The auditory filter width is what matters for sound and voice technology design.
Evidence
Patterson (1976) developed the notchednoise method to measure the shape of the auditory filter. This method uses a masker that is two bands of noise (~300-Hz wide or so) with a spectral notch placed between them. The tone to be detected (the signal) has a frequency that falls within the spectral notch. Rather than vary the bandwidth of the noise like Fletcher did, the bandwidth of the spectral notch is varied. Larger notches will lead to less masking compared with smaller notches, due to fewer masking components falling within the theoretical auditory filter surrounding the signal frequency. One advantage of this method is that asymmetrical placement of the notch around the center frequency can allow measurement of a filter that is asymmetrical. — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 490 (
#expands, via linked claim)
Categorization
- XREF: connects to: The human hearing system compromises between frequency and time resolution, unlike ideal filters; The notched-noise method directly measures auditory filter shape. — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 490; Auditory filter bandwidth scales nonlinearly with center frequency
Broader Connections
- The notched-noise method directly measures auditory filter shape.
#expands(0.90) — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 490 - The human hearing system compromises between frequency and time resolution, unlike ideal filters
#qualifies(0.85) - Auditory filter bandwidth scales nonlinearly with center frequency
#expands(0.85)