The human hearing system compromises between frequency and time resolution, unlike ideal filters

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 (#qualifies, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Time and frequency resolution cannot both be improved simultaneously — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 951; Filter banks split broadband signals into sub-bands much like cochlear hearing does — Ville Pulkki, Matti Karjalainen, Communication Acoustics- An…, 396; The auditory filter width is what matters for sound and voice technology design. (+10 more)

Related

• The ear’s frequency selectivity is imperfect and worsens at higher frequencies (similarity 0.90)
• The critical band model fails because selectivity varies with level and asymmetry. (similarity 0.89)
• The ear’s frequency selectivity worsens as frequency rises above 500 Hz. (similarity 0.89)
• Uncertainty principles force mechanical frequency sorting in the ear to be coarse. (similarity 0.88)
• The ear’s frequency response is level-dependent, favoring mid frequencies at low volume (similarity 0.88)
• No filter can have both fast time response and narrow bandwidth simultaneously. (similarity 0.87)
• The ear’s time-frequency resolution cannot be modeled by fixed-length frames (similarity 0.86)
• Frequency and time resolution are mutually exclusive trade-offs in any analysis of sound. (similarity 0.86)
• Meaningful frequency-response specs require high resolution and narrow tolerance. (similarity 0.85)
• Frequency discrimination stems from steep filter slopes plus 1 dB level sensitivity (similarity 0.85)
• Auditory filter bandwidth scales nonlinearly with center frequency (similarity 0.85)
• Human hearing is most frequency-selective around 2 kHz (similarity 0.84)
• Basilar membrane displacement produces an asymmetric filter response across frequency. (similarity 0.84)
• Frequency selectivity is the auditory system’s ability to represent one frequency independently of another. (similarity 0.84)
• Time and frequency resolution cannot both be improved simultaneously (similarity 0.84)

Broader Connections

• The ear’s frequency selectivity is imperfect and worsens at higher frequencies #qualifies (0.78) — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 477