Physiological and Psycho-Acoustic Basis for Multi-Resolution Frequency Response Analysis

Perceived pitch is proportional to the percentage change in frequency, not the absolute change. The perceived loudness of a tone is proportional to its duration, until a saturation time is reached. The higher the frequency, the shorter the duration needed to achieve saturation. These perceptions can be correlated with measurements of nerve impulses from the auditory hair cells. — This paper reviews the physiological and psycho-acoustic factors that influence the choice of analysis time and bandwidth for cinema sound system measurements. — In order to have a high resolution in frequency, one must use a long analysis time. In order to have a high resolution in time, one must analyze a wide frequency bandwidth. To measure perceptually relevant phenomena, a multi-resolution approach is needed. At low frequencies, constant fractional bandwidth and longer loudness integration time means a high resolution in frequency and long analysis time is appropriate. At high frequencies, constant fractional bandwidth and shorter loudness integration time means a lower frequency resolution and shorter analysis time is appropriate.

Published

2011-10

Content type

Original Research

Keywords

Audio, Frequency Response, Time Frequency Analysis, Physiological Acoustics, Psycho-Acoustics, B-Chain, Sound System, Loudspeaker, Microphone, Measurement

DOI

10.5594/M001072

ISBN

978-1-61482-940-9