Listener judgment reliability declines with age and accumulated noise exposure

Evidence

In my younger years, I was an excellent listener. Listening tests as they are done now track not only the performance of loudspeakers but of listeners—the metric shown in Figure 10.9. About age 60 it was clear that it was time to retire from the active listening panel. Variability had climbed and I found it to be a noticeably more difficult task. It is a younger person’s pursuit. My extensive experience and knowledge was no advantage. — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 1073

I was a perceptive and reliable listener for decades but realized in my mid-60s that I was having more difficulty making judgments, and increased variability in my ratings showed that it was time to retire from the listening panel. Age and accumulated noise exposure had taken their toll. Hearing is precious, to be preserved. — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 53

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the reader’s broader theme of small acts of decorum toward corpses — here aging experts’ reliability fades; also connects to psychoacoustic training literatures.
• SEED: First-person account of age-related hearing decline is a humanizing, relatable frame for a technical chapter — usable as an intro anecdote.
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 1073; Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 53