Nonlinear cochlear mechanics make listeners perceive nonexistent difference tones

Evidence

An unexpected finding of previous psychophysical studies is that listeners show highly replicable, individualistic patterns of decision weights on frequencies affecting their performance in spectral discrimination tasks—what has been referred to as individual listening styles . We, like many other researchers, have attributed these listening styles to peculiarities in how listeners attend to sounds, but we now believe they partially reflect irregularities in cochlear micromechanics modifying what listeners hear. — Dijk, Pim van, Physiology, Psychoacoustics and…, 5755 (#expands, via linked claim)

Because five tones produce the same masking as a narrow-band noise, but one single tone produces a much steeper masking slope, it may be possible to find the reason for this difference using the five-tone complex. Using a special procedure, which is explained in detail in Chap. 14, the level of the difference tones produced by the five-tone complex can be estimated. The difference tones of odd order play the most important role. — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 459 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Combination tones arise from the hearing system’s own nonlinearity — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 430; Cubic difference tones in hearing defy regular nonlinear transfer models; The ear generates audible combination tones not present in the stimulus (+10 more)

Related

• Odd-order difference tones explain why single tones mask differently than noise (similarity 0.91)
• Combination tones arise from the hearing system’s own nonlinearity (similarity 0.88)
• Hearing’s own nonlinearity produces audible difference tones even in distortion-free equipment (similarity 0.88)
• Difference noise generated by ear nonlinearities can be heard before the test tone itself (similarity 0.88)
• Individual listening styles partially stem from cochlear micromechanical irregularities rather than attention alone (similarity 0.86)
• Phase differences among wavelets reduce the total difference-tone amplitude (similarity 0.86)
• Only some combination tones are readily perceived, and none by all listeners. (similarity 0.85)
• Noise-induced hearing loss can unmask audible difference tones (similarity 0.85)
• Cubic difference tones reveal nonlinear cochlear mechanics even at low sound levels (similarity 0.84)
• The ear generates audible combination tones not present in the stimulus (similarity 0.84)
• Cubic difference tones arise inside the ear, not in the equipment (similarity 0.84)
• The ear itself generates distortion products even when equipment is clean (similarity 0.84)
• Nonlinear distortion adds frequencies that were not in the original signal (similarity 0.84)
• Combination tones beat against other near-pitched instruments unless masked (similarity 0.83)
• Cancellation equalizes internally produced combination tones with an external tone (similarity 0.83)

Broader Connections

• Individual listening styles partially stem from cochlear micromechanical irregularities rather than attention alone #expands (0.75) — Dijk, Pim van, Physiology, Psychoacoustics and…, 5755
• Nonlinear distortion generates new frequencies that change timbre with volume #corroborates (0.72)
• Odd-order difference tones explain why single tones mask differently than noise #expands (0.70) — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 459