Low‐level pure‐tone masking: A comparison of ’’tuning curves’’ obtained with simultaneous and forward masking

1978 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
pp. 1520-1527 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. L. M. Vogten
Keyword(s):  
Pure Tone ◽  
Forward Masking ◽  
Tuning Curves ◽  
Low Level

Masker interaction in pure‐tone forward masking

1980 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 475-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory P. Widin ◽  
Neal F. Viemeister
Keyword(s):  
Pure Tone ◽  
Forward Masking

Automated Audiometry in Quiet and Simulated Exam Room Noise for Listeners with Normal Hearing and Impaired Hearing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brianna N. Bean ◽  
Richard A. Roberts ◽  
Erin M. Picou ◽  
Gina P. Angley ◽  
Amanda J. Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Pure Tone ◽  
Local Area ◽  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Automated Testing ◽  
Impaired Hearing ◽  
Step Size ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Exam Room ◽  
Controlled Environments ◽  
Air Conduction

Abstract Background Up to 80% of audiograms could be automated which would allow more time for provision of specialty services. Ideally, automated audiometers would provide accurate results for listeners with impaired hearing as well as normal hearing. Additionally, accurate results should be provided both in controlled environments like a sound-attenuating room but also in test environments that may support greater application when sound-attenuating rooms are unavailable. Otokiosk is an iOS-based system that has been available for clinical use, but there are not yet any published validation studies using this product. Purpose The purpose of this project was to complete a validation study on the OtoKiosk automated audiometry system in quiet and in low-level noise, for listeners with normal hearing and for listeners with impaired hearing. Research Design Pure tone air conduction thresholds were obtained for each participant for three randomized conditions: standard audiometry, automated testing in quiet, and automated testing in noise. Noise, when present, was 35 dBA overall and was designed to emulate an empty medical exam room. Study Sample Participants consisted of 11 adults with hearing loss and 15 adults with normal hearing recruited from the local area. Data Collection and Analysis Thresholds were measured at 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz using the Otokiosk system that incorporates a modified Hughson-Westlake method. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics and also by a linear mixed-effects model to compare thresholds obtained in each condition. Results Across condition and participant group 73.6% of thresholds measured with OtoKiosk were within ± 5 dB of the conventionally measured thresholds; 92.8% were within ± 10 dB. On average, differences between tests were small. Pairwise comparisons revealed thresholds were ∼3.5–4 dB better with conventional audiometry than with the mobile application in quiet and in noise. Noise did not affect thresholds measured with OtoKiosk. Conclusions The OtoKiosk automated hearing test measured pure tone air conduction thresholds from 500 - 4000 Hz at slightly higher thresholds than conventional audiometry, but less than the smallest typical 5 dB clinical step-size. Our results suggest OtoKiosk is a reasonable solution for sound booths and exam rooms with low-level background noise.

Psychophysical tuning curves in forward masking

1975 ◽  
Vol 58 (S1) ◽  
pp. S34-S34 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. L. Wightman ◽  
M. B. Kramer ◽  
T. McGee
Keyword(s):  
Forward Masking ◽  
Tuning Curves

Comparison of forward masking and simultaneous masking tuning curves in the monkey

1980 ◽  
Vol 67 (S1) ◽  
pp. S102-S102
Author(s):  
John V. Serafin ◽  
David B. Moody ◽  
William C. Stebbins
Keyword(s):  
Forward Masking ◽  
Tuning Curves

High-Level Psychophysical Tuning Curves

1991 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 360-373 ◽  
Author(s):  
David A. Nelson ◽  
Todd W. Fortune
Keyword(s):  
Background Noise ◽  
Pure Tone ◽  
Narrow Band ◽  
Tuning Curve ◽  
Broad Band ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Tuning Curves ◽  
Tuning Characteristic ◽  
High Level ◽  
Combination Bands

Simultaneous-masked psychophysical tuning curves were obtained from normal-hearing listeners using low-level (20–25 dB SPL) probe tones in quiet and high-level (60 dB SPL) probe tones, both in quiet and in the presence of a broad-band background noise. The background noise was introduced to eliminate combination tones or combination bands and other off-frequency listening cues that exist at high levels. Tuning curves were obtained using pure-tone maskers and 100-Hz-wide narrow-band noise maskers for probe tones at 1000 and 4000 Hz. High-level tuning curves for pure-tone maskers demonstrated large discontinuities or “notches” on the low-frequency sides of the tuning curves. Broad-band background noise eliminated those notches, indicating that the notches were due to the detection of off-frequency listening cues at combination-tone frequencies. High-level tuning curves for 100-Hz-wide narrow-band maskers also demonstrated notches on the low-frequency sides. Those notches were eliminated with broad-band background noise, which indicates that combination bands strongly influenced the shapes of high-level tuning curves obtained with narrow-band maskers. The influence of combination bands was dependent upon test frequency. At 1000 Hz, combination bands had very little influence on the shapes of high-level tuning curves. At 4000 Hz, where the masker bandwidth was substantially less than the critical bandwidth, combination bands strongly affected the low-frequency sides of the tuning curves. In 2 subjects tested at a probe frequency of 2000 Hz with 100-Hz-wide masking bands, combination bands also influenced the lowfrequency sides of high-level tuning curves. The presence of combination-tone or combination-band cues essentially steepened the low-frequency slopes of tuning curves, resulting in sharper estimates of tuning. Comparisons of tuning curves obtained with pure-tone maskers and narrow-band maskers, in the same listeners, revealed that pure-tone maskers were more effective than narrow-band maskers when the masker frequencies were in the tail region of the tuning curve. The results of these experiments support the notion that tuning in the normal auditory system broadens notably with stimulus level, once off-frequency listening cues such as combination tones or combination bands are eliminated. The low-level simultaneously masked tuning curve demonstrates a sharp bandpass tuning characteristic, whereas the high-level simultaneously masked tuning curve in background noise demonstrates a broad low-pass tuning characteristic. It is argued that comparisons of tuning in impaired ears with tuning in normal ears should be made using estimates of tuning in normal ears that are not influenced by combination-tone or combination-band detection cues.

The effect of pure‐tone forward masking on overshoot

1991 ◽  
Vol 90 (1) ◽  
pp. 228-230
Author(s):  
Michelle L. Hicks ◽  
Sid P. Bacon
Keyword(s):  
Pure Tone ◽  
Forward Masking

scholarly journals A notched-noise precursor affects both diotic and dichotic notched-noise masking

Acta Acustica ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 43
Author(s):  
Felix Dymel ◽  
Monika Kordus ◽  
Ifat Yasin ◽  
Jesko L. Verhey
Keyword(s):  
Pure Tone ◽  
Forward Masking ◽  
Noise Masking ◽  
Binaural Cues ◽  
Level Difference ◽  
Masking Level Difference ◽  
Medial Olivocochlear

The present study investigates how diotic and dichotic masked thresholds, in a notched-noise masking paradigm, are affected by activation of the Medial OlivoCochlear (MOC) reflex. Thresholds were obtained for a 500-Hz pure tone diotic or a dichotic signal, S (S0 or Sπ respectively), in the presence of a simultaneous or forward diotic masker (bandpass noise with no notch or a 400-Hz notch). A diotic precursor sound (bandpass noise with a 400- or 800-Hz notch) was presented prior to the signal and masker to activate the MOC reflex. For simultaneous- and forward-masking conditions, the decrease in masked thresholds as a notch was introduced in the masker was larger for the diotic than for the dichotic condition. This resulted in a reduced binaural masking level difference (BMLD) for the masker with a notch. The precursor augmented these two effects. The results indicate that the effect of the precursor, eliciting the MOC reflex, is less pronounced when binaural cues are processed.

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