I just turned 65 and got a new hearing test. Results show a progression from previous tests and all have shown me to be gradually acquiring typical age related losses (actually fortunately a notch or so better than average, myself) As many others here may know, typical for my age we might see a roll off of threshold detection, relative to mid-low frequencies, of maybe minus 40 to 60 dB at 4 to 8 kHz respectively. (I appear to be lagging my peers here by maybe 10 dB or so)
Perhaps others can educate me/us but my science/physiological question comes to more the perception of audio spectral flatness at normal listening levels. This perception, at levels significantly above threshold, I suspect is not so tied to the curve of threshold readings.
A) I know that were I to listen to an audio system that had that sort of strong roll off, I would think it was quite objectionable!
B) Say that there’s a record I haven’t listened to since my much younger decades, when I knew it well. (there are plenty of those) I would 'tend to think' my memories of its spectral presentation/content would at least be accurate enough to observe if there had been such a large fall off in HF perceived intensity. I don’t seem to find that. Albums I knew had beautiful HF content seem (relatively) the same to me.
All of this seems largely a tale of somewhat fortunate outcomes. Once above our threshold, we do well. (?) Does anyone know of testing methodologies that address this question of PERCEIVED audio spectral flatness at listening levels above threshold?
Yours, John
