Yanny or Laurel?

[GaryD1971]

I've had a listen to the latest question that has supposedly broken the Internet and I have a theory. 

If you listen to it through normal speakers it comes across as Yanny. When I put on a pair of tinny cheap headphones it definitely comes over as Laurel. 

Could it be that when the same  frequencies are broadcast through different devices the brain alters what sounds we hear? 

What does the great collective think? 

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Seen stuff about this but not listened, who on earth are Yanny and Laurel? Or is it just an acoustic trick?

[Andy Malone - Editor]

Yeah, I pretty much think that's the case. My wife and I were talking about it last night actually and we could hear different versions just by holding a hand partly over the phone speaker, or turning it away, etc... to bring out the treble or bass more.

Certainly she seemed to hear the 'yanny' more than I could (which is the higher sound) and she generally has more sensitive reactions to higher pitch noises than me (e.g. our son's baby monitor sometimes goes funny and does this high-pitched squeak/buzz which I hardly hear but drives her insane from nearly anywhere round the house).

@Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Secretary not 100% sure but think I read it was a low quality audio clip from a pronunciation site for the word 'Laurel' and someone listened to it, heard 'yanny' and queried it and it went from there.

[stephenh]

I think it is an electronically generated "voice" of not particularly good/clear quality probably (like Andy M says) saying Laurel. Personally, to me it sounds like Laurel, despite my age. Mrs H says it sounded a bit like Yanny, but then I'm always telling her she's deaf, because she likes the telly etc., turned up more than me.

[Deanspoors]

it's exactly that, if you turn the pitch up / down it changes the sound of it to sound more Yanny or more Laurel. The sound waves are very similar apparently, well that's what I got out of a 5 minute YouTube vid.

[Mole]

Yes I saw it on TV and could only hear yanny.. then they changed the pitch and only hear laurel...