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Poll

How high can you hear?

12 KHz
[ 2 ] (2.9%)
14 KHz
[ 4 ] (5.9%)
16 KHz
[ 5 ] (7.4%)
17 KHz
[ 9 ] (13.2%)
17.5 KHz
[ 3 ] (4.4%)
18 KHz
[ 14 ] (20.6%)
18.5 KHz
[ 10 ] (14.7%)
19 KHz
[ 11 ] (16.2%)
20 KHz
[ 10 ] (14.7%)

Total Members Voted: 145

Topic: How high can you hear (with music & lowpass) (Read 36990 times) previous topic - next topic
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How high can you hear (with music & lowpass)

Reply #25
I found the same.  17khz sounded clearly different, but 17.5khz they sounded identical.

Heh, this also showed me that my left tweeter doesn't go above 14khz!    How crappy!

(btw, i've voted now at 17khz - very sneeky)
< w o g o n e . c o m / l o l >

How high can you hear (with music & lowpass)

Reply #26
What means to ABX a file?
How to do it?

How high can you hear (with music & lowpass)

Reply #27
Use a program, like WinABX (by KikeG, starter of this poll )
clickme

How high can you hear (with music & lowpass)

Reply #28
Quote
Use a program, like WinABX (by KikeG, starter of this poll )
clickme

OK, will try to hear tomorrow. Will report here, batman

How high can you hear (with music & lowpass)

Reply #29
ABX is a method of testing audible differences, it's a type of DBT (double-blind test). See FAQ thread at the general section.

How high can you hear (with music & lowpass)

Reply #30
the problem is not hearing a 20k or 18k signal, it's differentiating between 18k and 20k, since mechanic resonators (like the human ear) become more broad-banded with higher frequencies.

00h

How high can you hear (with music & lowpass)

Reply #31
You're right, but many people can hear 18 KHz content and cannot hear 19 KHz content. Also, I think it is interesting to know how high I can hear, because simply I want to know, and because it has some obvious implications on lossy codecs tuning and use.

How high can you hear (with music & lowpass)

Reply #32
I'm seeing in the pool that some people can supposedly hear 19-20 KHz content, but so far only two of them have provided ABX results. Anyone of the others has some ABX results?

How high can you hear (with music & lowpass)

Reply #33
Hello. I've decided to provide the accurate results. Used KikeG's fine program WinABX. (had a hard time this time .. maybe because i have a cold)

Code: [Select]
-------------------------------------
WinABX v0.22 (ABA) test report
12/19/2002 17:36:35

A file: E:\ABX\Chenoa_19KHz.wav
B file: E:\ABX\Chenoa_19KHz_lowpass.wav

17:37:05    1/1  p=33.3%
17:37:53    2/2  p=11.1%
17:38:19    3/3  p= 3.7%
17:38:43    4/4  p= 1.2%
17:39:14    5/5  p= 0.4%
17:39:42    6/6  p= 0.1%
-------------------------------------
WinABX v0.22 (ABA) test report
12/19/2002 17:45:06

A file: E:\ABX\Chenoa_20KHz.wav
B file: E:\ABX\Chenoa_20KHz_lowpass.wav

17:46:04    1/1  p=33.3%
17:46:44    2/2  p=11.1%
17:47:23    3/3  p= 3.7%
17:48:01    4/4  p= 1.2%
17:48:58    5/5  p= 0.4%
17:49:48    6/6  p= 0.1%
17:49:48  test finished

How high can you hear (with music & lowpass)

Reply #34
@SK1: my previous post was aimed to the other people that hasn't provided any ABX results, but good to have more results from you.

 

How high can you hear (with music & lowpass)

Reply #35
Yeah i thought so, but felt that anyway it would be more complete . Thanks.

How high can you hear (with music & lowpass)

Reply #36
Yep, ABXed this lately, and it seems I'm able
to hear music up to 18.5

18.5 Hz ABX 8/8
19 Hz ABX 5/8
19 Hz ABX (again) 11/16 (hell, I can SOMETIMES distinguish that...)
I've changed only because of myself.
Remember, when you quote me, you're quoting AstralStorm.
(read: this account is dead)

How high can you hear (with music & lowpass)

Reply #37
I can hear 17-18 Khz (using ABX 0.23).
Will do more test when I get  TerraTec DMX 6fire 24/96... will see if it changes something.

How high can you hear (with music & lowpass)

Reply #38
Wow, i´m impressed!

Either that samples are better, more worse or my ears got better    B)

The frequency test from pcabx, i could not hear no differences at all!

Here, it looks like this:

Code: [Select]
kHz   WinABX
12     10/10
14     10/10
16      9/10
17      5/5    (got lazy, because of WinABX - see below - and because it got hard already!)
17.5    5/5    (yeah! more easy this time - needed a gap, it seems)
18      -/-    (even more lazy)
18.5    9/10
19      9/10   *grin*
20      no way (but i feel that it COULD be possible ... need a better day for that - and relaxed ears)
21      no way
21.5    no way


So, a lowpass of 19 is too low for me (and so, --alt-preset standard!)
19.5 may be, 20 will be enough for me, with 20.5 having a bit more room - so, 20.5 was a good choice, so far 
Sad, that there is no 19.5 kHz sample   

Some comments:

That WinABX is, say a FINE programm      - but i will try another! WinABX is quite uncomfortable ...

I did not completely understand that test, i need to say.
Those samples got faster and faster ... why?!?! (probably just don´t understand enough about thos ethings    B) )
I needed to concentrate on two peeks somewhere in the middle!

The basic-samples did not use a lowpass and the ones called *lowpass* where made with a lowpass at the given kHz-number, yes?


Edited to add this:

I tested the 20 kHz sample and noticed the following:

At my first try every time, i have quite a good score to get it right!
But second and subsequent trials i cannot even guess ...
I need to concentrate on that two peeks somewhere in the middle of the sample.
I very strongly have the feeling that my ears reduce sensitivity because of the OTHER sounds around that two peeks. They are to loud compared to that peeks ... does anybody have similar samples to try?


Edited again:

I tried castanets-060_lo18KHz.wav against castanets-060_lo22KHz.wav and had NO chance!
It seems, i need special samples for that - like Chenoa   
3.90.3 --alt-preset extreme -V0 --lowpass 20.5 -> yeah!
"extremist of extreme", johnV @ Sep 13 2002 - 02:01 PM  ;-)

How high can you hear (with music & lowpass)

Reply #39
I'm impressed too.  Impressed by the fact that you would ressurect a dead thread (December 21st, 2002).

Later.
"Did you just say he contacts you through a bird? Did I just hear you say that?" Sonny Valerio (Cliff Gorman). Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai.

How high can you hear (with music & lowpass)

Reply #40
Hi Ger@co,
to be honest, i don´t understand your concept of "old".   

This is a valid thread (or topic), not locked, not closed and not deleted. For me, and any other person reading this the first time, it is as good as new ...
Also, the last reply - from 12. Dec 2002 - is only three month away!
What, if the next reader will stumble upon it in 10 years? For him, it will be quite an interesting and valid thread to reply to!

As i think about that, it seems, you tracked the thread, did you?   
Or did you look every other day manually?   

Anyway, i would like to get 19.5 and 20.5 kHz samples   
3.90.3 --alt-preset extreme -V0 --lowpass 20.5 -> yeah!
"extremist of extreme", johnV @ Sep 13 2002 - 02:01 PM  ;-)

How high can you hear (with music & lowpass)

Reply #41
TJA, I think indeed this test is quite useful no matter how old is it.

About your comments, you seem to have quite good hearing. The fact that you can hear "higher" here as opposed to PCABX samples is because the special clips I used. They are also speeded up for this reason, read the thread and the page explanations and I think you will understand why.

Hearing high frequencies is in practice limited my ear masking, low frequencies mask easily higher frequencies, and since most of the musical content is on low and medium frequencies, ultra-high frequencies get usually masked. With the "Chenoa" (name of a spanish singer) samples, the high frequency content is relatively unusual (bot not so much with modern music) both in amplitude and in frequency of the peaks. Resampling (speeding up) the samples I move the frequency of the peak, up in the frequency scale.

Note also that this is a near-worst-case test, most non-speeded up music doesn't have such high peaks at isolated frequencies over 16-17 KHz.

Quote
Anyway, i would like to get 19.5 and 20.5 kHz samples


I think I have them, but I ran out of web space, I guess I could send them to you via PM.

About your tests, don't stress too much, take your time to do them, and rest when needed.

How high can you hear (with music & lowpass)

Reply #42
Quote
Quote

Anyway, i would like to get 19.5 and 20.5 kHz samples


I think I have them, but I ran out of web space, I guess I could send them to you via PM.

Thanx for the explanation, Kikeg!

I would like to get that samples and have setup an ftp-mirror for such samples.

Here you could put your additional samples to:

    anonymous ftp (user "ftp") to 131.220.120.101:/devel/ftp/incoming

Here i will store all samples:

    anonymous ftp (user "ftp")  to 131.220.120.101:/devel/ftp/pub

Currently, it looks like this:

wav/kikeg
wav/pcabx
wav/mixed

later there will also be wav/sqam (see below)

I´m currently creating the same structure for Flac, WavPack and Monkey´s Audio.
This will take some time to reach the ftp-server as i am at home and only can use DSL at 128kbps, but it´s moving already!   

flac/kikeg
flac/sqam
flac/mixed

Comment: Flac is making problems for me ... it complans about some subchannels?!?! 

options: -P 4096 -b 4608 -m -l 12 -e -q 0 -r 0,6
piano1_1644_MASK06.wav: 94% complete, ratio=0,489piano1_1644_MASK06.wav: WARNING
: skipping unknown sub-chunk 'LIST'

wv/kikeg
wv/sqam
wv/mixed

ape/kikeg
ape/sqam
ape/mixed

Additionally, i plan to include the PCABX test-samples in the same structure as well (will take some time, as the directories made problems to my script - need to look at that):

flac/pcabx
wv/pcabx
ape/pcabx

I offer this place for any exchange of test-samples, if need is be!   

    Spread the Word      B)

Just put it into "/incoming" and i will move it to an appropriate location ...

Edited: ftp-mirror is set up as written above - only pcabx in compressed versions is missing
3.90.3 --alt-preset extreme -V0 --lowpass 20.5 -> yeah!
"extremist of extreme", johnV @ Sep 13 2002 - 02:01 PM  ;-)

How high can you hear (with music & lowpass)

Reply #43
VERY interesting test!  The first sample I tried (17.5) I didn't hear any difference between A and B until I concentrated on the bells.
After that, up to 18.5 I could guess pretty reliably by just playing X OR Y (like 10/12 reliable) and then playing the other
one to check.

By 21 khz I had to play X and Y multiple times to be sure, and occasionally check against A and B.

I didn't see how to get a text report from the program, so I just copied the scores off the screen..

12/12 right up to 21 kHz.

Particulars:
Age:  47
Phones: Sony V6
Soundcard: Intel I810 on motherboard

Even though I could detect the difference, I would be hard pressed to
say that I'd have reduced enjoyment listening to 17.5 khz limited music.
I would have to try with (good) speakers to see if imaging is affected,
which I don't percieve as strongly with phones.

Side note: 15 years or so ago (when my hearing was presumably better)
I was at an "audiophile"  friend's house checking out his system (and our ears)
with a test tone CD.  At 18 kHz I could only hear it in a very narrow angle
from the center axis of his tweeter, maybe +/- 5 degrees.  Beware that effect
if you try this test with speakers.

How high can you hear (with music & lowpass)

Reply #44
Quote
Comment: Flac is making problems for me ... it complans about some subchannels?!?! 

It's not sub-channels, but RIFF sub-chunks. A sub-chunk is part of a wave file that contains some type on information or comments about the data type. The warning can probably be ignored, just make sure that FLAC compression works ok.

About your ftp: nice! I'll pass my remaining samples when I have some time, I don't have access to them right now.

How high can you hear (with music & lowpass)

Reply #45
Quote
I didn't see how to get a text report from the program, so I just copied the scores off the screen..

There's a log file at the program location. However, no need to copy the whole log file, just final results, included p value, is fine.

Quote
12/12 right up to 21 kHz.

Particulars:
Age: 47
Phones: Sony V6
Soundcard: Intel I810 on motherboard


Interesting results... However, it's *really* strange that at 47 you are able to hear so easily 21 KHz signals... I'd try to repeat the test using some good quality sound card, instead of an embedded one. There's a possybility that your card is folding down into the lower audio spectrum those very high frequencies. One way of checking this somehow, is paying attention to the kind of differences heard. I believe that very high frequencies are not heard, but "felt" inside your head, the higher the frequency, the more this happens.

Edit: strictly talking, nobody can make sure that this is not happening with other peoples' setups, including amp and headphones/speakers. The better the audio setup, the less likely this is happening.

How high can you hear (with music & lowpass)

Reply #46
Quote
One way of checking this somehow, is paying attention to the kind of differences heard.

Another way is to create sine tones with changing pitch (e.g. sweeps) with some wave editor at the sampling rate you're going to use for abxing. Then listen to it through your soundcard. If you watch the spectral view while listening and you hear decreasing pitch at a point where frecquency increases in spectral view (or the other way round) you should change something, e.g. use other equipment, other drivers, even lowering system/wave volume could help in some cases. To improve security, you should burn the test sample to audio CD and listen to it on different (hopfully decent) CD-Players.

Quote
I believe that very high frequencies are not heard, but "felt" inside your head, the higher the frequency, the more this happens.


It's similar for me. Until 17.5kHz cutoff it sounds different to me (brightness of the "bing"s), at higher cutoffs I could abx (tried up to 18.5kHz so far) because it felt like there was some kind of increased presure in my ear causing some kind of dizzy feeling in my head. (No, I didn't listen at 130dB.  )
Let's suppose that rain washes out a picnic. Who is feeling negative? The rain? Or YOU? What's causing the negative feeling? The rain or your reaction? - Anthony De Mello

How high can you hear (with music & lowpass)

Reply #47
Quote
Another way is to create sine tones...

Yes, this is a more objective way of checking it. The best method is to record the sweep output of the card with a different, good card, and analyze the recording.

How high can you hear (with music & lowpass)

Reply #48
Quote
Interesting results... However, it's *really* strange that at 47 you are able to hear so easily 21 KHz signals...

I was surprised too.  As to the quality of sound I was keyed on it was always that the lowpassed
bell rings sounded a little duller, with the difference getting more subtle as the cutoff went up..

20 and 21 required a lot of concentration.  If there were a fold-down or mixing product providing a
"cheat", then I would expect the spurious tone would get lower as the frequency went up, and
distinguishing the samples would get easier or remain the same.    If the spurious low frequency
is only in the unfiltered wave, then would that still be the one to sound brighter?

Is it possible that the low pass filtering induced a temporal shift near the cutoff frequency?
That wouldn't show up in a spectrum analysis of the filtered wave.

Since the CD player isn't so good for A/B switching, maybe I can get the kids to
put together a random (but write it down!) sequence of the samples in 1 wave file
and then burn it.  then I can try to determine the sequence by listening.

For what it's worth, in high school there was a 30 khz transducer in the physics lab.  I couldn't
hear it as a tone, but I could always tell when it was on.  I've always been the type to take
ear plugs to rock concerts.

How high can you hear (with music & lowpass)

Reply #49
Quote
Is it possible that the low pass filtering induced a temporal shift near the cutoff frequency?
That wouldn't show up in a spectrum analysis of the filtered wave.

According to SpectraLab FFT magnitude & phase measurements, frequency response mismatch is below 0.1 dB up to 20900 Hz, phase response mismatch below 1 degree up to 21100 Hz.