You may have read the story about high frequency ring tones that only young people can hear. Now someone has posted some mp3s to test your range of hearing.
At a local shopping mall where I grew up, one of the department stores had some kind of sonic system at the entrance that I found very painful, but no one else in my family could hear. Now 30 years later, I wonder how my hearing has changed.
I found the 17000 Hz quite painful, 18000 not so much, 19000 again was painful. 20000 I could just barely notice. Nothing above that. Not too bad for my age.
BTW, my cat Alex has about the same range as I. He really got upset at the 17000 and 18000 Hz sounds.
I listened to the one from the NY Times site–I couldn’t hear it at work but it was quite audible at home–unpleasant but not awful. The wife said she found it painful.
I did this on 2 different days. On the 1st day I could only hear up to 14,000 Hz. Today, I could hear up to 17,000 comfortably, and up to 19,000 very faintly. (I am a healthy 50 yo)
I have a friend who is an audiologist. He says the normal frequency for everyday conversation is between 4,000 and 8,000 Hz. His office tests only up to 8,000 Hz. This info was MOST comforting, and I’m not panicking.