Difference thresholds for interaural intensity

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Abstract
In an earlier paper, wqe examined the distribution of binaural resolvins power by measuring threshold increments of interaural delay as a function of overall dealy [E. R. Hafter and J. Demaio, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 57, 181–187 (1975)]. In the current study, similar measures were made for interaural increments of intensity. As before, the stimuli were bandpass clicks of either low (0. 1–2 kHz) or hish (3–4 kHz) frequency. For overall interaural differences as sreat as 24 dB, it seems that performance was based on the interaural differences, and not on the monaural increments/decrements that are concommitant with a binaural change in level. As was the case with time, sensitivity to interaural intensity was reasonably constant across the range tested, indicating that, unlike the case for vision, spatial resolution in the auditory system is not concentrated in the center. A simple binaural trading ratio which converts intensity time can be shown to fit the data for low‐frequency clicks quite well. However, the fit to high frequencies is so poor as to suggest that separate mechanisms were used for detecting time and intensity.Finally, a number like the binaural masking‐level difference (MLD) was computed for the two kines of clicks. Suprisingly, the MLD’s for low and high frequencies were a similar 7.2 and 8.0 dB.

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