Then answer it

I have hearing loss from a misspent youth with loud music, loud machinery and lots of field shooting without hearing protection. As a result I have tinnitus.

But I swear that as I have gotten older my hearing has actually improved. Under conditions where I used to say "What"? whenever I was spoken to I can now hear people speak. Lyrics in recorded songs are much less muffled (without resorting to Google to find out what they actually are) and generally I hear things in a whole lot clearer. (Except when my wife asks me to do something of course).