Acoustic-Reflex Growth for Multitone Complexes

Abstract

The effects of activator spectral density on the growth characteristics of the acoustic reflex were evaluated in normal-hearing subjects. Reflex-growth dynamics were evaluated for computer-synthesized activators composed of 2 to 50 components and bandwidths wider and more narrow than the reported critical band for loudness summation. Although acoustic-reflex characteristics varied with activator bandwidth, there were no significant differences in reflex-growth patterns as a function of activator density (number of components). The findings suggest that, like loudness summation, growth or magnitude characteristics of the acoustic reflex are unaffected by the spectral density of the signal.