Can we hear sound above 20kHz!

[Friesiansam]

Humans cannot hear above roughly 20Khz, that is proven fact, however, that higher frequencies can be perceived (Not heard) by humans is quite possible.

Bill

I suspect, if the amplitude is great enough, we might be able to detect higher frequencies through our finger tips.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

I suspect, if the amplitude is great enough, we might be able to detect higher frequencies through our finger tips.

Quoting one of my posts from elsewhere - I suspect that if so we'd be in trouble!

Reading a book about the extremes in nature/physics etc. The one on loudness is interesting. The French Horn is the loudest unamplified instrument, and a third of players under 40 have some related hearing loss. Something like Saturn V taking off is around 200dB, whereas Krakatoa or Tunguska were reckoned to be between 300-315dB*. Above 160dB at close range is apparently 'probably not survivable'.

*Being near anything like this would not only blow your eardrums, but also pulverise organs and shatter bones.

 

[Friesiansam]

Quoting one of my posts from elsewhere - I suspect that if so we'd be in trouble!

Reading a book about the extremes in nature/physics etc. The one on loudness is interesting. The French Horn is the loudest unamplified instrument, and a third of players under 40 have some related hearing loss. Something like Saturn V taking off is around 200dB, whereas Krakatoa or Tunguska were reckoned to be between 300-315dB*. Above 160dB at close range is apparently 'probably not survivable'.

*Being near anything like this would not only blow your eardrums, but also pulverise organs and shatter bones.

There is always a downside!

 

[AJM1981]

just get a gradually tone sweep test and listen to when everything fades. Then any notice of instruments that might have overtones beyond that range (rarely utilized) makes no sense to mention in the context of needing a tweeter that goes beyond our range of hearing.

 

[Roog]

Just my thoughts on this. Humans evolved so that the strongest and most agile survived and that included hearing predators before they jumped on us and ate us.

We didn't evolve sufficiently to hear bats echo locating , possibly because they don't pose a threat.

Given the short time cymbals have coexisted with us and the infrequent exposure and the actual threat they pose to us, I cant imagine that we have yet had time to evolve to hear cymbals at their best!

HiFi just hasn't been in our lives for long enough for us to require super human hearing. Our senses were 'not designed' for our short lived modern life.

Similarly we have evolved to have good colour daytime vision and not to have good high vision because we choose to hide away when its dark?

 

[manicm]

Just my thoughts on this. Humans evolved so that the strongest and most agile survived and that included hearing predators before they jumped on us and ate us.

We didn't evolve sufficiently to hear bats echo locating , possibly because they don't pose a threat.

Given the short time cymbals have coexisted with us and the infrequent exposure and the actual threat they pose to us, I cant imagine that we have yet had time to evolve to hear cymbals at their best!

HiFi just hasn't been in our lives for long enough for us to require super human hearing. Our senses were 'not designed' for our short lived modern life.

Similarly we have evolved to have good colour daytime vision and not to have good high vision because we choose to hide away when its dark?

We perhaps can't hear above 20khz frequencies in isolation, but we can certainly feel it. Psycho acoustic experts think so, especially when combined with other sounds at lower frequencies.

And I want to stress again, there are relatively few true high res compatible hifi systems out there. Amps and speakers must be capable of reproducing above 30khz for example.

 

[GeoffreyW]

I have a speaker test L.P. record issued by JBL, where a demonstration is provided on just this subject.
On one track sound is recorded normally, and on the second track all frequencies above 20 kHz are removed, and there is a noticeable difference.
Look the album out and try it yourself. At the time I couldn't hear frequencies above 14 kHz.