# Can the brain create audio phase cancellation?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-brain-create-audio-phase-cancellation/560742>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 15, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-brain-create-audio-phase-cancellation/560742 "2010-11-15T15:05:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-brain-create-audio-phase-cancellation/560742/1 "2010-11-15T15:05:00Z")

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The model of phase cancellation I’m familiar with is two stereo speakers, one of them with the signal wires reversed, sending out the same tone but 180 degrees out of phase. So when you step out in between the speakers, the sound waves cancel each other out and you hear nothing.

Suppose that you put those two out of phase signals into a pair of ear buds. In the environment, there is no cancellation, so your eardrums are both being stimulated, though with exactly opposite vibrations.

Can your brain cancel out the stimulus from both ears in a situation like that?

My best guess is “no”, but I am searching for an explanation of a strange phenomenon I’ve been experiencing related to listening with ear buds.

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**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-brain-create-audio-phase-cancellation/560742/2 "2010-11-15T17:25:06Z")

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The answer is yes, within limits. Below about 1kHz the brain gets phase information from the ear, and cancellation does occur. Above this, it is only frequency information.

If you want a compendium of audio phenomina, many related to listening with earphones, Diana Deutsch is your go to person. [http://www.philomel.com/](http://www.philomel.com/)

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**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-brain-create-audio-phase-cancellation/560742/3 "2010-11-15T18:57:25Z")

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Thanks! This is really interesting – I had no idea that left and right handed people perceive sound differently.