"Mosquito" ring tone: Silent, but deadly

saganized
saganized Posts: 59
edited June 2006 in Speakers
If anyone benefits from this, then maybe it was worth posting the story....

Using my computer, I created a CD containing the "Mosquito" ring tone. I read that at my age, I might not be able to hear it. Being somewhat skeptical, I wanted to see (or hear) for myself.

Creating a CD was easy: I copied-and-pasted the single, five-second ring tone about 270 times; resulting in a repeating series of tones about 23 minutes long. (Note--I did not increase the volume of the tone in any way.) Then, I burned the CD.

I played the CD using my computer and couldn't hear a thing. Apparently, the rumors about hearing loss were true. Nevertheless, I decided to try playing the CD on my DVD/SACD player. Surely, my loudspeakers could reproduce a 17 KHz tone effortlessly.

After the first five-second tone, I still couldn't hear it. :confused: As I increased the volume to about half, almost immediately I noticed wisps of brownish-grey smoke flowing from the grills. :eek: Somewhere in all this, I made a FATAL ERROR.

My heart sunk in a real big hurry. My ears couldn't hear the tone; but I had apparently overdriven my tweeters big-time.

Lessons Learned: (1) DO NOT use beautiful loudspeakers for any reason other than what they were intended for--the accurate reproduction of music and voice. (2) The "Mosquito" ring tone IS NOT VOICE OR MUSIC. (3) Eventually, eardrums do get old!
Post edited by saganized on
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  • Poee7R
    Poee7R Posts: 904
    edited June 2006
    ouch. :(
    Once again we meet at last.
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  • brettw22
    brettw22 Posts: 7,623
    edited June 2006
    Wow.........that does suck.....but you didn't know that a single tone is not qualified to be considered 'music' before this? ;)
    comment comment comment comment. bitchy.
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  • PolkThug
    PolkThug Posts: 7,532
    edited June 2006
    Please tell me that wasn't your new LSi15's.
    Never Forget
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  • janmike
    janmike Posts: 6,146
    edited June 2006
    All I can say is Holly F*^#!
    Michael ;)
    In the beginning, all knowledge was new!
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  • noimposse
    noimposse Posts: 264
    edited June 2006
    I would cry.
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  • saganized
    saganized Posts: 59
    edited June 2006
    brettw22 wrote:
    Wow.........that does suck.....but you didn't know that a single tone is not qualified to be considered 'music' before this? ;)

    Truthfully, that thought never crossed my mind. I reasoned (stupidly I suppose) that since the tweeters could reproduce "sound" up to 27 KHz, I should be able to hear it (if my ears worked). Doesn't some "music" extend up to 20 KHz? *sigh* :(

    In retrospect, yeah, in a way I feel mighty dumb. Then again, it made sense at the time....
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  • saganized
    saganized Posts: 59
    edited June 2006
    PolkThug wrote:
    Please tell me that wasn't your new LSi15's.

    Okay, I won't tell you that. :rolleyes:
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  • Skynut
    Skynut Posts: 2,967
    edited June 2006
    That sucks.
    I never would have thought about that.
    I was playing a test tone cd I burned and it was the first tone (10hz I think) and I turned it up to hear it. For some reason the tone sent my Panamax into protect mode on the dvd player circuit.
    I never did find out why.
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  • saganized
    saganized Posts: 59
    edited June 2006
    Skynut wrote:
    That sucks.
    I never would have thought about that.
    I was playing a test tone cd I burned and it was the first tone (10hz I think) and I turned it up to hear it.

    Exactly; I didn't realize I could damage anything. Learning these things "the hard way" is the pits! :(
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  • jdhdiggs
    jdhdiggs Posts: 4,305
    edited June 2006
    When the cats/dogs head explodes, its time to turn it down.
    There is no genuine justice in any scheme of feeding and coddling the loafer whose only ponderable energies are devoted wholly to reproduction. Nine-tenths of the rights he bellows for are really privileges and he does nothing to deserve them. We not only acquired a vast population of morons, we have inculcated all morons, old or young, with the doctrine that the decent and industrious people of the country are bound to support them for all time.-Menkin
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  • saganized
    saganized Posts: 59
    edited June 2006
    jdhdiggs wrote:
    When the cats/dogs head explodes, its time to turn it down.

    Unfortunately, I'm pet-less. Since I couldn't hear it, I had no idea how loud it actually was. A cloak of inaudibility? :confused:
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  • jdhdiggs
    jdhdiggs Posts: 4,305
    edited June 2006
    Well, that sucks. SPL meters are your friend. Good luck on the repairs
    There is no genuine justice in any scheme of feeding and coddling the loafer whose only ponderable energies are devoted wholly to reproduction. Nine-tenths of the rights he bellows for are really privileges and he does nothing to deserve them. We not only acquired a vast population of morons, we have inculcated all morons, old or young, with the doctrine that the decent and industrious people of the country are bound to support them for all time.-Menkin
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  • Demiurge
    Demiurge Posts: 10,874
    edited June 2006
    saganized wrote:
    Okay, I won't tell you that. :rolleyes:

    OMG...
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  • saganized
    saganized Posts: 59
    edited June 2006
    jdhdiggs wrote:
    Well, that sucks. SPL meters are your friend. Good luck on the repairs

    Thanks! An SPL meter will be on my Christmas gift list, right next to "a little more common sense".... ;)
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  • saganized
    saganized Posts: 59
    edited June 2006
    Demiurge wrote:
    OMG...

    Well? He said not to tell him. So, would you believe an old, beat-up pair of Infinity's? :D
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  • michael_w
    michael_w Posts: 2,813
    edited June 2006
    I feel for ya there, but it's a little funny.

    Just to test I downloaded it too and ran it through my computer speakers (mini diy voigt pipes). I could hear it instantly and man what an annoying noise. I'd rather have my phone on vibrate than have to listen to that. I think I can now understand why dogs hate those whistles. fwiw, I just turned 18 a week ago.

    Thanks for the warning though. I'm sure if I had tried it without seeing your thread I might have turned it up a tad too much just thinking "wtf, wheres the sound?" had I not been able to hear it.
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  • saganized
    saganized Posts: 59
    edited June 2006
    michael_w wrote:
    I feel for ya there, but it's a little funny.

    Just to test I downloaded it too and ran it through my computer speakers (mini diy voigt pipes). I could hear it instantly and man what an annoying noise. I'd rather have my phone on vibrate than have to listen to that. I think I can now understand why dogs hate those whistles. fwiw, I just turned 18 a week ago.

    Thanks for the warning though. I'm sure if I had tried it without seeing your thread I might have turned it up a tad too much just thinking "wtf, wheres the sound?" had I not been able to hear it.

    You're welcome. I read that when a person reaches their 50's, their ability to hear certain high frequencies decreases. Apparently, it happens even if a person doesn't listen to loud music when they're young. Just another wonderful part of the aging process.
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  • myork
    myork Posts: 71
    edited June 2006
    saganized wrote:
    You're welcome. I read that when a person reaches their 50's, their ability to hear certain high frequencies decreases. Apparently, it happens even if a person doesn't listen to loud music when they're young. Just another wonderful part of the aging process.

    We were passing a phone arond work with that ring tone, and no one over 30 could hear it. Most of the people under 30 were holding their heads and wincing.
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  • Airplay355
    Airplay355 Posts: 4,298
    edited June 2006
    I heard the ringtone on my computer speakers. No need to try it on my nice speakers :)
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  • crazy
    crazy Posts: 443
    edited June 2006
    Where can I download this ringtone? Do you have a copy? No I will not try to brurn my speakers!

    I've heard that younger folks can hear this stuff - is that right?

    Can you please post the ring tone on this forum?
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  • disneyjoe7
    disneyjoe7 Posts: 11,435
    edited June 2006
    I found it here http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5483203&sourceCode=gaw

    But the sad thing is that I'm 42 and can hear it :( Not Human I knew it.

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  • Airplay355
    Airplay355 Posts: 4,298
    edited June 2006
    It doesn't really have to do with being old or not, just with if you have hearing loss or not. Just a statistic that older folks are more likely to have more hearing loss. Whatever, I know old people who can hear it and some who can. It's fun to be able to hear things other people can't though :)
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  • mutelight
    mutelight Posts: 1,054
    edited June 2006
    I'm 23 and I hear it loud and clear, that is one rediculously annoying sound!
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  • crazy
    crazy Posts: 443
    edited June 2006
    Unbelievable!!! I couldn't hear a thing but my wife heard it loud and clear!!! I'm getting old!!!!!!!!

    I need to start a poll
    Distant Dream - A New Beginning
    www.distantdream.com
    (Now also available on iTunes)
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  • cheddar
    cheddar Posts: 2,390
    edited June 2006
    OMG :eek:! That had me wincing the moment I turned up my computer speakers. It's not a ringtone, it reminds me of all those sci-fi weapons that have people running around in pain grabbing their ears before they turn into goo.
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  • disneyjoe7
    disneyjoe7 Posts: 11,435
    edited June 2006
    OMG,

    Some in their 30's can't hear this tone :eek: I must have been Audio deprived when I was younger. Nothing extremely loud in my life to kill my hearing WTF.

    Speakers
    Carver Amazing Fronts
    CS400i Center
    RT800i's Rears
    Sub Paradigm Servo 15

    Electronics
    Conrad Johnson PV-5 pre-amp
    Parasound Halo A23
    Pioneer 84TXSi AVR
    Pioneer 79Avi DVD
    Sony CX400 CD changer
    Panasonic 42-PX60U Plasma
    WMC Win7 32bit HD DVR


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  • cheddar
    cheddar Posts: 2,390
    edited June 2006
    I think it's just a comment on what all the teachers of today were doing to their ears when they were kids...;)
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,812
    edited June 2006
    Dude...

    If Someone In My Class Had That Ring Tone... I Will Literally Throw Their Phone Against The Wall!!!!!!!!!

    O-m-g...
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • noimposse
    noimposse Posts: 264
    edited June 2006
    What an obnoxious sound.
    Ghetto Rig
    Power: HK AVR245.
    Screen: LG 24" 1080p.
    Speaks: Rti4.
    Source: PC. PS3. Xbox360.
    Cables: BlueJeans. Monoprice.
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  • WilliamM2
    WilliamM2 Posts: 4,782
    edited June 2006
    I can hear it easily at a very low volume setting on the PC. Been listening to music too loud, according to most, for over 25 years, currently 42 years old. So much for that theory.
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