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Related Concept Videos

Interference: Path Lengths01:10

Interference: Path Lengths

Consider two sources of sound, that may or may not be in phase, emitting waves at a single frequency, and consider the frequencies to be the same.
Two special sources may be considered when they are in phase. This can be easily achieved by feeding the two sources from the same source. An example would be synchronizing the two speakers by feeding them with the same source, such as the sound waves produced by a tuning fork. This setup ensures that the two sources have the same frequency and are...
Sound Waves: Interference00:53

Sound Waves: Interference

Sound waves can be modeled either as longitudinal waves, wherein the molecules of the medium oscillate around an equilibrium position, or as pressure waves. When two identical waves from the same source superimpose on each other, the combination of two crests or two troughs results in amplitude reinforcement known as constructive interference. If two identical waves, that are initially in phase, become out of phase because of different path lengths, the combination of crests with troughs...
Interference and Superposition of Waves01:07

Interference and Superposition of Waves

When two waves of the same nature occur in the same region simultaneously, they result in interference. Interference of waves implies that the net effect of the waves is the sum of the individual waves' effects. However, it does not imply that the individual waves affect the propagation of other waves.
Interference occurs in mechanical waves, such as sound waves, waves on a string, and surface water waves. Mechanical waves correspond to the physical displacement of particles. Hence,...
Interference and Diffraction02:18

Interference and Diffraction

Interference is a characteristic phenomenon exhibited by waves. When two electromagnetic waves interact with their peaks and troughs coinciding, a resulting wave with enhanced amplitude is produced. This is known as constructive interference. In this case, the two waves interacting are in phase with each other.
Echo01:06

Echo

The human ear cannot distinguish between two sources of sound if they happen to reach within a specific time interval, typically 0.1 seconds apart. More than this, and they are perceived as separate sources.
Imagine the sound is reflected back to the ears. Assuming that the source is very close to the human, the difference between hearing the two sounds—the emitted sound and the reflected sound—may be more than the minimum time for perceiving distinct sounds. If this is the case, then the...
The Cochlea01:13

The Cochlea

The cochlea is a coiled structure in the inner ear that contains hair cells—the sensory receptors of the auditory system. Sound waves are transmitted to the cochlea by small bones attached to the eardrum called the ossicles, which vibrate the oval window that leads to the inner ear. This causes fluid in the chambers of the cochlea to move, vibrating the basilar membrane.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 6, 2026

An Automated System for Sound Localization Testing in Hearing-Impaired Listeners
07:52

An Automated System for Sound Localization Testing in Hearing-Impaired Listeners

Published on: March 13, 2026

Binaural interference in the free field.

Naomi B H Croghan1, D Wesley Grantham

  • 1Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA.

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
|December 2, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The minimum audible angle (MAA) for sound localization worsened significantly with a pulsed low-frequency masker. However, spatial separation or continuous masking reduced this interference effect in normal-hearing adults.

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Area of Science:

  • Auditory Perception
  • Psychoacoustics
  • Spatial Hearing

Background:

  • The minimum audible angle (MAA) is a crucial measure of sound localization acuity.
  • Understanding auditory interference is vital for diagnosing and treating hearing impairments.
  • Previous research has explored auditory interference under headphones, but free-field studies are also important.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of a low-frequency masker on the MAA in a free-field environment.
  • To determine if spectral and spatial cues influence auditory interference.
  • To compare free-field findings with existing headphone data.

Main Methods:

  • MAA was measured in seven normal-hearing adults using a narrow band of noise centered at 4000 Hz (target).
  • Interference was introduced using a narrow band of noise centered at 500 Hz under various conditions (pulsed, continuous, spatially separated).
  • Measurements were conducted in an anechoic chamber.

Main Results:

  • The average MAA was 2.1° without interference.
  • With a pulsed low-frequency masker presented frontally, the average MAA significantly increased to 13.4°.
  • Interference was reduced when the masker was continuous or spatially separated (±90°).
  • The interference effect was asymmetric; a high-frequency masker did not elevate the MAA for a low-frequency target.

Conclusions:

  • Auditory interference in the free field, similar to headphone studies, occurs when a spectrally remote masker is perceptually fused with the target.
  • Temporal onset differences and spatial separation promote perceptual segregation, thereby reducing interference.
  • These findings support models of auditory perception that emphasize perceptual object formation and segregation.