Basilar membrane linearization trades sensitivity for enhanced coding of fast-changing stimuli.

Evidence

One consequence of this linearization is that BM’s response dynamics can actually enhance the encoding of dynamic stimuli, within certain limits. However, this “enhancement” comes at the price of reduced overall sensitivity. — Dijk, Pim van, Physiology, Psychoacoustics and…, 3628

Categorization

• XREF: Echoes the general sensitivity-versus-fidelity tradeoff common to adaptive gain systems in sensing.