Binaural Hearing

Question 1

What is Binaural Squelch?

Answer 1

info in both ears helps you identify it better than you could in one ear.

Question 2

How does Binaural summation work?

Answer 2

threshold is 6 dB lower for two ears in audible field

• 3 dB at 35 dB SPL.

Question 3

Interaural Time Difference threshold?

Answer 3

Best: 10 microseconds at 900 Hz (diotic)

Question 4

Interaural Level Difference threshold?

Answer 4

1 dB for many frequencies (diotic)

Question 5

What is the cone of confusion?

Answer 5

sounds in this region all have the same ITD – localized to same place.

Question 6

What is the Critical band?

Answer 6

1/3 octave. Width of masking noise needed to effectively mask a tone.

If you present noise outside the critical band it won’t affect the perception of the center tone of the band

Question 7

What is The Residue?

Answer 7

Residue pitch from envelope of whatever’s left over when fundamental freq and resolved harmonics are removed from spectrum

Poorer resolution for high frequency harmonics.

Question 8

Describe Spatial Release from Masking:

Answer 8

If noise is farther away from signal, you can hear the signal better.

Question 9

What are unresolved harmonics?

Answer 9

more than one in an auditory filter. Can’t perceive pitch if that’s all you have.

Question 10

What is an auditory filter?

Answer 10

Your resolution ability. Sounds outside filter don’t affect pitch resolution. 1/3 octave gets bigger in high frequencies so multiple harmonics may fall in.

Question 11

What is Off-Frequency Listening?

Answer 11

Dead hair cells – region nearby is stimulated
with high intensity sound because tuning curve gets wider with higher intensities.
Brain compensates by shifting listening area . monitoring next higher filter because it still represents tone well but is not as affected by masker noise in primary filter.