The critical band model fails because selectivity varies with level and asymmetry.

Evidence

For frequencies up to about 500 Hz, the size of the critical band is fairly constant, but then it increases with increasing frequency. As a result, frequency selectivity of the ear is not constant and gets worse as frequency is increased, as long as frequency selectivity is characterized in terms of hertz. — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 477 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: The ear’s frequency selectivity is imperfect and worsens at higher frequencies — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 477

Related

• The ear’s frequency selectivity worsens as frequency rises above 500 Hz. (similarity 0.93)
• The ear’s frequency selectivity is imperfect and worsens at higher frequencies (similarity 0.91)
• Uncertainty principles force mechanical frequency sorting in the ear to be coarse. (similarity 0.90)
• The human hearing system compromises between frequency and time resolution, unlike ideal filters (similarity 0.89)
• The ear’s frequency response is level-dependent, favoring mid frequencies at low volume (similarity 0.87)
• Cochlear frequency selectivity decreases as sound level increases (similarity 0.84)
• Human hearing is most frequency-selective around 2 kHz (similarity 0.84)
• Hearing selectivity is modeled via critical-band and excitation intermediate values (similarity 0.84)
• Frequency selectivity in normal-hearing listeners worsens at high sound levels (similarity 0.84)
• Meaningful frequency-response specs require high resolution and narrow tolerance. (similarity 0.84)
• Hearing’s fine frequency resolution may be modeled at coarser steps in practice (similarity 0.84)
• The ear ignores sideband phase once components fall outside one critical band (similarity 0.83)
• Frequency selectivity is the auditory system’s ability to represent one frequency independently of another. (similarity 0.83)
• Frequency discrimination is finest around 0.3% near 500 Hz. (similarity 0.83)
• Basilar membrane displacement produces an asymmetric filter response across frequency. (similarity 0.83)

Broader Connections

• The ear’s frequency selectivity is imperfect and worsens at higher frequencies #expands (0.75) — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 477