Model families used in this study. The families are defined by the level of detail in simulating the cochlear processing and are sorted by their complexity from left to right. a) Biophysical models using a nonlinear transmission line that contains resonating stages coupled by the cochlear fluid; b) Phenomenological models using nonlinear filters dynamically controlled by an outer-hair-cell (OHC) model; c) Functional effective models using linear filters, optionally combined with static nonlinear filters.