I almost posted this under 'hobbies' but as I am exploring possible symptoms it may be more appropriate here. I am in my 50's and have always loved music. I am a so-called audiophile, able to discern the difference in how music sounds played via different components in a hifi set-up. Back in the 80's, people even started listening to how different speaker cables affected the sound quality. Yes, I could tell, but I didn't go that far!
I have never come across anyone else matching my taste in music, which is varied and eclectic. Also I have never come across anyone who hears music like me, or at least vocals. Although instrumental music probably forms the majority of my collection I have lots and lots of singing too. But I treat the voice as another instrument - I can understand words, phrases, sentences, occassionally verses, but seldom do I know what the song is about. I don't care: It's the music that matters. Or do I not care simply because I've never been able to catch the words fully? (There really should be a 'rhetorical question mark' symbol.) Anyone else listen in this way?
In daily life, I would say I understand what people say, whatever thier British accent. But I have limited ability in identifying what accent they use. As for foreign accents, it's very difficult for me to catch everything that is said, often missing key words from sentences that subsequently lose meaning without it. My ability to hear voices correctly does affect my social confidence, and using the phone is a nightmare.
Eventually, I now get to my possible connection with Aspergers. I have read that Aspies are easily distracted, especially by sound. Well, this is certainly true of me. Could this be linked with the aspect described above?