Phase-based sound localization becomes ambiguous beyond 180 degrees phase shift

Evidence

When this phase shift is greater than π radians (180°), there will be an unresolvable ambiguity in the direction because there are two possible angles—one to the left and one to the right—that could cause such a phase shift. — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 720

Categorization

Category: Causal Relationships

• DEFINE: Explains the cone of confusion: beyond π radians of phase shift, left-right direction becomes ambiguous because two angles produce identical interaural phase.

Related

• High-frequency interaural phase differences are ambiguous about azimuth location (similarity 0.87)
• Phase delays beyond 180 degrees make direction judgments ambiguous (similarity 0.84)
• The ear is far less sensitive to phase than to amplitude of frequency components (similarity 0.83)
• High-frequency tones produce ambiguous azimuthal localization due to phase wrapping. (similarity 0.83)
• Ear offset from the head’s center makes arrival time shift with source azimuth (similarity 0.82)
• The ear resolves low-frequency direction by measuring phase shift (similarity 0.82)
• The human ear is largely insensitive to signal phase (similarity 0.82)
• The superior olivary complex sharpens phase locking to enable left-right sound localization (similarity 0.81)
• Head symmetry creates a cone of directions where sound localization is ambiguous (similarity 0.81)
• The ear lacks the eye’s directional receptors, relying on canal analysis (similarity 0.81)
• Phase-based localization sensing has a hard frequency ceiling near 1.6 kHz (similarity 0.80)
• The cone of confusion prevents up-down and front-back sound discrimination (similarity 0.79)

Broader Connections

• High-frequency interaural phase differences are ambiguous about azimuth location #exemplifies (0.90) — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 1467