The inner ear can be modeled as an array of asymmetrical overlapping bandpass filters.

Evidence

In addition, the scheme indicated on the left side of Fig. 3.6 may help clarify the frequency resolution in t.he inner ear. A series of bandpass filters with an asymmetrical shape of their frequency response subdivides the frequency range into many sections. The centre frequencies of these filters can be correlated with places along the cochlea, indicated at the right of the figure, again in unwound form. — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 215

Categorization

• DEFINE: Introduces the filterbank model of cochlear frequency analysis underlying auditory filter concepts.
• XREF: Precedes the auditory filter / critical band model with asymmetric shapes, relevant to masking research.