Psychoacoustics: Facts and Models (Springer Series in Information Sciences) (v. 22) [Paperback]

Eberhard Zwicker (Author), Hugo Fastl (Author)

Book Description

Series: Springer Series in Information Sciences | Publication Date: April 14, 1999

Psychoacoustics - Facts and Models represents a comprehensive collection of data describing the processing of sound by the human hearing system. It includes quantitative relations between sound stimuli and auditory perception in terms of hearing sensations. In addition, quantitative psychoacoustic models of hearing sensations are given. The monograph contains a unique collection of data on the human hearing system as a receiver of acoustic information as well as many examples of the practical application of the results of basic research in fields such as audiology, noise evaluation, and sound engineering. Many helpful hints for the solution of practical problems will be of particular benefit to engineers, and the book as a whole should serve as an important benchmark in the field of psychoacoustics. The treatment given in this second edition has been thoroughly updated with recent results.

Editorial Reviews

Review

 

"[The book] contains the most comprehensive collection of psychoacoustic facts and models that I know.... for advanced students, researchers and experts, it is an essential source of psychoacoustic knowledge . . . I do recommend it."

-Applied Acoustics

"This volume is no ordinary textbook, but a major landmark . . . The publication of this volume must be regarded as a major event, and the book should find a place on the shelves of every acoustician with a concern for the perception of sounds."

-Journal of Sound and Vibration

"...It can be sincerely stated that this book contributes most significantly to the distribution of expert knowledge on the auditory system to science, technology, and practice. It will without doubt have a long-lasting effect on the standing and future evolution of this scientific domain."

-Acustica

"[The book] never presents data without a great deal of thought and sense of purpose. Data are chosen to demonstrate the operation of basic perceptual models¿ It is of grate value to see how far a rigorous and systematic application of these fundamental ideas can go in explaining the richness of human auditory experience and this is the special significance of [this book]."

- Physics Today

Product Details

• Paperback: 428 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 2nd updated ed. edition (April 14, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3540650636
• ISBN-13: 978-3540650638
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,951,177 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Be Ready to Get Hammered With Information, December 3, 2001

By 

A. Scudiero (Minneapolis, MN United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Psychoacoustics: Facts and Models (Springer Series in Information Sciences) (v. 22) (Paperback)

Zwicker is a major name in Psychoacoustics. He references his own publications in the field well over 100 times in this book. This book is probably the most comprehensive collection of psychoacoustical information I have seen to date. As with all works, it starts with a description of sound and the human audiotory system, and then moves into how the two entities interact and how perception is modeled by this. The discussion is very technical, and he has an average of one graph per page. I do not recommend this book to anyone not interested in the details of how psychoacoustics evolve.
It is also nice that he includes a methods section, as one would do in a technical journal. This describes how the data that he is presenting was obtained, and adds a load of credibilty to the work. Also most of the data presented is empirical, from experiments themselves. The amount of research underlying this work is huge.
My one complaint is the pace varies a bit, but not too bad. Some parts seem fast, others seem slow. Overall however, this is a great book for technical readers. I personally found this book tremendously useful.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ever wanted to understand human hearing?, May 21, 2000

By 

David Benson "dave_benson" (Aberdeen) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Psychoacoustics: Facts and Models (Springer Series in Information Sciences) (v. 22) (Paperback)

Eberhard Zwicker was one of the great names in psychoacoustics. This book, written with his student Hugo Fastl, is an excellent introduction to psychoacoustics, and presents a modern account with a great deal of qualitative and quantitative information. The second edition has been updated by Fastl.

I would have liked to see more discussion of the relationships with the psychology of music, but there are now several good books available on this subject, especially a collection of essays edited by Diana Deutsch and another edited by Perry Cook.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential for NVH, June 20, 2002

By 

Brian K Wilson (Ferndale, MI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Psychoacoustics: Facts and Models (Springer Series in Information Sciences) (v. 22) (Paperback)

Even though it may not have been his direct intent, the (mostly) empirical information presented in Zwicker's book is essential for understanding how to integrate a customers perception of sound into the design of a consumer product (such as a washing machine or an automobile, for instance). If you are interested in the engineering field of noise and vibration, or wish to make a career out of designing for noise and vibration, this book is a MUST HAVE as a professional reference. Highly, highly recommended.