The effects of bandwidth and component phase on masking were investigated using 200-ms narrowband (1-ERB(N)) and broadband (5-ERB(N)) cosine-phase (CP) and random-phase (RP) harmonic complex maskers, centered at 1 or 6 kHz. A continuous notched-noise was used to restrict off-frequency listening. The masker fundamental frequency (F0) was 25 Hz.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe discrimination of the depth of amplitude modulation (AM) of a target carrier can be adversely affected by the presence of other modulated carriers (flankers), an effect called modulation discrimination interference (MDI). Conversely, when the task is to detect a sinusoidal signal added to a modulated carrier of the same frequency, the presence of comodulated flankers (with the same modulation as the target carrier) can improve performance (comodulation masking release: CMR). This paper examines how CMR and MDI are influenced by the number and placement of the flankers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe threshold for detecting 10-Hz amplitude modulation of a 2000-Hz carrier was measured in quiet, in the presence of an unmodulated masker, and in the presence of an amplitude-modulated masker. Two experiments were run; in each, the masker consisted of one or two sinusoidal carriers (chosen from among the frequencies of 800, 1600, 2400, and 3200 Hz). In experiment 1, the modulation rate of the masker ranged from 2 to 80 Hz.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF