Harmonics resolve only while their spacing exceeds the ear’s ERB

Evidence

For frequencies up to about 500 Hz, the size of the critical band is fairly constant, but then it increases with increasing frequency. As a result, frequency selectivity of the ear is not constant and gets worse as frequency is increased, as long as frequency selectivity is characterized in terms of hertz. — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 477 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Notes lacking reinforced upper harmonics play wobbly and degraded; Spectro-temporal SNR units span 23 ms and one ERB bandwidth; Place coding of fundamental pitch fails at high frequencies when harmonics smear together (+10 more)

Broader Connections

• Only harmonics separated by more than the ear’s critical bandwidth are resolved #corroborates (0.98)
• Only harmonics below the fifth to seventh are individually resolved in timbre perception #qualifies (0.75)
• The ear’s frequency selectivity is imperfect and worsens at higher frequencies #complicates (0.72) — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 477