The hearing system analyzes complex sounds by linear superposition of component responses

Evidence

This is the basis of the “place” analysis of sound by the hearing system. The extent, or “envelope,” of basilar membrane movement is plotted against frequency in an idealized manner for five input pure tones of different frequencies. If the input sound were a complex tone consisting of many components, the overall basilar membrane response is effectively the sum of the responses for each individual component. — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 553

Categorization

• DEFINE: Introduces the term “place analysis” — the foundational concept of how the cochlea decomposes sound.
• XREF: connects to: The ear analyzes complex sounds by superposition of individual frequency responses — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 553; Auditory filters are analyzed one component at a time to build up complex effects; The peripheral hearing system acts as a quantitative spectral analyser (+6 more)

Broader Connections

• The ear analyzes complex sounds by superposition of individual frequency responses #corroborates (0.95) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 553
• The ear decomposes complex sounds into summed place responses #corroborates (0.90)
• The ear’s analysis resembles Fourier frequency decomposition of sound #expands (0.85) — Ville Pulkki, Matti Karjalainen, Communication Acoustics- An…, 377
• Auditory filters are analyzed one component at a time to build up complex effects #exemplifies (0.80)
• Frequency-domain analysis mirrors how the human ear processes sound #corroborates (0.80) — Ville Pulkki, Matti Karjalainen, Communication Acoustics- An…, 377
• Sound spectrum analysis depends on banks of filters to decompose signals #expands (0.80)
• The peripheral hearing system acts as a quantitative spectral analyser #expands (0.75)
• Hearing’s salient spectral features can be matched by adjustable Fourier analysis #expands (0.75) — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 2020
• Combination tones arise from the hearing system’s own nonlinearity #qualifies (0.70) — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 430