Re: GNU/Linux is the Empowerment of the PC. So What Do You Do?

On 4/10/24 8:01 PM, rbowman wrote:

On Wed, 10 Apr 2024 23:39:42 -0000 (UTC), vallor wrote:
 

Still helps to have a distortion-free playback system that you can crank
up to compensate for hearing loss, if that is a concern.

I'd typically limit that to headphones, as other listeners would find the cranked-up treble to be too "tinny"/

Volume doesn't help frequency response. I haven't had a reason to have an
ear exam recently but I assume I can't hear 20K Hz anymore, if I ever
could.

Increased volume can help some to compensate - its the basic principle of a hearing aid.  Overall, the loss for men is that we can expect to experience a drop in upper range after age 45, which IIRC is often around 33% by age 55-60 (and more later).
A lot can also depend on how much we proactively protected our hearing from high dB hazards such as lawn mowers, leaf blowers, power tools, etc:  if you weren't already wearing hearing protection in your 20's 20+ years ago, its pretty likely that your upper range is already shot.
Finally, the loss is slow over time so its easy to overlook.  My last formal hearing test at my employer was pre-CoVid (~2018) which is how I know that I definitely have ("age normal") loss.  Since then, I've learned that I can't hear some higher pitched electronic beeps (oral thermometer), or some automotive "water pump bearing is going". Probably within five years or so now of needing hearing aids.
-hh