Model simulations of masked thresholds for tones in dichotic noise maskers

The study of masked thresholds in dichotic noise maskers is important for understanding the processing in binaural hearing. To simulate these thresholds a psychoacoustically motivated perception model was used [T. Dau et al. (1995). ‘‘A quantitative model of the ‘‘effective’’ signal processing in the auditory system: I. Model structure,’’ submitted to J. Acoust. Soc. Am.]. This model, which has been successfully applied to several monaural psychoacoustical experiments, was extended by an additional binaural processing unit. It consists of a filterbank, half‐wave rectifier, low‐pass filter, and adaptation loops, which model the temporal processing. The binaural processing unit detects the interaural correlation and makes decisions based on the difference between the signals from both ears. Masked thresholds in the NoSπ and NπSo configurations, obtained as a function of noise masker frequency and bandwidth, were simulated and compared to new experimental measurements. The dependence on interaural delay and ...