Abstract
Fundamental frequency (F0) discrimination performance depends largely on harmonic number: only complexes containing harmonics below the 10th yield small F0 difference limens (DLs). This may be because only the low harmonics are resolved by the auditory periphery. Auditory filter bandwidths are known to increase with increasing stimulus level, providing a tool for testing the effect of reduced harmonic resolvability on F0 discrimination. F0DLs were measured for equal-amplitude, random-phase harmonic complexes, with eight different F0s between 75 and 400 Hz, bandpass filtered between 1.5 and 3.5 kHz. Complexes were presented at a constant average sensation level (12.5 dB/component before filtering) in threshold equalizing noise (TEN) with levels of 10, 40, and 65 dB SPL per equivalent rectangular bandwidth (ERBn). If good F0 discrimination requires the presence of resolved harmonics, the transition from poor to good F0 discrimination with increasing F0 should shift to higher F0s at higher levels, because fewer harmonics will be resolved. Preliminary results indicate that three out of four subjects demonstrated this shift at the highest level tested, providing some support for the idea that peripherally resolved harmonics are required for good pitch discrimination performance. [Work supported by NIH Grants R01DC05216 and 5T32DC00038.]
Published Version
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