Sound Signal Sensitivity of Subjective Auditory Features

Abstract

In order to evaluate the sound signal sensitivity of subjective auditory features, understand the process of human sound signal recognition, guide machine recognition of sound signal and noise reduction, this study constructed eight sound signals by changing waveform composition, frequency and amplitude of the sound signals. Twelve subjects were asked to evaluate the subjective auditory features of eight sound signals, such as loudness, sharpness, associativity, sweetness and pleasure, as well as the differences of each sound signal with others. It showed that the sound signals were different in sharpness, associativity, sweetness and pleasure, but only associativity could predict the difference of the sound signals, other subjective auditory features could not effectively distinguish of eight sound signals. However, a single subjective characteristic of the sound signals might not sufficiently discriminate them, two or more subjective perceptual features of sound signals might effectively classify them, with subjective sharpness and associativity being the most sensitive features to sound signals discrimination.