I am officially old
I just read an article in the New York Times about a new ringtone that’s so high-pitched, only young ears can hear it. I played the mp3 several times, and heard nothing, but that’s no surprise. I have some sensorineural hearing loss, which runs in my family, and it affects the high tones. So I wasn’t really expecting to hear it well. But I was expecting to hear something.
I called in PW’s youth corps. Intern Katy Bolesta, who’s 20, heard it so well, she said she’d be annoyed if she had to listen to it often. Kate Kilpatrick, our A&E editor who’s 24 or 28, depending on the day, also heard it clearly, as did 23-year-old staff writer Cassidy Hartmann and 21-year-old intern Maya Francis. Intern Alissa Tallman heard nothing, but then, she’s 35.
Try it yourself. Does it have anything to do with mental health? No. But it’s freaking me out.
liz | 2:14 PM | Uncategorized
I could hear it! I turned the big 30 earlier this year and it was with some trepidation that I clicked on the link. But it’s small consolation, considering I have to visit the optometrist tomorrow to get my eyes tested again.
I posted about this. I don’t feel like I hear it, but my ears hurt when I play it. Really.
I’m 28 and can hear it quite well. I would have to consider stabbing my eardrums out if I heard that sound for more than a few milliseconds every couple of months. I actually felt my blood pressure jump when I put the headphone up towards my head.
I am 24 with poor hearing but I heard it and it hurt like a mofo.
What’s with all the girls working at PW? THIS OPPRESSION OF MEN MUST END!
I heard it and it’s annoying as hell…like a high-pitched TV squeak, if you know what I mean. Like if you mute an older TV, you don’t hear the volume but you hear the sound of the TV itself running. Hard to explain…
They have something similar in England, meant to keep teens from loitering in front of convenience stores. I heard it fairly well, and I’m 33.
The link:
http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/02/15/060215133756.3rq2yx5p.html
Apparently they high-jacked the teenager deterrent for teen benefit. Sneaky.
We’re expected to actually want to hear this come out of our phone?
I think I’ll stick with my “Sir Duke” ringtone and continue to annoy everybody within a 30 foot radius.
If you want to find out what your hearing threshold is, this website has audio samples with a range of frequencies that should help determine it.
http://www.ochenk.com/entry.php?id=63
26 year old me heard it just fine
I’m not sure I hear it. It just sounds like a faint high pitched whistle. What an odd concept.
27 heard it. Seriously annoying – can’t imagine wanting to have this as a ringtone just to get around teachers.
My boyfriend played that tone last night without warning me. I had no idea what I was hearing, but it was horrible. I yelled “What the hell was that?!” and he was said “Oh, so you heard that?”
I thought it was akin to torture, but he could barely hear it. We’re both 27 (well, I will be in a month). I wonder if there’s a gender factor there as well?
I will be 44 in a month…and I heard a high pitched squeal…that would annoy the crap out of me.
Thing is, if you are in a pretty loud area, or you aren’t near the phone…I wouldn’t hear it.
Honestly….that would be a good ring tone for me at work…a lot of the people I have to treat are elderly, and I work at night. I wouldn’t have to worry about waking them up if the phone rang….but I know I wouldn’t hear it in a code.
Well I’m 17 going on 18 this year and I heard it. But to tell you the truth, it didn’t really hurt my ears. It could be annoying if I repeatedly kept listening to it, though. It’s like someone said earlier, you know when a t.v. buzzes even when the volume is off. It could get annoying I think but it’s pretty kool.
31, heard it
Reply: