Hearing above 15kHz


Now that I've crossed the half century mark I can't really hear anything above 15.5kHz. So, am I correct in that I would never hear the real benefits from speakers that use super tweeters crossed over at 13kHz to 15kHz, e.g. Dali Helicons, Harbeth SHL5?
av2k
Correct. There seems to be little evidence that tweeters that go accurately up to 30 KHz and more are actually necessary. In the end all you gain are bragging rights. However, a better tweeter response within the audible range (up to 20 Khz) will of course provide benefits. (There is a lot more to a better response than just frequency range, however simple specifications lend themselves to marketing hype)
I feel your pain. I too don't really hear much past 15K.

That specific tweeter may not be as useful to you as it would be for a younger person, but all of the speakers you mention have their own "sound" that includes the rest of the spectrum. When you listen to these speakers you are either going to have a preference for them over other speakers or not.

Every product you buy, whether audio or otherwise, probably has a feature or two that are somewhat superfluous for your needs. That shouldn't keep you from buying it if the other performance aspects are perfect for your needs.
Good point Mlsstl. I cound probably disconnect the ribbon tweeter in the Helicon and not notice any difference. But if the balance of the speaker sounds great, that's all that really matters.

Perhaps, as mentioned above, we can sense quick rise-time or high intensity sounds at or above the fixed pure sinusoidal limit of our hearing.

I see an experiment unfolding!
My hf hearing at 50 years is long since shot due to working on oil platforms for years before health & safety ruled.
My speakers do 40kHz and I can still enjoy ( notice not saying hear) the benefits of super & ultra tweeters.
So who knows?
I am a few years over my half century. I tried out Townshend Supertweeters and could'nt hear the slightest difference, except an unpleasant screech with my ear against the supertweeter at maximum volume. Luckily, Max Townshend is a gentleman and took them back with a full refund
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