title: Rippled-spectrum resolution dependence on masker-to-probe ratio.
abstract: Resolution of rippled sound spectrum (probe) in the presence of additional noise band (masker) was studied as a function of masker-to-probe ratio and sound level in normal listeners. The probe bands were 0.5-oct wide (ERB) centered at 2 kHz; the masker band either coincided with the probe (on-frequency masker), or was 3/4 octaves below (low-frequency masker), or 3/4 octaves above the probe (high-frequency masker). Ripple-density resolution in the probe band was measured by finding the highest ripple density at which an interchange of ripple peaks and valleys was detectable (the phase-reversal test). (i) The effect of the low-frequency masker increased (resolution decreased) when masker-to-probe ratio changed from -25 dB to +20 dB; the effect increased (resolution decreased) with sound level increase. (ii) The effect of the on-frequency masker steeply increased (resolution abruptly decreased) when masker-to-probe ratio exceeded 0 dB; the effect was little dependent on sound level. (iii) The high-frequency masker was little effective unless the masker-to-probe ratio reached 30-40 dB; the effect increased (resolution decreased) with sound level decrease. Thus, different position of the masker band relative to the probe resulted in qualitatively different kinds of spectrum-pattern resolution dependence on both the masker-to-probe ratio and sound level.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 33 Leninsky Prosp., 117071 Moscow, Russia. alex_supin@sevin.ru
authors.forename: Alexander Ya
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Supin
authors.forename: Vladimir V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Popov
authors.forename: Olga N
authors.initials: ON
authors.lastname: Milekhina
authors.forename: Mikhail B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Tarakanov
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010470:Perceptual Masking / Q000502:physiology*; D010898:Pitch Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D011571:Psychoacoustics; D013997:Time Factors