New Study Reports Women Hear Better than Men

[Ron Resnick]

Study shows women can hear better than men

An international team of scientists has found that biological sex is the leading factor explaining differences in hearing sensitivity, with women having significantly more sensitive hearing than men.

www.news-medical.net

 

[Ron Resnick]

So why aren't there more women audiophiles?

 

[cmarin]

Ron,

That's an excellent question. I can only share my experiences and specifically in the case of my wife.

She loves music. Constantly singing and listening on her iPhone. But early on, with my previous systems, she found them "cringe worthy" - whereas I found satisfaction in the improvements the system brought from a sonic rather than a musical perspective.

That may, or may not have to do with females' "better hearing" - but it could potentially explain that their better hearing favors reproduction that is more musical and more refined.

As opposed to music reproduction that stresses the sonic (soundstage, bass, loudness, dynamics etc) - not necessarily musical - characteristics. Which is the case with the largely male dominated car stereo hobby, and to a certain extent a not insignificant part of some of the audiophile community.

It's a personal preference. Neither is right or wrong. It's cultural and biological.

But as you are well aware, developing a system that emphasizes the musical aspects is not easy and requires a great deal of presistence, curation, and time. And to a certain extent, it requires luck in finding the true professional experts that can help get on the right journey.

I couldn't begin to estimate what percentage of the audio systems in the wild tilts more toward the musical side. But I would venture it's not significant.

But I can say that as my personal system has evolved, it's become much more musical and her interest, participation and enjoyment has increased as well.
Well at least that's my hope as opposed to the cartoon below

 

[Republicoftexas69]

They may hear better but they do not listen.

 

[wil]

So why aren't there more women audiophiles?

Or, restated, this is why there aren’t more women audiophiles.

 

[MylesBAstor]

This reminds me of a study done many years ago showing that women had more sensory organs in their skin than men. Then someone pointed out that men had more physical jobs like jack hammering, working in factories, etc, that killed those sensory organs. No different here. Though who knows nowadays with earbuds and headphones.

 

[Lagonda]

Study shows women can hear better than men

An international team of scientists has found that biological sex is the leading factor explaining differences in hearing sensitivity, with women having significantly more sensitive hearing than men.

www.news-medical.net

Yes, what a waste !

 

[tony22]

Ron,

That's an excellent question. I can only share my experiences and specifically in the case of my wife.

She loves music. Constantly singing and listening on her iPhone. But early on, with my previous systems, she found them "cringe worthy" - whereas I found satisfaction in the improvements the system brought from a sonic rather than a musical perspective.

That may, or may not have to do with females' "better hearing" - but it could potentially explain that their better hearing favors reproduction that is more musical and more refined.

As opposed to music reproduction that stresses the sonic (soundstage, bass, loudness, dynamics etc) - not necessarily musical - characteristics. Which is the case with the largely male dominated car stereo hobby, and to a certain extent a not insignificant part of some of the audiophile community.

It's a personal preference. Neither is right or wrong. It's cultural and biological.

But as you are well aware, developing a system that emphasizes the musical aspects is not easy and requires a great deal of presistence, curation, and time. And to a certain extent, it requires luck in finding the true professional experts that can help get on the right journey.

I couldn't begin to estimate what percentage of the audio systems in the wild tilts more toward the musical side. But I would venture it's not significant.

But I can say that as my personal system has evolved, it's become much more musical and her interest, participation and enjoyment has increased as well.
Well at least that's my hope as opposed to the cartoon below


View attachment 148545

I must be lucky. Both my first wife (while she was still on this Earth with me) and my wife both loved/love listening to music, and both did and currently enjoy my system. Maybe there are some of us who (maybe through sheer luck? maybe through something else?) have looked at things in addition to the normal audiophile measuring sticks? But I just may be an odd audiophile. How many audiophiles have a listening loveseat?

 

[PYP]

I must be lucky. Both my first wife (while she was still on this Earth with me) and my wife both loved/love listening to music, and both did and currently enjoy my system. Maybe there are some of us who (maybe through sheer luck? maybe through something else?) have looked at things in addition to the normal audiophile measuring sticks? But I just may be an odd audiophile. How many audiophiles have a listening loveseat?

Sharing the hifi is so enjoyable. Recently, my wife streamed a 70s album. The sound was awful and she immediately asked me how to find a higher resolution file of the same album! Loved that.

And, later, when I was listening to a singer/pianist she asked if the singer was also the pianist. What? How did she know that? Just who is the audiophile here?

And when she puts on one of her favorite albums at high volume (very unusual for her and the article gives one reason) and dances, I'm a happy camper.

Yes, she can also listen to two conversations at once. That "myth" is true. Amazing to witness.

She doesn't care about gear, but we have agreed to agree upon the aesthetics before purchase. Never been a problem.

 

[dcathro]

I would definitely agree with this.

In my experience with female friends and wives of audio friends, many of them can discern musical qualities - tone, dynamics, pace, rhythm & timing far easier than us. Generally speaking, they lack the vocabulary to describe it well, and have no interest in the equipment or spending lots of time sitting in front of an audio system.

 

[mtemur]

How many women buying expensive cars or collectible art or even collecting anything? All they want to do is constantly buying regular, cheap stuff and keep changing them. Their hobby is buying and spending as much as possible in my opinion. I think spending big for an audio setup doesn’t make sense for them.

 

[Ron Resnick]

How many women buying expensive cars or collectible art or even collecting anything? All they want to do is constantly buying regular, cheap stuff and keep changing them.

Please tell Chanel that its business model is a failure.

 

[tony22]

Wow. I guess Ron’s secret time travel machine he had attached to the original post did work, and we are back in the 1950s! But seriously, I’ve found personally that people I’ve met with any latent interest in well presented music, be they male or female - if introduced kindly and in a welcomed manner to music on a high end system - usually appreciate it and come to appreciate listening to music on higher end systems. Do they need to be in the buying club to be considered audiophiles? Maybe that’s a different question.

 

[SoundMann]

These are faulty findings on their part, I assure you. Women possess certain sensitivities that aid them in their natural roles as mothers. But all but a few fail to possess the intellect, and thusfore the hearing acuity required for serious listening.

 

[Don Reid]

Like Tony22 I too was for fifty-one years blessed with an audiophile wife. She not only loved listening to music on the stereo she also enjoyed buying new components. So unusual was her audiophile nature that it was even mentioned during her funeral.

 

[Elliot G.]

I don't think this is ground breaking news, since I have heard this forever. Why they do not like to sit and listen to audio systems that I have no clue but none of my relationships gave two craps about it for more than 5-10 minutes once or twice. I found they liked to go to concerts since that is event based, requires them getting dressed up mostly , having a nice meal and doing something that was fun or different. When I wanted to go sit and listen in my room they were mostly gone in 60 seconds, about the same response to watching a football game on a perfectly good Sunday afternoon. These occurrences mostly led to some sort of conflict.
Maybe thats why I am single LOL

BTW as an Audio dealer for over 50 years the number of women clients that have come in looking to purchase an audio system was very small. The ones that did generally were excellent clients and serious but the numbers are very small.

 

[tony22]

Many a truth is told in jest, I suppose.

(We really do need a laughing emoji in our dropdown emojicons.)

 

[Elliot G.]

BTW with my lifetime of experiences I really don't want the women I am with to share all my likes and hobbies. I believe that some separation is good especially for me LOL.

 

[dminches]

Maybe women spend their time listening to music and not their equipment.

 

[Johan K]

Like Tony22 I too was for fifty-one years blessed with an audiophile wife. She not only loved listening to music on the stereo she also enjoyed buying new components. So unusual was her audiophile nature that it was even mentioned during her funeral.

Extraordinary !!