The effect of masking noise on rippled-spectrum resolution

Ripple-density resolution in a rippled sound spectrum (probe band) under the effect of another band (masker) was studied in normal listeners. The resolvable ripple density in the probe band was measured using a phase-reversal test. The principle of the test was to find the highest ripple density at which an interchange of mutual peak and valley position (the ripple phase reversal) was detectable. Probe bands were 0.5 octave (oct) wide with center frequencies of 1, 2, and 4 kHz. When a masker band was below the probe one (a low-frequency masker), it markedly reduced the ripple-density resolution. The effect of the low-frequency masker enhanced (ripple-density resolution decreased) with decreasing the stop-band (frequency spacing) between the probe and masker bands. The strongest masker effect was observed at zero spacing between the probe and masker bands. However, when the probe band overlapped the masker one so that no masker power was below the probe band, the masker effect diminished (ripple-density resolution partially released). Increase of the masker bandwidth above 0.5 oct by shifting its lower boundary downwards did not enhance the masker effect. Masker bands above the probe one (high-frequency maskers) did not influence the ripple-density resolution. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.