I had totally forgotten that I had several Stereo Review Test Records, which I never used. One of them has identified frequencies, from 20,000HZ down to 20HZ, so I thought it would be interesting to see what I can - and can't - hear. I was a bit surprised, but not totally so after this "test."

I hear up to 12,000HZ, and nothing beyond. My wife clearly heard all the frequencies above 12,000HZ, but not me. The 12,000HZ tone was clear as a bell, but the higher ones were non-existent to my ears. I heard down to 35HZ, and didn't hear the 20HZ frequency, but that could be my system too, though the Definitive Technology subwoofer claims to reproduce that frequency.

I have no idea if I've lost hearing ability above 12,000HZ, or if I never had it in the first place. I'm totally unaware of not hearing anything, but I can't deny the "test" results. I'd be curious as to how many others don't hear anything above 12,000HZ, but insist on speakers that go beyond 20,000HZ, or else they feel somehow cheated. This "test" would also explain why I heard so little difference when I replaced the super-tweeters in my Dahlquist DQ-10's, as they don't even start until 12,000HZ. My wife did hear a big difference, though.

I can remember graphs printed over the years, with the 20 to 20,000HZ spectrum, and the various ranges of instruments within. Almost nothing went beyond 15,000HZ, and the lowest frequency went, not to a pipe organ, but to a grand piano at 19HZ. I wonder if such a graph is still around.