Has anyone contemplated an age related disability referred to as hearing loss? Can one be extpected o hear the very best from a speaker like younger ears? All these debates about vinyl,Cd,streaming,digital and high end cables seems tedious. It reminds me of a beer commercial from the past who argued over “Taste great,Less filling.” 8 Tracks or Reel to Reel anybody?
It is often mentioned in most threads about the subjects you mention,that it may in fact be the listeners ears that are changing over time.
It is accepted that ones ability to detect the higher frequencies dies deteriorate as the years progress.
8 track is pretty horrible, but Reel to Reel? Now you’re talking…
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Try one of the hearing tests online. Alternatively, ask the mrs to assess your setup - it seems their hearing is superior to men’s.
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Age 65 and I can still hear the difference between a Qutest dac and a less expensive dac. I don’t know the technicalities of why that is, but if I can still hear a difference that’s good enough for me.
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My son’s age 30 and 28 don’t particularly appreciate my modest system, and one of them is a guitarist.
They listen to music but are very happy with whatever system (wireless speaker) they have.
I’ve recently demoed a Nova and can hear clear differences over my Unitilite.
My listening room is not ideal and the sound level to get even the lite to sing is too high for the neighbours.
I’m very aware that my hearing is not what it was (61) but hope that a more detailed system may overcome some of the deficiencies I have, but also aware that the things on the side of my head will most probably get worse. Tinitus is around more than it was.
For me my mood, tiredness etc all impact on my ability to listen to/enjoy music. Somedays it sounds just plain awful and other days (today) the sound is pretty good.
We also age at different rates, so hearing will be the same dependant on the individual. We all know 80 year olds that look 50 and vice versa.
…I think that it is easier to here differences because one (or the other) is acting as a reference.
of course, but that is rather my point. It doesn’t really matter what your starting point as a reference is, age 21 or 71 it’s still the reference point. If you can then hear an improvement then it is working with your reference point.
Using some test tones on qobuz 14kHz is history to me at 60, I can hear 13kHz if I turn it up, I remember playing with a tone generator in my late 20 that 16kHz was just about audible but that’s pure tones and music generally isn’t.
The supertweeters that were all the rage for a while seemed to have an effect even though no one could hear them directly, is anyone still using a pair?
Nothing in the body and brain stays unchanged over a lifetime, but sound quality is not only defined by or depending on very high frequencies.
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Some people paint their room beige, others paint it Lace Handkercheif. Discerning ears and eyes will always be discerning.
Does that mean I have to put my tweeters back in?
I don’t care about the loss of treble as I age.
I’m 69 and as far as I’m concerned my system sounds fantastic, the best I’ve ever heard.
There’s no way that the comparitively poorer available funds and standard of technology could have delivered anything like this level of excellence even 10 years ago, let alone when I was in my 20’s.
I bet that Bernard Haitink who is in his nineties still hears much more than I do when listening to a symphony.
Training matters very much.
Yes, 8 track was indeed horrible. I remember those continuous tape things, stretched tapes, covered in grime because they were so big and cumbersome, they would end up on the floor of your car. They would make the likes of Rod Stuart sound even worse than he did already. Not an easy thing to do, so perhaps the 8track tape did have some saving grace. Sorry Rod Stuart fans 
Having said all that, My hearing is still not too bad after the rigours of 1970s and I can thankfully still hear the left hand supertweeter at least.
He was good once.
I know, only pulling your leg:-)
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Hearing degradation is inevitable…and varies person to person…when I was 18 I found bat calls quite irritating… constant clicks and chats…now my hearing tops out at about 12khz…thats life…
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