Forward masking patterns for harmonic complex tones
Brian C. J. Moore, Brian R. Glasberg · The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America · 1983
Complex tones containing the first ten harmonics at equal amplitude, and with fundamental frequencies of 100, 200, or 400 Hz, served as maskers for brief sinusoidal signals (10-, 20-, or 40-ms duration) presented immediately following the maskers. Threshold was measured as a function of signal frequency, using an adaptive, two-alternative forced-choice procedure. The starting phase of the signal relative to the masker had no significant effect on threshold. The masking patterns showed clear peaks corresponding to the first 3 or 4 harmonics, but no peaks were visible for higher harmonics. It is concluded that the "ripple" in the internal spectra of the maskers amounts to 3 dB or less for harmonics above the fifth.