liz B
Member
Member # 8238

 - posted      Profile for Liz B   Email Liz B         Edit/Delete Post 
Almost 33. It's soft, but yes, I can hear it. I can imagine me in class: "Hey! What's that noise? Do you hear that? How about you? Where's it coming from? Do you think the heater's not working? Maybe one of the computers is broken." (poke, poke) "Do you think something's about to explode? Let me call the main office."
Posts: 834 | Registered: Jun 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Kwea
Member
Member # 2199

 - posted      Profile for Kwea   Email Kwea         Edit/Delete Post 
I am almost 37, and lost part of my hearing thanks to the US Army, and I could hear it fine as well.....but I bet a lot of people couldn't.


And most of them wouldn't recognize it as a ringtone, either.

Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Flaming Toad on a Stick
Member
Member # 9302

 - posted      Profile for Flaming Toad on a Stick   Email Flaming Toad on a Stick         Edit/Delete Post 
I'm 17, have played in a very loud band for 1 year of my life, and I can hear it fine. This seems familiar. Didn't we already have a thread like this, in which Bob said almost exactly the same thing?
Posts: 1594 | Registered: Apr 2006  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
blacwolve
Member
Member # 2972

 - posted      Profile for blacwolve   Email blacwolve         Edit/Delete Post 
I'm 21 and I can't hear it at all. [Confused]
Posts: 4655 | Registered: Jan 2002  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
SteveRogers
Member
Member # 7130

 - posted      Profile for SteveRogers           Edit/Delete Post 
Almost everyone at my school has it as a ring tone. And it's so incredibly annoying.
Posts: 6026 | Registered: Dec 2004  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Tara
Member
Member # 10030

 - posted      Profile for Tara   Email Tara         Edit/Delete Post 
What an awful sound! I feel like my brain has been fried.
Posts: 930 | Registered: Dec 2006  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Will B
Member
Member # 7931

 - posted      Profile for Will B   Email Will B         Edit/Delete Post 
blacwolve, maybe your speakers aren't up to it?
Posts: 1877 | Registered: Apr 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
pfresh85
Member
Member # 8085

 - posted      Profile for pfresh85   Email pfresh85         Edit/Delete Post 
I'm 21 and hear it just fine. It sounds to me almost like the high pitched sound some televisions can make when they get older (like mine is starting to). It's not a pleasant sound by any means.
Posts: 1960 | Registered: May 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Hank
Member
Member # 8916

 - posted      Profile for Hank   Email Hank         Edit/Delete Post 
I'm 21, and I can hear it, but it wouldn't work as a ringtone. I would just assume my ears were falling off.
Posts: 368 | Registered: Dec 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Synesthesia
Member
Member # 4774

 - posted      Profile for Synesthesia   Email Synesthesia         Edit/Delete Post 
28
I can hear it.
sounds kinda screamy.

Posts: 9942 | Registered: Mar 2003  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
ClaudiaTherese
Member
Member # 923

 - posted      Profile for ClaudiaTherese           Edit/Delete Post 
quote:
Originally posted by Telperion the Silver:
I'm 30 too and hear it just fine.
It's almost the same as that high pitched whine that at TV makes when it's turned on.

37, otherwise exactly.
Posts: 14017 | Registered: May 2000  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Lupus
Member
Member # 6516

 - posted      Profile for Lupus   Email Lupus         Edit/Delete Post 
I'm 27 and I can hear it. Though I would find it to annoying to use as a ringer.

As a few others said, I also think it sounds like that TV whine.

Posts: 1901 | Registered: May 2004  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
hugh57
Member
Member # 5527

 - posted      Profile for hugh57   Email hugh57         Edit/Delete Post 
quote:
Originally posted by Will B:
blacwolve, maybe your speakers aren't up to it?

You know, I've been wondering how many "old" people who can't hear this tone have no problem with hearing at all, just crappy speakers and/or sound cards on their laptops. [Dont Know]
Posts: 241 | Registered: Aug 2003  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
ketchupqueen
Member
Member # 6877

 - posted      Profile for ketchupqueen   Email ketchupqueen         Edit/Delete Post 
quote:
Originally posted by SteveRogers:
Almost everyone at my school has it as a ring tone. And it's so incredibly annoying.

And how do the teachers react? Can they hear it? Do they know it's a ring tone if they can? Doesn't it kind of defeat the point if they can hear it and know what it is?
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
SteveRogers
Member
Member # 7130

 - posted      Profile for SteveRogers           Edit/Delete Post 
None of them seem to hear it. Most of the students can and react angrily. But the teachers don't do anything.
Posts: 6026 | Registered: Dec 2004  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
mackillian
Member
Member # 586

 - posted      Profile for mackillian   Email mackillian         Edit/Delete Post 
Also 27, can also hear it easily. Sounds like a giant mosquito.
Posts: 14745 | Registered: Dec 1999  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Nato
Member
Member # 1448

 - posted      Profile for Nato   Email Nato         Edit/Delete Post 
I don't see why this ringtone is preferable to having your phone on vibrate. Why does anybody use it? I've never actually heard anybody have it on a cell phone out here, although I've seen links to it on the Internet a lot.

(Also, my mom can hear it slightly, but my dad can't. Last summer when I was back at the family home I played it from the computer while everybody in the room, my brother and sisters all immediately started looking around for the source of the sound, and my parents didn't know why they were so agitated all of a sudden. When my mom was actively listening for it, she was able to hear it a little though.)

Posts: 1592 | Registered: Jan 2001  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
stihl1
Member
Member # 1562

 - posted      Profile for stihl1   Email stihl1         Edit/Delete Post 
35 can't hear it.
Posts: 1042 | Registered: Jan 2001  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
neo-dragon
Member
Member # 7168

 - posted      Profile for neo-dragon           Edit/Delete Post 
Well, marketing it as a ring tone that teachers can't hear appears to be complete B.S. since it seems that people well into their 30s can hear it, and there are plenty of teachers younger than that.

And I want to emphasize that whether or not you can hear it isn't supposed to be a matter of how badly you've abused your eardrums over the years. Supposedly we lose the ability to hear such high frequencies as we age, regardless.

Posts: 1569 | Registered: Dec 2004  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
libertygirl
Member
Member # 8761

 - posted      Profile for libertygirl   Email libertygirl         Edit/Delete Post 
I'm 16 and I hear it very faintly but my little sisters heard it loudly. My parents don't hear it at all.
Posts: 143 | Registered: Oct 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
TL
Member
Member # 8124

 - posted      Profile for TL   Email TL         Edit/Delete Post 
29 - I can hear it barely. I don't think I'd be aware of it as an external sound, if I heard it. I think it might register as a ringing of the ears.
Posts: 2267 | Registered: May 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
xnera
Member
Member # 187

 - posted      Profile for xnera   Email xnera         Edit/Delete Post 
Anybody know what the hearing range for cats is? I rather expected my cat to hear it even if I couldn't, but she didn't even twitch an ear. I thought I heard a very faint whine, but I couldn't tell if it was my imagination or if it was really there. And yes, I too wondered if my computer just couldn't play it.
Posts: 1805 | Registered: Jun 1999  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
dantesparadigm
Member
Member # 8756

 - posted      Profile for dantesparadigm           Edit/Delete Post 
quote:
Originally posted by Mike:
I'm 26. I hear it, and it's annoying. Aww man, now my ears are ringing.

Did you know the sound you hear when your ears are ringing is actually those cells dying, and after the ringing stops you'll never hear those frequencies again.

I heard it in some movie but have been unable to corroborate it with anything more concrete, kind of like that ‘rule of thumb’ thing from Boondock Saints; interesting, but dubious.

Posts: 959 | Registered: Oct 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Risuena
Member
Member # 2924

 - posted      Profile for Risuena   Email Risuena         Edit/Delete Post 
quote:
Originally posted by dantesparadigm:
quote:
Originally posted by Mike:
I'm 26. I hear it, and it's annoying. Aww man, now my ears are ringing.

Did you know the sound you hear when your ears are ringing is actually those cells dying, and after the ringing stops you'll never hear those frequencies again.

I heard it in some movie but have been unable to corroborate it with anything more concrete, kind of like that ‘rule of thumb’ thing from Boondock Saints; interesting, but dubious.

That would have been Children of Men, I believe. No idea if it's true.

I'm 28 and can barely hear it, although my ear now hurts from it.

Posts: 959 | Registered: Jan 2002  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Lavalamp
Member
Member # 4337

 - posted      Profile for Lavalamp           Edit/Delete Post 
quote:
Originally posted by dantesparadigm:
quote:
Originally posted by Mike:
I'm 26. I hear it, and it's annoying. Aww man, now my ears are ringing.

Did you know the sound you hear when your ears are ringing is actually those cells dying, and after the ringing stops you'll never hear those frequencies again.

I heard it in some movie but have been unable to corroborate it with anything more concrete, kind of like that ‘rule of thumb’ thing from Boondock Saints; interesting, but dubious.

Physiologically, this makes no sense. I suppose with an intense enough sound you could damage specific nerve cells, but I'd want to see some hard data on that.

It just doesn't make a lot of sense to me.


However, I do have a theory on why people stop responding to their spouse over years. I think the nerve cells that respond to the modal frequency of the spouse's voice become less and less sensitive until finally it's actually like selective deafness at those sound frequencies.

Posts: 300 | Registered: Dec 2002  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
RunningBear
Member
Member # 8477

 - posted      Profile for RunningBear           Edit/Delete Post 
headache.

my sinuses ache when I listen to it actually.

my dad cant hear it though.

18 years here.

Posts: 883 | Registered: Aug 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Perplexity'sDaughter
Member
Member # 9668

 - posted      Profile for Perplexity'sDaughter   Email Perplexity'sDaughter         Edit/Delete Post 
18. It actually made me cringe.
Posts: 55 | Registered: Aug 2006  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Lisa
Member
Member # 8384

 - posted      Profile for Lisa   Email Lisa         Edit/Delete Post 
I'll be 44 in April. It actually hurt the corner of my jaw. But it's easily audible. It's hard to believe that anyone not hard of hearing would have a problem with it. I've heard much higher pitches.
Posts: 12266 | Registered: Jul 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
rivka
Member
Member # 4859

 - posted      Profile for rivka   Email rivka         Edit/Delete Post 
Painfully audible. (I'm 32.) Several minutes later, it's still painful. [Razz] You'd think I'd have learned from the last few times we discussed the Mosquito.

Straight Dope on ringing ears

Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
airmanfour
Member
Member # 6111

 - posted      Profile for airmanfour           Edit/Delete Post 
Aweful. 21 and in pain.
Posts: 1156 | Registered: Jan 2004  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Tante Shvester
Member
Member # 8202

 - posted      Profile for Tante Shvester   Email Tante Shvester         Edit/Delete Post 
I'm 41 and I can hear it. Why don't you give me a nice paper cut and pour lemon juice on it?
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Carrie
Member
Member # 394

 - posted      Profile for Carrie   Email Carrie         Edit/Delete Post 
I'm 22 and I can hear it if I face my speakers head-on. If I turn my head to either side, I can't hear it at all. [Dont Know]
Posts: 3932 | Registered: Sep 1999  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Amilia
Member
Member # 8912

 - posted      Profile for Amilia   Email Amilia         Edit/Delete Post 
quote:
Originally posted by dantesparadigm:
quote:
Originally posted by Mike:
I'm 26. I hear it, and it's annoying. Aww man, now my ears are ringing.

Did you know the sound you hear when your ears are ringing is actually those cells dying, and after the ringing stops you'll never hear those frequencies again.

I heard it in some movie but have been unable to corroborate it with anything more concrete, kind of like that ‘rule of thumb’ thing from Boondock Saints; interesting, but dubious.

It's true. My dad has been teaching beginning band for over 20 years and is now going deaf. He has a constant ringing in his ears (which the doctor explained was the cells dying) and can no longer hear high pitched frequencies. Sometimes he won't hear his phone ringing, and he can't hear "s" any more. A lot of words he just gets from context now. (I don't know that short term ringing means the same thing, though.)

Oh, and like TL I'm 29 and can feel it more than hear it.

Posts: 364 | Registered: Dec 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
neo-dragon
Member
Member # 7168

 - posted      Profile for neo-dragon           Edit/Delete Post 
So maybe age is just one of many factors after all. It seems that some people as young as their 20s can't hear it, and some people in their 40s can. One of my friends who's also a pre-service teacher like myself said that she tried it out at the school she was student-teaching at. Indeed, all of the students who tried could hear it, but only a few of the younger teachers could. I guess all that can be said is that the older you are the less likely you are to be able to hear it.

You know, if I was in the 7th grade I would make a kick-ass science fair project out of this...

*recently judged a 7th grade science fair*.

Posts: 1569 | Registered: Dec 2004  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Samprimary
Member
Member # 8561

 - posted      Profile for Samprimary   Email Samprimary         Edit/Delete Post 
I can hear it probably more than anyone else I know. It is painfully discomforting. It will give me headaches.
Posts: 15421 | Registered: Aug 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
dean
Member
Member # 167

 - posted      Profile for dean   Email dean         Edit/Delete Post 
I hear it, but faintly. I'm 26.
Posts: 1751 | Registered: Jun 1999  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
JennaDean
Member
Member # 8816

 - posted      Profile for JennaDean   Email JennaDean         Edit/Delete Post 
I'm 34, and I couldn't hear anything.

Neither could my four-year-old.

And now I have the sneaking suspicion that you guys are making this up.

ETA: Sigh. I take it back. My 7-year-old heard it.

Posts: 1522 | Registered: Nov 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
aiua
Member
Member # 7825

 - posted      Profile for aiua   Email aiua         Edit/Delete Post 
17 and, yes.

I was watching an episode of Monk the other day and there was this pesky whining that came on every once in a while. I asked if anyone else could hear it. My younger sibs nodded while my parents shook their heads. Annoying as it was, we were still happy that we could hear it and they couldn't. They were annoyed that they couldn't hear it. [Big Grin]

Posts: 1215 | Registered: Apr 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Liz B
Member
Member # 8238

 - posted      Profile for Liz B   Email Liz B         Edit/Delete Post 
I just played it on my laptop in a coffee shop full of youngsters and oldsters. Nobody seemed to notice. (I could hear it...actually it was a LOT louder on my laptop then when I listened to it on my desktop.)
Posts: 834 | Registered: Jun 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
  This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2   

   Close Topic   Feature Topic   Move Topic   Delete Topic next oldest topic   next newest topic
 - Printer-friendly view of this topic
Hop To:


Contact Us | Hatrack River Home Page

Copyright © 2008 Hatrack River Enterprises Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.


Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classic™ 6.7.2