Acoustic masking

Interference with detection or discrimination of a sound by other sounds. Signal frequency, amplitude, timing and receiver processing can affect masking.

Interference involving uncertainty, source confusion or selection beyond a simple account of overlapping acoustic energy. Demonstrating it requires suitable controls for audibility and peripheral overlap; merely finding a difficult listening task is insufficient.

Reduced target detectability associated with overlap between target and interfering acoustic energy in the listener's representation. It is distinguished conceptually from informational masking, although both can occur in one task and the distinction does not identify one anatomical site automatically.