The role of temporal-masking patterns in the determination of subjective duration and loudness for ramped and damped sounds

Abstract

The association between temporal-masking patterns, duration, and loudness for broadband noises with ramped and damped envelopes was examined. Duration and loudness matches between the ramped and damped sounds differed significantly. Listeners perceived the ramped stimuli to be longer and louder than the damped stimuli, but the outcome was biased by the stimulus context. Next, temporal-masking patterns were measured for ramped-and damped-broadband noises using three ͑0.5, 1.5, and 4.0 kHz͒ 10 ms probe tones presented individually at various temporal delays. Predictions of subjective duration derived from masking results underpredicted the matching results. Loudness estimates derived from models that assume persistence of neural activity after stimulus offset ͓Glasberg B. R., and Moore, B. C. J. ͑2002͒. "A model of loudness applicable to time-varying sounds," J. Audio. Eng. Soc. 50, 331-341; Chalupper, J., and Fastl, H. ͑2002͒ "Dynamic loudness model ͑DLM͒ for normal and hearing-impaired listeners," Acust. Acta Acust. 88, 378-386͔ were greater for ramped sounds than for damped sounds and were close to the average results obtained via the matching task. Differences in simultaneous-masked thresholds for these stimuli could not account for the loudness-matching results. Decay suppression of the later occurring portion of the damped stimulus may account for the differences in perception due to the stimulus context; however, a parsimonious implementation of this process that accounts for both subjective duration and loudness judgments remains unclear.

Simple reaction time to the onset of time-varying sounds

“…However, loudness studies show that ramped sounds are perceived louder than damped sounds (e.g. Ries, Schlauch, & DiGiovanni, 2008). This contrast underscores that RT might not be an unconditional correlate of loudness.…”

The temporal weighting of loudness: effects of the level profile

“…We also did not measure whether, on average, sounds with different level profiles differed in loudness. A discussion of the latter question can be found in several studies comparing the loudness of ramped (i.e., containing a fade-in) and damped (i.e., decreasing in level across time) sounds (e.g., Neuhoff, 1998;Ries, Schlauch, & DiGiovanni, 2008;Stecker & Hafter, 2000;Susini et al, 2007). Finally, note that the task was not to discriminate between different level profiles, in the sense of deciding (for example) whether the sound had a flat level profile or contained a fade-in.…”

Asymmetry in perceived duration between up-ramp and down-ramp sounds as a function of duration

“…Major results have been achieved concerning the loudness asymmetries for a ramp duration of 1.8 s. However, recent results showed that the asymmetry still exists for longer durations (Ponsot et al, 2013). Up-ramps are also judged longer than down-ramps of the same physical duration (Schlauch et al, 2001;Grassi and Darwin, 2006;DiGiovanni and Schlauch, 2007;Ries et al, 2008;Grassi and Pavan, 2012). Most studies focused on the perceived duration asymmetry for durations shorter than 1 s. Globally it was found that the difference between the perceived duration of up-and down-ramps decreases as the duration increases from about 50 to 1000 ms (Schlauch et al, 2001;Grassi and Darwin, 2006;Ries et al, 2008;Grassi and Pavan, 2012).…”

“…For example, when using ME, Schlauch et al (2001) found for a 1-kHz pure-tone, a ratio of about 4.5 for ramp duration of 25 ms that decreased to about 1.8 for ramp duration of 200 ms, while when using a matching procedure, they found a ratio of about 2.5 at 25 ms, which decreased to about 1.3 at 200 ms. In Ries et al (2008), with a broadband noise, the ratio decreased from 1.85 down to 1.2 for durations ranging from 50 to 500 ms. Some studies focused on short durations, i.e., <500 ms (Schlauch et al, 2001;DiGiovanni and Schlauch, 2007;Ries et al, 2008) while others focused on longer durations, i.e., from 250 ms to 2 s (Grassi and Darwin, 2006;Grassi and Pavan, 2012).…”

“…Up-ramps are also judged longer than down-ramps of the same physical duration (Schlauch et al, 2001;Grassi and Darwin, 2006;DiGiovanni and Schlauch, 2007;Ries et al, 2008;Grassi and Pavan, 2012). Most studies focused on the perceived duration asymmetry for durations shorter than 1 s. Globally it was found that the difference between the perceived duration of up-and down-ramps decreases as the duration increases from about 50 to 1000 ms (Schlauch et al, 2001;Grassi and Darwin, 2006;Ries et al, 2008;Grassi and Pavan, 2012). In other words, up-ramps are perceived longer than down-ramps for durations up to 1 s. However, DiGiovanni and Schlauch (2007) found an increase in the asymmetry between 50 and 500 ms for broadband noises.…”