High-frequency loss with distance provides a perceptual cue for judging sound source distance

Evidence

In live performances, high-frequency sounds are normally much attenuated at listening locations because of atmospheric absorption, a phenomenon that progressively attenuates frequencies above about 1 to 2 kHz, and that increases with propagation distance (see Section 12.3.7). The loss of high frequencies with distance is itself a perceptual clue to the distance of familiar sounds. In concert venues, reflected sounds travel farther than direct sounds, thereby causing the reverberant sound field to rapidly lose high-frequency energy. Because reflected sounds dominate, live concerts are noticeably more “mellow” towards the rear of the concert hall. — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 882

Categorization

• DEFINE: Explains the mechanism by which atmospheric absorption attenuates highs and how reverberant fields lose HF energy, a core psychoacoustic principle.
• XREF: Connects to the earlier chapter material on space perception and distance cues; also ties to Section 12.3.7 the author cross-references. — connects to: Observation quality, not physical distance, determines whether an object feels near or far — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School: Its History,…, 817; Low-frequency interaural level differences cue source distance and signal coherence. — Ville Pulkki, Matti Karjalainen, Communication Acoustics- An…, 1443