Suppression and critical bands in band-limiting experiments

Abstract

Band-limiting experiments [in man] were performed at 3 noise spectrum levels (NO = 25, 40, and 55 dB SPL [sound pressure level] for forward, simultaneous and backward masking. Threshold for a 2 kHz sinusoid decreased for masker bandwidths greater than a critical bandwidth in nonsimultaneous masking. These results were evidence for a suppression effect not observed in simultaneous masking; a qualitative model of suppression can account for the results in all 3 types of masking. The data for simultaneous masking supported Fletcher''s rectangular filter interpretation of the band-limiting experiment and were well described by a level-dependent critical band.