A fun experiment.

[TonyL]

I learned a fun thing tonight folks. And that is how to drive children and teenagers insane.

I've learned that 99% of people over 20 simply cannot hear this sound.

But to those under 20..... It's insanely loud and nausiating.

If you've got kids around, give this a shot. the effect was astonishing on my family. (and my wife apparently).... But I heard NOTHING.

The magic sound (http://graphics.nytimes.com/packages/audio/nyregion/20060610_RINGTONE.mp3)

It's actually a downloadable ring tone that kids use to get over on their teachers. Seems they use it for texting back and forth, and the teachers can't hear the ring tone at all. But everyone else can.

[rockdogz]

Hmph, go figure, my wife and I can both hear it. And we're not 20 anymore. But then we can both hear if a TV is on before we come in a room... You know that high pitched sound? Err, maybe you don't Tony :)

This reminds me of when I was in grade school and they test your hearing... Ok, now put on the headphones and when you hear a noise, raise your hand...

[TonyL]

thats the way my wife explained it to me. Its so weird that i can't hear it at all.

who else hears it?!! (maybe all those times in the hydro were bad for my ears.)

[Jagarang]

OK I hate it!!! Very annoying! I'm 35.

I believe this has to do with age changes to the tympanic membrane and possibly a loss of elasticity due to calcification and age. High frequency sound waves such as this do not carry enough energy to affect some eardrums.

I have seen a Discovery channel show where they were discussing this same sort of "deterrent" to discourage teenagers from loitering in certain shops and malls in Europe.

EDIT:

Hear is a more accurate definition....

What is presbycusis?
Presbycusis is the loss of hearing that gradually occurs in most individuals as they grow older. Hearing loss is a common disorder associated with aging. About 30-35 percent of adults between the ages of 65 and 75 years have a hearing loss. It is estimated that 40-50 percent of people 75 and older have a hearing loss.

The loss associated with presbycusis is usually greater for high-pitched sounds. For example, it may be difficult for someone to hear the nearby chirping of a bird or the ringing of a telephone. However, the same person may be able to hear clearly the low-pitched sound of a truck rumbling down the street.

There are many causes of presbycusis. Most commonly it arises from changes in the inner ear of a person as he or she ages, but presbycusis can also result from changes in the middle ear or from complex changes along the nerve pathways leading to the brain. Presbycusis most often occurs in both ears, affecting them equally. Because the process of loss is gradual, people who have presbycusis may not realize that their hearing is diminishing.

[RaceMan]

I'm suprised I could hear it too !! 36 and my wife says I never hear a thing lol:hmm:

[Steve68]

Ok, not COOL at all, i get my hearing tested every year here at work, I heard it just fine, I even stopped it so I wouldn't have to hear it anymore, annoying,

Hi Kevin welcome back,

[Blaster11]

Got it but only in the right ear. Something about shooting guns without hearing protection....I think.

Bruce

[rob07002]

I believe this has to do with age changes to the tympanic membrane and possibly a loss of elasticity due to calcification and age. High frequency sound waves such as this do not carry enough energy to affect some eardrums.

I have seen a Discovery channel show where they were discussing this same sort of "deterrent" to discourage teenagers from loitering in certain shops and malls in Europe.

EDIT:

Hear is a more accurate definition....

What is presbycusis?
Presbycusis is the loss of hearing that gradually occurs in most individuals as they grow older. Hearing loss is a common disorder associated with aging. About 30-35 percent of adults between the ages of 65 and 75 years have a hearing loss. It is estimated that 40-50 percent of people 75 and older have a hearing loss.

The loss associated with presbycusis is usually greater for high-pitched sounds. For example, it may be difficult for someone to hear the nearby chirping of a bird or the ringing of a telephone. However, the same person may be able to hear clearly the low-pitched sound of a truck rumbling down the street.

There are many causes of presbycusis. Most commonly it arises from changes in the inner ear of a person as he or she ages, but presbycusis can also result from changes in the middle ear or from complex changes along the nerve pathways leading to the brain. Presbycusis most often occurs in both ears, affecting them equally. Because the process of loss is gradual, people who have presbycusis may not realize that their hearing is diminishing.


Huh!:dunno:

[Jimmy Sean]

I'm 35 and can hear it - not pleasant at all.

[Damn True]

I guess the combination of 36 years on earth, eleven of which being spent in a helicopter has rendered me unable to hear it.

[6'9"Witha69]

I can't hear anything either. 28 years old. Damn all that gun shooting and open exhaust!

[MikeDVC]

Well, I'm sitting in my office and turned the volume all the way up and couldn't hear anything (I'm 38), I was starting to think this was another internet joke until I heard two "younger" co-workers in the hallway .."man what is the horrible sound"...I suddenly feel old!!!

Oh, and I always wear ear protection while shooting....guess it really doesn't help afterall.

[rsk68]

i cant here a thing but the owner of where i work always brings his dogs to work, needless to say i'm having a little fun right now.

rick klein

[StRacerDuke]

26 and can hear it even though my wife says I can't hear anything (Or maybe it was that I don't pay attention when she talks - I don't remember)

[CAMAROBOY69]

I can hear it too. 29 Its a recent false rumor going around that sais that the ringtone can only be heard by children. Its not true. The rumor was that children in school could text message each other without the teacher hear it. Its false as you can see most of us hear it. This is on just about every site online now.

[TonyL]

the difference is distance adam. How far away can you get before you lose the sound? The ringtone's seller claims adults can hear the noise up to one meter away. Kids can hear it outside and down the road.

[trapin]

I heard it, loud and clear. 35 years of age.

[Blaster11]

Just tried it on the dog, who was sound a sleep in the hallway, she woke her right up.

Bruce

[Rubes]

I saw this on the news and I was able to hear it when they played it. I was feeling pretty good at 45, but cant hear this one. But I still have better eyesight than half the youngsters here at work.

[69rs]

I heard it! Pretty annoying. I'm 38.

[69rs]

I just found out that it works well on my 20 something year old employees!

[Tim_in_NC]

Man, that hurts my ears... I hear it too well ... a 30 yr. old fart here...

My 42 yr. old co-worker couldn't hear a thing... Neat!

-TIM

[hdesign]

That was freakin annoying!

Note to self: Turn down computer volume BEFORE putting on earphones.

My father has a sonic mosquito repellent that he uses to walk the dogs. It sounds exactly the same. May parents can't hear it. Sometimes he forgets to shut it off and if I happen to visit them I hear that same noise as soon as I walk in! I usually spend 10 minutes looking for the stupid thing so I don't lose my mind!

Same thing with the people who have the sonic critter repellant alarms bordering their property, it drives the dog and I nuts on walks. My wife just looks at me like I need a straightjacket! (probably do for other reasons.)

[BuddyP]

Wow! I'm 30 and Ouch! But I am sitting right in front of the computer too, maybe I wouldn't hear it a few feet away??

It sure freaked out the Cat though :lmao:

[TonyL]

i have found that the cat, neighbors dog, my wife and kids, and the birds outside, HATE this sound. Now i've got a way to keep them 'damn kids off my lawn.

[nancejd]

I can hear it and I'm 33. I'd hate to have that as a ring tone, it does hurt my ears.

[shmoov69]

Hmph, go figure, my wife and I can both hear it. And we're not 20 anymore. But then we can both hear if a TV is on before we come in a room... You know that high pitched sound? Err, maybe you don't Tony :)

This reminds me of when I was in grade school and they test your hearing... Ok, now put on the headphones and when you hear a noise, raise your hand...
I am the exact same way! If my wife turns off the dish, and the TV is still on it makes that "electrical" sound. That kind of thing drives me insane! Espically when I ask someone else "do you hear that?" and they look at me like I am stoopid!:slap:

[6'9"Witha69]

Got home and turned it up. only a faint flat beep type sound to me. The baby (10 months old) had a fit! Then started laughing.

[Joe_Rocket]

My wife can hear it, but I gotta crank the volume up way high to hear it. The strange thing is that to me it's so faint and just a plain single tone. But it's definately metally disturbing, even though it's not that loud. It's just like that particular note has some real negative resonance with your mind. I'm not sure how to describe it except to say it's like the feeling you get when your eyes witnessed something disturbing happening, but in this case, it's your your ears, and you're not sure what it was. Call me strange, but did you get a real disturbing feeling in near the end of the movie Casino when they killed Joe Pesci's character with a bat? That didn't sit well with me seeing that for several hours after. That sound is almost like that kind of negative effect.

[neki67]

43 (in a couple of days) & I can hear it. No problem. I'm also one of these people who can hear the high pitch tone when the tv is on.

[zbugger]

I can hear it just fine. And I can hear that stupid TV sound from three rooms away. Talk about annoying. I might listen to my metal loud as hell, but I still have good hearing.

[OHCbird]

I call BS (OK- 85% BS). I fly a 4-engine turboprop aircraft for a living & could hear it just fine.

[Steve68]

The G/F couldnt hear it, but I got some crappy speakers at home!

[zero g]

I gotta crank the volume up way high to hear it.

Same here @ 45.

[landyacht67]

I don't hear it, but my computer at work doesn't have speakers.

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

ill tell you what tho.. that gave my timpanic membrane like 30 more horsepower!

[NovaPwr]

Hmmmm.....I'm 48 and could hear it just fine, turned it down and still heard it. Walked outside and still heard it. When the Morning Show on CBS aired this the other day the wife and I heard nothing. Ya know, maybe they were just messin with us old people and never even really played anything! hehehe....Maybe all these years of wearing my hearing protection has paid off! lol.

Dave

[formula]

Ugh...that gave me a headache. Not cool. I'm 19 and would hate to have that on my phone.

I played it for my little sister, who has abnormally sensetive hearing...she flipped. You would have thought I was holding a knife to her throat. Wild.

[Kenova]

I'm pushin' 52 and can't hear it, and that my friends is even more irritating.
Ken

[romar 02 SS]

OK I heard it...volume all the way up, ear pressed to speaker. No problem and I'm only 44... I SAID I'M ONLY 44.

[Motorhead]

35 here and heard it just fine. Dog's still barking. Wife couldn't hear it at all. Both of my boys could hear it. The TV thing can be annoying too. I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one that can hear the tv "sound." :cool:

[69rs]

I have just played the noise about 6-8 times with my wife in the room. It's killing me, but she never said anything. My 8 year old daughter walked in and I played it. She immediatley jerked her head around and asked what that noise was!

[Beige]

25 here and I heard it right away with the sound almost off. (both the
PC and player volumes were at 1)

I actually heard this used before but I thought it was just the electronics on the phone and not an actual ringtone.

[OHCbird]

Anyone else suspicious that this might be a subliminal marketing campaign to 30+ yo men? Naaaaah.....


Damn- why can't I shake this urge for McDonalds????? :doh:

[Larry Callahan]

It's almost painfull. I hear it loud and clear at 39 and the wife can just hear it. The cat's didn't like it either. I think I'll play it again. LOL! I guess wearing ear plugs working in a machine shop the last 20 years is working.

[chicane67]

That is just as bad as the wife leaving the TV on downstairs..... and yeah, that is annoying.

[WS6]

Oh wow and all this time I thought I was weird for being able to hear a TV that was on but didn't have any volume to it. Heard that awful high pitched noise as well.

[Beegs]

They just had a segment on this on CNN. Long and short of it is if you can't hear it you have a certain amount of deterioration with your hearing. They said stores in malls often play this sound to keep young kids out LOL

[MoeBawlz]

Oh I hear it and that drives me up a wall.

[crazyfireman]

I cant hear it at all!!!

[406 Q-ship]

I'll be 40 in 28 minutes and heard those annoying sounds!!! I used be around open exhaust.:drive: