Distorted audio gear can create phantom tones falsely attributed to the ear

Evidence

When two pure tones are heard together, other tones with frequencies lower than the frequencies of either of the two pure tones themselves may be heard also. These lower tones are not acoustically present in the stimulating signal, and they occur as a result of the stimulus consisting of a “combination” of at least two pure tones; they are known as “combination tones.” … The frequency of one such combination tone that is usually quite easily perceived is the difference (higher minus the lower) between the frequencies of the two tones; this is known as the “difference tone”: where fd = frequency of the difference tone fh = frequency of the higher-frequency pure tone and fl = frequency of the lower-frequency pure tone Notice that this is the beat frequency when the frequency difference is less than approximately 12. — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1571 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

To show that the cubic difference tone is produced in the ear and not somewhere in the technical equipment, you can whistle the constant tone /1 while the rising tone 12 is presented. First only the tone with /1 = 1620 Hz is presented twice and is meant to be a reference for your whistle. Then the rising tone (12 = 1700 Hz to 3000 Hz) is presented. When you whistle along with this rising tone, the decreasing cubic difference tone can be clearly heard, although the two primary tones are produced by different sound sources. — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 3354 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Phantom tones are heard despite being absent from the presented sound; The ear generates phantom low tones absent from the actual signal; Difference noise generated by ear nonlinearities can be heard before the test tone itself (+4 more)

Broader Connections

• The ear generates phantom low tones absent from the actual signal #corroborates (0.90)
• The ear generates audible combination tones not present in the stimulus #corroborates (0.90) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1571
• Cubic difference tones arise inside the ear, not in the equipment #corroborates (0.85) — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 3354
• Difference noise generated by ear nonlinearities can be heard before the test tone itself #corroborates (0.80)
• Combination tones exist below both source tones and vary in audibility #expands (0.80)
• Noise-induced hearing loss can unmask audible difference tones #qualifies (0.75)