The human auditory system and audio

This work reviews the human auditory system, elucidating some of specialized mechanisms and non-linear pathways along chain events between physical sound its perception. Customary relationships frequency, time, phase--such as uncertainty principle--that hold for linear systems, do not apply straightforwardly to hearing process. Auditory temporal resolution certain processes can be a hundredth period signal, extend down microseconds time scale. The astonishingly large number variations that correspond neural excitation pattern 30000 nerve fibers, originating from 3500 inner hair cells, explicates vast capacity system sonic detail. And ear is sensitive enough detect basilar-membrane amplitude at level picometer, or about hundred times smaller than an atom. article surveys provides new insights into impressive capabilities explores their relationship fidelity in reproduced sound.