The Masking of Pure Tones and of Speech by White Noise

This report presents the results of a study of the monaural masking of pure tones by white noise at eight sensation levels (SL) from 20 to 90 db. The observed values of masking were employed to determine two basic functions: (a) The critical band width of a masking noise, i.e., the ratio, in decibels, between the level of a pure tone and the level per cycle of the noise that is just able to mask the tone. (b) The function relating the amount of masking to the effective level of the masking noise. With the aid of these two functions, a set of contours was constructed to represent the masked threshold for pure tones heard monaurally against background of white noise having an ideal flat spectrum at the ear of the listener. A study was also made of the masking by white noise of speech in the form of continuous discourse. Measurements of the threshold of detectability and of the threshold of intelligibility were made at the same eight noise levels used to mask pure tones.