Otoacoustic emissions are sounds produced by the inner ear — the ear does emit sound. In the source dossier on Holophonics, otoacoustic emissions serve as the pivot between a real phenomenon and an unsupported extension of it.
What the source says
The dossier acknowledges that otoacoustic emissions exist, but states that "there is no evidence to support the assertion that these play a role in sound localization, nor is any mechanism for this 'interference' effect claimed by Zuccarelli supported."
The dossier also states more broadly: "To date, there has been no evidence provided that any acoustic emissions are used for sound localization."
Why the distinction matters
The existence of otoacoustic emissions is sometimes used to lend plausibility to the Auditory Interferometer Hypothesis — the claim that the ear emits a reference sound that interferes with incoming sound to encode direction. The dossier separates the two: the emission is real, but the localization role is not supported. The alternative explanation the source offers is Binaural Recording and Head-Related Transfer Function (HRTF) synthesis.
Source notes & attribution
- Rex Research dossier: https://rexresearch.com/ZuccarelliHolophonics/ZuccarelliHolophonics.html
- Wikipedia, "Holophonics": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holophonics
- https://rexresearch.com/ZuccarelliHolophonics/ZuccarelliHolophonics.html