Auditory event

The term auditory event is described as a physical sound event is perceived subjectively by a human. The acoustic event is spatially, temporally and eigenschaftlich by subjective sensation sizes, such as timbre, transparency, spatial impression, loudness, etc. described. The relationship of sound event ( stimulus) and auditory event (sensation ) is complex. Both sizes can not be equated.

This term was introduced by Jens Blauert ( Chair of Electrical Engineering and acoustics of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Ruhr- University Bochum) in 1966 to ensure a clean conceptual separation from the sound event. An auditory event is the auditory perceptual object.

Auditory events are the central object of study of psychoacoustics. Is examined here in listening tests, in particular the relationship between physical quantities, such as sound field quantities, and the corresponding perceptions ( psychoacoustic sensation sizes) of subjects. From this it can in turn draw conclusions on the processing methods of human hearing.

Aspects of the investigation of auditory events can be:

• If there is an auditory event? If a certain sound perceptible? ⇒ Determination of perception thresholds, such as hearing thresholds, masked thresholds etc.
• What character has an auditory? ⇒ Determination of loudness, tonality, tone, roughness ( acoustic ), fluctuation strength
• What is the spatial impression of the auditory event? ⇒ determination of localization, lateralization, Hörereignisrichtung, liveness
• When it comes to different auditory events? What are the resolution options of hearing? ⇒ determination of difference thresholds, such as just noticable difference ( JND ).

Relationships between sound events and auditory events

Sound events can be described by physical quantities such as sound field quantities, while auditory events can be described by psycho-acoustic sensation sizes. Here are some physical quantities describing a sound event and related psycho-acoustic sensation sizes are compared to the description of the corresponding auditory event today. However, there is no clear association between these variables. For example, the loudness depends not alone on the sound pressure level from, among others, but also from the acoustic spectrum.

• Psychoacoustics