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David S. Smith, The Effect of Enhanced Higher Frequencies on the Musical Preference of Older Adults, Journal of Music Therapy, Volume 25, Issue 2, Summer 1988, Pages 62–72, https://doi.org/10.1093/jmt/25.2.62
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Abstract
This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of presbycusis (loss of hearing for higher frequencies) on music preference. Older adult subjects were exposed to music that had been recorded with frequencies around the 3 kHz level; recordings were enhanced 15 dB to ascertain preferences for enhanced music over the normally recorded music. A Music Listening Recorder was used to assess musical preference, with music recorded under normal and enhanced conditions presented on opposite channels of a two-channel tape. Subjects were assigned to one of two listening tapes, with the order of musical styles (easy listening, jazz, and light classical) and the enhanced and normal conditions varied between channels on each version. Results indicate that subjects who listened to Version A showed a significant preference for music recorded normally; these subjects listened to the normally recorded version significantly more in the jazz style. Subjects who listened to Version B spent significantly more time listening to music recorded under the enhanced condition than did subjects who listened to Version A. While overall results of this study were not significant, indicating no true preference for music recorded under enhanced conditions, enough variations occurred between groups and musical styles to warrant further investigation.
