# Can you hear this sound? A poll/test. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 24, 2006, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-this-sound-a-poll-test/358083 "2006-05-24T20:47:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Vision\_of\_Love](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Vision\_of\_Love](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vision_of_Love)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-this-sound-a-poll-test/358083/1 "2006-05-24T20:47:27Z")
This is just something I saw today that’s got me scratching my head. Let’s do a test if you’ve got the time! [http://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/audio/mosquito\_sound.mp3](http://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/audio/mosquito_sound.mp3) Download that file, put on some earphones or headphones and play it. You might want to start it at medium volume first in case it “works”. You will hear just the faint noise of people talking, as if you were at a shopping mall or storefront. Close your eyes and listen closely. Do you hear anything unusual? If not, then keep turning the sound up. Anything? Then answer these questions in this thread: 1. Do you hear it? 2. How old are you? ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-this-sound-a-poll-test/358083/2 "2006-05-24T20:54:08Z")
> [@](#): > > 1. Do you hear it? Heard people talking, laughter, a clanking noise, but no mosquito or much else. > [@](#): > > 1. How old are you? 78 ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-this-sound-a-poll-test/358083/3 "2006-05-24T20:54:15Z")
> [@Vision of Love](#): > > This is just something I saw today that’s got me scratching my head. Let’s do a test if you’ve got the time! > > [http://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/audio/mosquito\_sound.mp3](http://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/audio/mosquito_sound.mp3) > > Download that file, put on some earphones or headphones and play it. You might want to start it at medium volume first in case it “works”. > > You will hear just the faint noise of people talking, as if you were at a shopping mall or storefront. Close your eyes and listen closely. Do you hear anything unusual? If not, then keep turning the sound up. Anything? > > Then answer these questions in this thread: > > 1. Do you hear it? > 2. How old are you? 1. Is it an extremely high-pitched pulse that happens about twice per second? If so, then yes, but it’s got to be at the outer edge of my range; if not, then no. 2. 34 ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-this-sound-a-poll-test/358083/4 "2006-05-24T20:59:59Z")
I heard a very high-pitched repeated pulse of sound. The pulses seemed to coincide with the Quicktime progress indicator as the file played. I’m 31. What do I win? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-this-sound-a-poll-test/358083/5 "2006-05-24T21:01:55Z")
I heard no high-pitched whines. But then it is extremely-possible that my el-cheapo headphones would not reproduce them. (42) ---
**Author:** ![Vision\_of\_Love](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Vision\_of\_Love](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vision_of_Love)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-this-sound-a-poll-test/358083/6 "2006-05-24T21:05:26Z")
Now, me. 1. Yes, a repeated pulsing sound. 2. 22 I’m waiting for this to get _really_ interesting. Where are all the teens? ---
**Author:** ![Faruiza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@Faruiza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Faruiza)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-this-sound-a-poll-test/358083/7 "2006-05-24T21:08:06Z")
Hmm. I heard a very low rumbling noise that seemed to have a ripple in it right before the woman (or whatever) first laughs that’s kind of like someone twangs the rubber band…and the rumbling keeps going. I just have my speakers on. I don’t have any headphones right now. 1. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-this-sound-a-poll-test/358083/8 "2006-05-24T21:09:13Z")
Man, that high pitch hurts my ears! 38 in two weeks. ---
**Author:** ![Faruiza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@Faruiza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Faruiza)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-this-sound-a-poll-test/358083/9 "2006-05-24T21:11:28Z")
I found some headphones. Nothing unusual, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Vision\_of\_Love](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Vision\_of\_Love](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vision_of_Love)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-this-sound-a-poll-test/358083/10 "2006-05-24T21:12:11Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > Man, that high pitch hurts my ears! > > 38 in two weeks. I was waiting for a reply like this. Why doesn’t it hurt my 22-year-old ears? I hear it but not enough to bother me. I could sleep through it. My eardrums are probably shot. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-this-sound-a-poll-test/358083/11 "2006-05-24T21:15:34Z")
Good god, yes! It sounds like the electrical wires outside. High pitched and whiny. _Ouch_. If we were supposed to be hearing something else, I can barely concentrate with that sound. Electric, icy blue. Grating. 28 in exactly two weeks. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-this-sound-a-poll-test/358083/12 "2006-05-24T21:38:20Z")
I can hear the high-pitched ‘pulse’ noise, and I’m 19. And it’s really annoying. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-this-sound-a-poll-test/358083/13 "2006-05-24T21:42:24Z")
Nothing. 40 ---
**Author:** ![BrightSmite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@BrightSmite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrightSmite)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-this-sound-a-poll-test/358083/14 "2006-05-24T21:46:28Z")
All I hear is a sexually promiscuous daughter who was abandoned by her father leaving a newly opened consignment shop with her previously estranged yet openly conscientious mother giggling at a recently rewarded yet slightly overweight construction worker’s exposed ass-crack is as he taps a pair of angle iron pieces into place Oh, and I’ll be thirty one tomorrow May 25th ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-this-sound-a-poll-test/358083/15 "2006-05-24T21:46:37Z")
1. I hear the pulsing noise 2)33 Is this that noise that is being proposed outside of shops to keep kids from hanging out at the stores? ---
**Author:** ![hawksgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ed655f/32.png) [@hawksgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawksgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-this-sound-a-poll-test/358083/16 "2006-05-24T21:48:40Z")
I heard a fairly consistent high pitched noise. I think it may have pulsed slightly, but i could ear it the whole time. It wasn’t high enough to bother me at all. oh, and I’m 19. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-this-sound-a-poll-test/358083/17 "2006-05-24T21:49:16Z")
I hear the repeated pulse if I listen for it, but I could tune it out pretty easily. I’m 30. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-this-sound-a-poll-test/358083/18 "2006-05-24T21:55:43Z")
Very irritating noise 1. ---
**Author:** ![Vision\_of\_Love](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Vision\_of\_Love](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vision_of_Love)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-this-sound-a-poll-test/358083/19 "2006-05-24T21:58:13Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > 1. I hear the pulsing noise > 2)33 > > Is this that noise that is being proposed outside of shops to keep kids from hanging out at the stores? Correct! > **[Pupils perform 'alarming' feat](https://metro.co.uk/2006/05/24/pupils-perform-alarming-feat-155361/)** ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-this-sound-a-poll-test/358083/20 "2006-05-24T22:00:48Z")
1. The noise made it hard to figure out what was going on in the background. If I had to listen to it for an extended period of time I might have to kill someone. 2. 29 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-this-sound-a-poll-test/358083.md?page=2)