Effective masking bandwidths at low frequencies

Masking of low-frequency sinusoids of varying durations by Gaussian noise of varying spectral shape was measured in three different studies. Common solutions to technical problems associated with control and specification of low-frequency signals were used in the three studies. If interpreted in terms of Fletcher's critical ratio assumptions, data from the first study lead to the inference that the masking bandwidth is inversely related to signal frequency below about 200 Hz. Data from the second study rule out the likelihood that the apparent increase in masking bandwidth is attributable to changes in auditory integration times at low frequencies. The data of the third study suggest that the apparent increase in auditory filter bandwidth at low frequencies is more adequately explained by a decrease in observers' detection efficiency than by broadening of the filter bandpass.