An odd relationship between hearing sounds vs. voices

I wondered if someone more knowledgeable could help me to understand why, with my incredibly sensitive hearing, I struggle to hear and interpret words and voices.

My hearing is, probably like many here, exceptionally sensitive. I can hear things that most people around me cannot. What other people seemingly allow to happen around them will often make me uncomfortable (tremendous volume to me). And yet, I often struggle to hear what someone has said to me, or near by to me. I am constantly turning the tv volume down to get away from loud music/ sound effects, but having to turn it up during dialogue. I now have the subtitles on constantly. 

Does anybody else experience this? Does anybody have any information or ideas on the matter. I’m wondering if it is to do with interpreting, processing and understanding spoken information, rather than simply recognising that a sound has occurred and trying to identify its source.

Parents
  • I do not understand why they make TV with such relatively loud "background" music and quiet mumbling voices. Everyone I know hates it too. Why do they do it? Who does it not bother? I may be my age that most people I know are older and their hearing also not as good as it was, or maybe everyone I know is actually ND... I so wish they would invent the tech to be able to turn down only the background music! Surely we have reached the technolgical stage where it is possible to have a TV with 2 volume controls, one for dialogue and one for background music?! And wouldn't it be wonderful!

Reply
  • I do not understand why they make TV with such relatively loud "background" music and quiet mumbling voices. Everyone I know hates it too. Why do they do it? Who does it not bother? I may be my age that most people I know are older and their hearing also not as good as it was, or maybe everyone I know is actually ND... I so wish they would invent the tech to be able to turn down only the background music! Surely we have reached the technolgical stage where it is possible to have a TV with 2 volume controls, one for dialogue and one for background music?! And wouldn't it be wonderful!

Children
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