Can you hear this?

[Pegasus Marsters]

Interesting, I'd like to find out who can actually here this. I have a friend in his mid 20's who can and I can too. Apparently only teenagers should be able to hear it and as you get older you cant hear sounds as high.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5434687

Click on "download ringtone" and have a listen to see if you can hear it.

[Alley Cat]

I can hear it and I am a teenager twice over:gurn:

[snowbear]

Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!
..yes, I can hear it. Yeeouch!

ETA: direct link to the mp3: link (http://download.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/atc/atc_teenbuzz.mp3)

[jessie58]

Interesting, I'd like to find out who can actually here this. I have a friend in his mid 20's who can and I can too. Apparently only teenagers should be able to hear it and as you get older you cant hear sounds as high.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5434687

Click on "download ringtone" and have a listen to see if you can hear it.


OH MY GOD I swear to god my DD14 was screaming for me to turn off that horrible noise, she didn't even know what I was playing, I didn't hear a thing. I asked her to look away and when I pushed the button she put her hands over her ears and kept saying don't you hear that are you deaf?
Is this a joke? Are you guys pulling my leg? WTF?

[snowbear]

OH MY GOD I swear to god my DD14 was screaming for me to turn off that horrible noise, she didn't even know what I was playing, I didn't hear a thing. I asked her to look away and when I pushed the button she put her hands over her ears and kept saying don't you hear that are you deaf?
Is this a joke? Are you guys pulling my leg? WTF?
I wish I was! Plus, how would your DD have known what you were doing?

[wavebaby]

OOOOOWWWWWWWW!!!Holy Crap!! That was loud...I wasn't prepared for that! Well, I guess at almost 35 I have superb hearing, 'cause I had NO problem with that:grinhappy:

[Pegasus Marsters]

No leg pulling. It's all about the ability to hear sounds of a certain pitch. And as Snowbear said, OW! It's really really horrible to hear! *shudders* I mean, it plain HURTS to listen to. I heard it for all of 5 seconds and started to get a headache.

[trolleypup]

Hee! I can hear it. But then when I go for my physical each year, when they do the hearing test they always say "Don't wear earphones much, do you?"

I'm glad I did it on this machine, which has the crappy speakers...

[Nastasska]

I couldn't hear it:stress: :eek: :sob: :mad:

[Pegasus Marsters]

Count yourself lucky if you cant! lol! Not pleasant!

[jessie58]

I cannot believe I can't hear it. On the other hand I'll be 48 in 3 weeks from now. My ears are just too old. Waaa.

[BBGrrl]

That is evil. Mean mean girl. What did I do to you. I never poked your ears out with an ice pick. Mean mean girl.

My ears are still ringing. My partner played it 5 times and couldn't hear it. I had to go outside because it hurt so bad.

[LittleFlower]

Definitely hear it. It hurt even on the low volume of my speakers *ouch*

[wonderlywroughte]

I can hear it. It is HORRID! :drool:

[Nastasska]

I cannot believe I can't hear it. On the other hand I'll be 48 in 3 weeks from now. My ears are just too old. Waaa.

I'm 35 and I can't hear it lets start an Aged Ears Club for those of us who have just found out our ears are knackered:depressed:

[moonchiald]

DH and I both could hear it. I have had some sinus problems and didn't hear it the first time I played it. After I popped my ears I could hear it. My ENT has told me I can hear 4 pitches higher than the normal range.


ETA: It keeps bouncing around my head. I didn't tell DH what I was doing and he just about came off the couch. hehe

[Pegasus Marsters]

*hugs for Jessie* I'd rather NOT be able to hear it, believe me.

BBGrrl: I'm sorry! I just wanted to find out who could hear it. It's facinating!

*hugs to all those whose poor ears got hurt*

[BBGrrl]

Peg~ I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by saying that. I was laughing about it. You are really a sweet person. I did have to leave the house. But I would have listened to it on my own had I found it.

[snowbear]

I just wanted to find out who could hear it. It's facinating!

*hugs to all those whose poor ears got hurt* It's REALLY fascinating, truly. Who knew we could hear such great things? But, it's also REALLY high and...owie!
Although, someone explain why "turn down that racket" comes from adults, hearing sounds that we teenagers don't. :lafhard:

ETA: I'm not mad at you at all, by the way. Just giving you a hard time. :happy:

[jessie58]

I'm 35 and I can't hear it lets start an Aged Ears Club for those of us who have just found out our ears are knackered:depressed:


Could this be because I used to live with a musician for 8 years in my youth and then had 4 teenagers who blast their music from every corner of the house?

[enitsirk]

I played it for 2 seconds just to see if I could hear. And I saw ow the owies so turned it off when I found out that yes...I can. I've always had good hearing though..at least when I want to =p

And I don't know if everybody I knew that every used one just did it wrong or something else, but am I the only one that can hear dog whistles? I thought people weren't supposed to be able to..would there be a way to make it so people could hear it (doing it 'wrong' I mean)

[Ali]

Yay I could hear it! :D Sounded like a monitor switching modes or a television being turned on. I wouldn't say it's a painful noise though, so either I'm used to high pitched noises or I didn't hear everything I was supposed to hear!

I've actually got pretty shocking hearing, but I can always pick out a high pitched sound. I'll be the person at the party trying to yell over the music that somebody's phone is ringing three rooms away. :D

[moonchiald]

I think it made my eyes hurt! LOL! After the last time I played it my vision went a little wonky!

[getoffmyskittle]

And I don't know if everybody I knew that every used one just did it wrong or something else, but am I the only one that can hear dog whistles? I thought people weren't supposed to be able to..would there be a way to make it so people could hear it (doing it 'wrong' I mean)

Yes! I can hear dog whistles.

And that buzz thing made me feel like my ears were plugging. I'm still popping them. Darn you, Peg.

[Alley Cat]

As I said I heard it but it wasn't loud and annoying for me nor did it hurt my ears which means my hearing isn't as good as the teen's but better than some of the older ones [sorry Andraste , jessie58]:gurn:

[Nastasska]

I can hear dog whistles at least I used to be able to:ooh:
I'm blaming playing music too loud for years:parp:

Join The Aged Ears Club If you can't hear come ear:cheesy:

[jessie58]

As I said I heard it but it wasn't loud and annoying for me nor did it hurt my ears which means my hearing isn't as good as the teen's but better than some of the older ones [sorry Andraste , jessie58]:gurn:


Old bat here and proud of it. LOL

[Alley Cat]

Did you guys try turning up the volume on your computer maybe you could hear it then? I turned mine up as it's always down low unless I am listening to music.:purplex:

[Nastasska]

Bat Out Of Hell :lafhard: Oh well now I have an excuse for playing music loud:innocent:

[Nastasska]

Did you guys try turning up the volume on your computer maybe you could hear it then? I turned mine up as it's always down low unless I am listening to music.:purplex:

I turned the speaker up fairly high I'll put it on full boar and see if I do any better Be right back

[jessie58]

Bat Out Of Hell :lafhard: Oh well now I have an excuse for playing music loud:innocent:


He he he :lafhard:

[SunCat]

YIKES that was awful!!! and hurt my ears and I haven't been a teenager for more years that I would like to admit :lafhard:

ETA: I have very good hearing.

[Pegasus Marsters]

To all the music references:

Maturity is knowing that the volume control turns to the left! :lafhard:

[jessie58]

Did you guys try turning up the volume on your computer maybe you could hear it then? I turned mine up as it's always down low unless I am listening to music.:purplex:


yah I turned it up to the end and my daughter screamed.

[Nastasska]

Turned it up full blast-still nothing:pissed:

[iris]

I do hear something, and it does sound unpleasant, like a high-pitched buzzing sound, but it's not incredibly loud for me. Maybe I can hear just a small part of the frequencies involved? So I'm a little old but not too-too old?

I sure hope I didn't just wake up all the teenagers in my appartment building...

Iris

[Nastasska]

For all us Old Bats:whoohoo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILSia65E4N4&search=bat%20out%20of%20hell

[Alley Cat]

Oh dear Andraste and jessie58 never mind :parp:

[enitsirk]

MEATLOAF!!!

I <3 Meatloaf =p

/hijack

[Alley Cat]

I'm 35 and I can't hear it lets start an Aged Ears Club for those of us who have just found out our ears are knackered:depressed:
hmm just had a thought Andraste your 35 and your twin Nastasska from LHC is 95 is that right :evileye: ;)

[mira-chan]

owww! I hear it, loud and headache producing clear. -_-

[jessie58]

Oh dear Andraste and jessie58 never mind :parp:

Actually from everybody's reactions, it's a good thing that we can't hear it.:happy:

[TheFragile]

I can't hear a thing, and I'm only 4 years out of teenagerdom... or two years if 18 and 19 count too. I guess I've stood front row at too many concerts...

Wheres rockerdude when you need him?

[Nastasska]

The Loaf Rules:whoohoo:

[Nastasska]

Actually if you add them together you get our real age:innocent:

[Alley Cat]

Actually if you add them together you get our real age:innocent:
Ahh your funny:pissed:

[dancingbarefoot]

The news articles about it are a bit inaccurate. It's not that only teens should be able to hear it, it's that only people with good auditory reception in high frequencies should be able to hear it. It just happens that there are more teenagers (and young kids) in that group than not.

And yes, I can hear it. :happy:

[Niniane]

Man that's annoying.

I used to have a tv that made a similar sound if you left it on with the cable off, my mom never heard it :rolleyes:

[ShanaMaidela]

Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!
..yes, I can hear it. Yeeouch!

ETA: direct link to the mp3: link (http://download.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/atc/atc_teenbuzz.mp3)


Ditto! I'm 24. I do not want to listen to that. :evileye: Just for a note, my parents (in their 50s) were in the room and could not hear it.

[Pilgrim]

Ha - well, I could hear it, but only with the sound turned up all the way and with my ear positioned just so. If I turned my head, I could no longer hear it, and when I could hear it, it didn't seem very loud or bothersome. I'll have to see if my DD (5) can hear it tomorrow (and if she finds it really annoying).

[Lady Godiva]

Oh, yeah, I could hear that. It's awful. It's like my ears were plugged, but I could hear a super high-pitched "screeeee". :eek:

[hairymonster]

Augh! I heard that! It's the sound I hear sometimes in the absence of all other sounds, like when I'm alone in a well-insulated car or a soundproof chamber.

[jessie58]

OMG I could be the most evil mother in the world if I wanted. DS11 just came in the room and I played this as he and DD14 were looking at the tv and she started yelling at me and he looked really alarmed and said "do you hear that?" Bwahaha. I could use this for evil purposes.

[peripheralvisionary]

I'm 46 and I could hear it. It made my head hurt too. DD14 and DS17 didn't like it either.

[Nastasska]

It's funny my dogs didn't complain I wonder if they heard it:gurn:

[Love My Cop]

I tried it several times at hig volume, and could'nt hear a thing. I called my son into room, and played it again, without him knowing what I was doing and he yelled " TURN THAT ANNOYING SOUND DOWN!!" I asked him what sound, and he said the one coming out of the speakers. He then thought I was a little crazy, because I could'nt hear it...lol He's 10 years old

[NaomiMcC]

OW OW OW!!! That literally made my teeth hurt!!!

[NaomiMcC]

Ugh...the hubs can hear it too....yeeeeah....*shudder*

[merry]

YES I HEARD IT!!!!!! :pissed:
Can't hear anything esle now but.... my poor ears :whoa:

Interestingly enough, I am 37, the stepson is 15 and he couldn't hear it at all until I called him over to listen and even then not until I turned it up as loud as it would go... I played it several times without him even knowing!! :whoohoo:

[Polgara]

28 and over the hill :whyme: - I can't hear nothin. Too many music concerts i suppose, and from your comments i'm kinda glad i didn't hear nothin!

[nicolezoie]

Owwie.
I was anxious for it to be OVER. (had to find out though - I have problems with mid-range sound - blurs into the background)

[darkwaves]

My laptop doesn't like this sound. The first time I tried it, there was just a slight crackle from the computer. I figured I couldn't hear because of my aged hearing, but then when I tried again, I heard it. Well, something, anyway. A high pitched whining (still with that static crackle -- it's at a pitch my computer clearly does not like or want to play) that set my dog whining, too.

I'd like to try this from a different computer, with better speakers. Well, not "like", maybe. But it would be interesting. (The dog is now back at my feet, so I can't try it again.)

What is odd is that my ears hurt both times -- does that make sense?

[SilverLocks]

Old Bat here! Tried 3 times and could not hear a thing. Lucky me!

[Koala Kim]

Well...
after 5 tries I heard something for a few seconds. But it wasn't high pitched at all. Maybe my computer was just tired of me trying that same thing over and over again. :gurn:

I'm not surprised though. My hearing was damaged about 12 years ago when I had an ear infection caused by not one but two different types of bacteria. Lasted 2 months. Not fun at all...
I have problems hearing high and low pitch sounds. Guess I'm just a middle of the road old bat. :gurn:

*Nods to Andraste for the 'Bat out of Hell' link* :whoohoo:

[Pierre]

My OS doesn't recognize my sound card, so I can't try, but my hearing went up to 14 or 15 kHz last I checked, which was a long time ago. I once worked on a program to make a bar code reader called a Micro-Wand record and play back voice when connected to a piece of hardware (for recording - the playback was through its internal speaker). The sample rate was 9 kHz, and I played each sample twice, writing timing-critical code in assembly language. One of my coworkers could hear 18 kHz, and it bugged him no end!

[Elle]

I played it at the same volume I'm listening to music, which isn't all that loud at the moment. I could hear it loud and clear. :petrified:

[snowbear]

...Guess I'm just a middle of the road old bat. :gurn: ...
Well, hopefully you haven't been hit by the old-age truck!
*runs off laughing*

[Koala Kim]

Well, hopefully you haven't been hit by the old-age truck!
*runs off laughing*
Why you!!! You'd better run Missy! :p

[snowbear]

Why you!!! You'd better run Missy! :p
*gets down on knees*
Oh, please, please, please don't throw your walker at me! :lafhard:
Ow, my knees hurt.

[Shermie Girl]

Yow! That was not pleasant at all! I'm glad my speakers were not up too high! :boggle: :boggle:


ETA: I wouldn't be able to shop anywhere they were playing that! On the other hand, I could bust all the kids using that ring tone! :nosey:

[Koala Kim]

*gets down on knees*
Oh, please, please, please don't throw your walker at me! :lafhard:
Ow, my knees hurt.
That's what you get for making fun of your elder. :p

[Nastasska]

Do I need to inform the Australian Society For The Protection Of Koalas about this:innocent:

[jessie58]

Do I need to inform the Australian Society For The Protection Of Koalas about this:innocent:

He he, you're cracking me up, all you guys.

How about the Society for the Protection of Old Bats. SPOB.

[Pegasus Marsters]

I played it to my mum and she cant hear it despite the fact it was hurting my ears and gave me another headache.

[Nastasska]

He he, you're cracking me up, all you guys.

How about the Society for the Protection of Old Bats. SPOB.

Consider me a SPOB:happy:

[kimberlily]

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a horrible noise!!! My ears are still ringing, and I had the volume low!:geek:

[.Amanaka.]

I could hear it. Was it supposed to hurt my ears or something? Sounded fine to me.

[Unnamed]

I couldn't hear anything (actual noise, not quite...almost/heard a weird faint...ick) but boy do I have a headache complete with plugged up ears.... Gack. I've had that happen before (headache like that with a sound I can't quite here but know it's there (ie, can hear something, just not fully)) so yep, it's playing something even if I can't hear it. :purplex: Given I hear other things others can't (same effect, but since I DO actually hear something, I'm off trying to shut it off...), I guess this one's just out of my hearing range/right on the border. But, yeah, if a store was emitting this, suffice it to say I'd not be lingering once I realised headache diminished upon leaving/walking away.

Not too suprised, though, as I've always had trouble tuning (instruments) when at higher pitches, nor can I sing very high (more in the bass1, baritone, tenor range...). :ooh:

[Nini]

This is just like the tv or the light fixtures. A constant stream of sound. Annoys me to no end if I start thinking about it!!! I've been known to disconnect tv's completely, pulling out the cable that is, just to get some peace! It's getting "better" though:happy:

Nini

[pietri]

I can hear it (and ouch!) - but then I can also hear the high pitched sound TVs make when they're on, and that's when the sound is off and I'm in the next room.

But I find it difficult to follow a conversation in a crowded room or when there's loud music around, so I don't think I've got perfect hearing.

[sandrak]

I heard it only when I turned the speakers about as loud as they would go. I can't wait for my kids to wake up so I can see how loud I have to turn the speakers in order for them to hear it.

[Juliet's Silk]

OMG I could be the most evil mother in the world if I wanted. DS11 just came in the room and I played this as he and DD14 were looking at the tv and she started yelling at me and he looked really alarmed and said "do you hear that?" Bwahaha. I could use this for evil purposes.
Bwaahhaa your one evil woman!

I can hear it, btw, but I'm not that old and my hearing is too good for my sanity most of the time anyway. I'd trade it with one of you any time.
Now my ears hurt... :stress:

[eiyela]

Goodness, that sound is EVIL! Instant headache over here. Grandma didn't hear a thing, though.

[Tap Dancer]

I'm 28 and I couldn't hear it. But I don't hear very well, either. :(

[Swampy]

I could hear it, but even with my speakers it didn't sound unpleasant. Just a faint whistling, similar to the TV on with no volume or tinnitus.

My hearing is apparently quite good up to 8 kHz (didn't have my thresholds tested beyond that point), yet I need to watch TV with subtitles (lots of cars on my street) and can't follow a conversation in a restaurant... I know this cocktail party effect can stem from a loss in higher frequencies so I assumed that was my case... (Or maybe I have an auditory attention problem... gah)

Wasn't expecting to hear this sound! Does anyone know the frequency of this buzz?

[cichlid]

I can hear it...it left a rigning in my ears...thanks...just thanks. OW! :gurn:

[Flaming Bunny]

I could hear it and it wasn't that painful....but mostly I felt it. It's weird, I have this thing where I "feel" high pitched sounds rather than hear them. Like, without hearing the television, I can feel that it's on from another room. People always look at me like I'm loopy when I tell them! hehehe! :huh: :geek:

[Wind]

I saw that just yesterday! I can definately hear it, and so can LB12. He described it as a "mouse scream" and then said "that's the ring teenagers use on thier cell phones in class." And I'm wondering how he knew that before I, and teenager with a cell, did. :gurn:

[cichlid]

Just thought I'd pop in and say that I let my mom listen to it and she was like "Are your speakers even on? I don't hear anything!" But she is 50-something so...I'd be surprised if she heard it considering very few people over 30 hear it. But it was interesting that she couldn't hear it and I could.

I'll ask my sister if she can hear it when she gets in from washing the cars. I bet the dogs would go crazy. I wonder how Jerry Lee would like the sound...or Blaze. They'd probably sit there with their heads cocked.:eureka:

ETA: My sister said she heard it. She says it sounds like when your ears ring but a bit louder. She also didn't think it was that painful to listen to.

[saracuda]

I didn't hear it, but I'm at work so I didn't have it up very loud. I'll try it next time I'm at my mom's.

[KarenLynn]

I heard it just fine. I wonder just how high frequency that is, though. It didn't say in the article.

[snowbear]

Update:
I played it, and my 46 year-old Mum, DB13 and DB8 writhed in agony.
Wheee!

[saracuda]

Oh, yeah! I just played it on a different computer here at work, and I heard it fine. It made my eyes water!

[Maluhia]

I could hear it. My ears are still ringing a little. :gurn:

[Wind]

Okay, I just played it for my 47 year old mom, and she can hear it. :boggle:

[Ursula]

I heard it, and it was annoying, but it didn't seem to sound particularly high. I wonder if different computers/speakers may play slightly flat, affecting how it sounds?

[Shell]

I could definitely hear it; I'm 42. Everyone (especially my students) complain that I hear everything.

[Beldaran]

I can hear it (and ouch!) - but then I can also hear the high pitched sound TVs make when they're on, and that's when the sound is off and I'm in the next room.Good! I'm not the only one who can hear when the TV is on but not the cable? I can also hear the stereo and the DVD player even when they're not playing anything out of the speakers.

I'm at work with no sound card, so I'll try it at home, but I'm betting I'll hear it.

[Pegasus Marsters]

For those curious, the tone is at 17 kilohertz, according to an email a friend sent me. The highest note on a piano is 4 kilohertz.

[Shermie Girl]

Good! I'm not the only one who can hear when the TV is on but not the cable? I can also hear the stereo and the DVD player even when they're not playing anything out of the speakers.

I'm at work with no sound card, so I'll try it at home, but I'm betting I'll hear it.


You gals, too? Good. I am glad to know I am not a freak! :boggle:

[device]

Yes - very easy to hear, though I am in my late 30s.
And I also do hear the TV when it is on but the cable is off.

Someone may have said this already, but this is not a new or brilliant trick, in any way. People simply tend to lose their ability to hear higer frequencies as they age.

[Nastasska]

I'm a sad Old Bat (out of hell) .It was on the news last night and I still couldn't hear the sodding thing:sob:

[Phantasmagoria]

Ergh, I could still hear it five seconds after it ended.

[Kitty]

Me (25) and hubby (33) both heard it no problem. Though I didn't find it painful at all, but I only listened for a couple of seconds, because it IS annoying!

[Wind Dragon]

Me (42) and DH (48) could both hear it with the speakers turned way up. I can hear it with the volume set at normal listening level, but he can't. At low setting, where I can still hear normal sounds (but quietly,) I can't hear it at all. Pretty annoying when I did, but not really painful until I turned it up all the way. I still hear high-frequency sounds from electronic things all the time, though, and mostly manage to tune them out.

If the volume were set high enough, any store using that device to get rid of teenagers could probably count me out too.

[golden_gal]

I just read about this in the paper. I didn't try listening to it though...don't like high pitch sounds. I'm pretty sure that I'll hear it.

[Gladtobemom]

It is anoying and slightly piercing.

But I didn't find it painful--maybe I'm a little....>

[golden_gal]

Hm...okay, I tried it. Everyone in my family can hear it, including my parents.

[Koala Kim]

Well-

It looks like this old koala-bat lives with old cats! I just played it with Bootsie & Spooky in the same room; Spooky practically in front of the speakers. They could've cared less. :gurn:

Anyone else try it on their pets?

[jessie58]

Our dogs were in the room and they didn't "bat" an eyelash. Guess that allows them into the SPOB too. LOL.

[Nastasska]

My girls weren't bothered either:geek:

[eamane]

well i could definitely hear it and it wasn't pleasant...:purplex: really annoying sound!

[Lady Godiva]

For those who can't hear this sound, it's similar to the electronic screeches and buzzes in the moving The Ring, if you could hear them, although this is more consistenly high-pitched, while those fluctuated more.

[Pegasus Marsters]

Well-

It looks like this old koala-bat lives with old cats! I just played it with Bootsie & Spooky in the same room; Spooky practically in front of the speakers. They could've cared less. :gurn:

Anyone else try it on their pets?


I had three kitties, two guinea pigs and two birds in the room, none of whom reacted atall. Infact, one kitty just wanted to know why mummy was playing with the strange block with buttons (That she's not meant to lay on) rather than rubbing her ears :sweatdrop:

[cichlid]

I let everyone listen to it and so far my sister who is 30...sorry 29 and holding...could hear it on and off. My dad couldn't hear it. He pretended as if he could...but he couldn't describe the sound. :bored: My mom is starting to think it is a joke for teenagers to play on parents.

[enitsirk]

Me (25) and hubby (33) both heard it no problem. Though I didn't find it painful at all, but I only listened for a couple of seconds, because it IS annoying!

I listened for a couple of seconds and was annoyed. But not in pain. Then I listened to it all the way through and..OUCH. Try listening all the way and see if it hurts you too :gurn:

[katkero]

I can hear it also and my cats couldn't care less.

[Ama]

And this is supposed to be a ringtone? I'd shut my phone off! I thought all of those ringtone songs were annoying!! If I was in class and kept hearing that... I'd toss that phone out a window

[Pegasus Marsters]

The idea of it being a ringtone is that it's supposed to be used against teens, so it's been turned round and used for our own purposes. Unfortunately, it seems alot of adults can hear it, lol. And if that buzz went off in class, I'd start screaming.

[Wind]

The artical I read mentions using it to prevent teens from loitering in public places. :ooh: With all the non-teens who can hear it, (like my mom) I don't think it's going to work. :grim: Maybe it needs more fine tuning?

[wimsey]

Hmm...I could hear it. Not particularly loud or painful, but definitely there. And now that it's off, my ears are still making a similar sound. :boggle:

[Ursula]

The artical I read mentions using it to prevent teens from loitering in public places. :ooh: With all the non-teens who can hear it, (like my mom) I don't think it's going to work. :grim: Maybe it needs more fine tuning?
From what I read, the ring tone was at 14 MHz, while the teen-repellent was at 17 MHz. So more older people would be able to hear the ring tone than can hear the even higher pitched repellent. It may be enough so that teens have decent odds of having one teacher unable to hear, while the repellent is higher and less likely to be heard by adults. A shopkeeper might also use the repellent selectively, only turning it on when a group of teens was around and causing problems, and reducing the chances of driving away welcome customers through targeted use.

[Pegasus Marsters]

Personally I find the whole idea of the teen repellent kind of dumb... all it does is make all of us look bad and would loose custom from me for any shop that used it. If it's used as Ursula described, only turned on when a group of teens are around (and only ones that're acting rowdy) then fair enough, but not if it's used on all and any teens, even if their behaviour is fine.

[enitsirk]

*wonders about the legality of such a device and thinks that it'd likely bring up lots of lawsuits with people complaining about it being used improperly etc.*


Could that cause ear damage do you think?

hrmmm.

I really just don't like the sounds of it used in..say a store..to try and get people to leave, and I'd imagine even if there was no disturbing/suspicious/bad behavior coming from teens that some store owners would use it and..how would you prove such a thing.


*waits from some laywery person to come set me straight*

[rossjen]

I can hear it, I'm 27.

[Rain]

I can hear it. It doesn't sound loud to me - just annoying.

[HairColoredHair]

I can hear it. It's annoying enough that I would threaten people who use it as a ringtone, but not a repellant (that's because I'm stubborn, though).

[truepeacenik]

I'm 37 with mild hearing issues. To me it sounds like a lighte sabre coming on, then a physical sensation of a drill in my neck (with a slight hiss/buzz higher pitched than the light sabre noise)
It's the same buy, buy buzz I pick up in stores and malls. ick.

[Teacherbear]

Checking in really late on this, but I can't hear it. I *do* however have some diagnosed hearing loss. <sigh> Hopefully, as a teacher, if the sound is that offensive to some of those who can hear it, my students will allert me if/when someone has such a ringtone.

[Meezer]

I can hear it as well. I'll be 30 this year.

My 38-year-old friend, my 53-year-old uncle, my 57-year-old mother, and my 80-year-old grandmother could not hear it.

[Rain]

I played it for my 13yo and she said it was really loud. She begged me to turn it off. I told her what it was and she said, "Like a dog whistle?!" Yep. Dog whistle for kids. :lafhard:

[TwirlyTresses]

I can hear it, too (at 28). It didn't seem especially loud, though.

[Calico]

My sister and I can hear it (both under 25). My mother cannot hear it. It seems to affect me more than my sister. I find it obnoxious. We could hear it several rooms away, though it was a pretty straight shot.

We tried it on two different computers, though. My mom's speakers make a secondary noise at a lower frequency that she could hear.

I can also hear the noise that electronics make.