Low-frequency transport noise masks the vowels that carry speech meaning

Evidence

The overall larger predictive power obtained with Pmod indicates that slow envelope fluctuations up to 16 Hz are a good predictor for consonant-in-noise perception. This is consistent with the findings by Gallun and Souza ( 2008 ). — Dijk, Pim van, Physiology, Psychoacoustics and…, 5575 (#qualifies, via linked claim)

Paradoxically, electronic volume compression does not improve intelligibility; in many cases it makes it worse, because it can distort the syllabic amplitude variations that help us understand words. — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 2492 (#complicates, via linked claim)

More subtly, it is possible for speech that is produced at high levels to mask itself. That is, if the speech is too loud, then, notwithstanding the improvement in signal-to-noise ratio, the intelligibility is reduced, because the low-frequency components of the speech mask the high-frequency components due to the upward spread of masking. — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 2480 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Vowels dominate perceived loudness while consonants carry intelligibility — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 1307; Classical spectral-peak vowel coding is especially vulnerable to noise and level changes; Prolonged forward masking makes vowels mask consonants in impaired ears — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 1111 (+5 more)

Broader Connections

• Slow envelope fluctuations up to 16 Hz predict consonant-in-noise perception. #qualifies (0.80) — Dijk, Pim van, Physiology, Psychoacoustics and…, 5575
• Volume compression worsens speech intelligibility by flattening syllabic amplitude cues #complicates (0.75) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 2492
• Loud speech can mask its own high-frequency components via upward spread of masking #complicates (0.72) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 2480