Off-frequency listening and auditory-filter asymmetry

• DOI: 10.1121/1.383732
• Publication Date: 2005-10-04T16:00:09Z
• Authors: Roy D. Patterson; Ian Nimmo-Smith
• Keywords: 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Humans; Auditory Threshold; Models, Psychological; Perceptual Masking

The phenomenon of off-frequency listening, and the asymmetry auditory filter, were investigated by performing a masking experiment in which 2.0-kHz tonal signal (0.4 sec duration) was masked pair noise bands, one below other above tone. bands 0.8-kHz wide. edges very sharp, spectrum level band 40 dB SPL, masker on continuously throughout experiment. Tone threshold measured as function distances from tone to nearer edge each band. It assumed that conditions near remote would encourage observer listen off frequency, is, center his not at but frequency optimizes signal-to-noise ratio output filter. data analysed with power model it general form filter shape rounded exponential (a back-to-back, negative exponentials peak smoothed tails raised). specific obtained applying this has broad passband 220-Hz, 3-dB bandwidth), steep skirts (slopes 100 dB/octave) shallower 30–50 take over 30–35 down sensitivity. is asymmetric, lower branch slightly broader than upper. shifted more half its bandwidth some cases, shift can improve up 5.0 dB.