Masking of short probe sounds by tone bursts with a sweeping frequency

Abstract

The maske threshold of short (≤ 40 ms) probe tone or a short one-third octave probe noise appears to increase if the frequency of a tonal masker is swept. Frequency sweeps were exponential (octaves/s) and unidirectional. Probe sounds were presented in the time center of the masker at the center frequency of the masker. The sweep speed, S, appeared to be an important parameter; masker duration was much less important. For 10-ms tonal probes, in-phase with the masker in their common time center, 100-ms maskers, and upward sweeps, increase of the masked threshold appeared to be maximal at a sweep speed of 30 oct/s and the masked threshold was 21 dB higher than the masked threshold found for the stationary masker (S = 0 oct/s). Above 30 oct/s the masked threshold decreased. For downward sweeps masking was maximal at S = 20 oct/s and the threshold was 15 dB higher. Sweeping upward the increase in masking was 12 dB for both noise probes and tonal probes with phase differing by 90° from the masker in their common time center. The results are inconsistent with current models of masking: sweeping the frequency the masked threshold increases whereas the energy within the critical band at the probe frequency decreases.