1. On the removal of the open earcanal high-pass filter effect due to its occlusion: A bone-conduction occlusion effect theory
- Author
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Franck Sgard, Kévin Carillo, and Olivier Doutres
- Subjects
Materials science ,outer ear ,Acoustics and Ultrasonics ,Acoustics ,QC221-246 ,01 natural sciences ,Loudness ,bone conduction ,03 medical and health sciences ,Speech and Hearing ,0302 clinical medicine ,Bone conduction ,0103 physical sciences ,Occlusion ,otorhinolaryngologic diseases ,Outer ear ,medicine ,Electrical and Electronic Engineering ,030223 otorhinolaryngology ,010301 acoustics ,Occlusion effect ,Acoustics in engineering. Acoustical engineering ,high-pass filter effect ,Acoustics. Sound ,occlusion effect ,Computer Science Applications ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,TA365-367 ,Middle ear ,High-pass filter ,Eardrum - Abstract
The occlusion effect is commonly experienced by in-ear device wearers as an increased loudness sensation of bone-conducted low frequency sounds. A widespread theory proposed by Tonndorf and based on a simplified electro-acoustic model describes the phenomenon as the removal of the open earcanal high-pass filter effect due to a perfect or partial occlusion. However, this filter has not been clearly defined and several ambiguities remain. Revisiting the model, a second order high-pass filter effect for the volume velocity transferred between the earcanal wall and the eardrum is highlighted. This filter remains for partial occlusion but vanishes for perfect occlusion. In the latter case, the volume velocity transferred from the earcanal cavity to the middle ear through the eardrum drastically increases, which explains the predominance of the occluded outer ear pathway on the hearing by bone-conduction at low frequencies.
- Published
- 2021
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