1. A method for analyzing a stimulus waveform comprising: a) providing a signal processing means which simulates the response properties of the human cochlea by supplying a plurality of output waveforms each of which corresponds to the response of said simulated cochlea at a selected location along its length; b) applying said stimulus waveform to the input of said simulated cochlea; c) processing said stimulus waveform by said signal processing means to produce a plurality of output waveforms at selected locations along the length of said simulated cochlea; d) detecting primary features of said stimulus waveform by comparing the spatial and time relationships of said output waveforms including their spatial and time derivatives with stereotypical output waveforms and their spatial and time derivatives; e) producing a plurality of sequences of said primary features at selected locations along said simulated cochlea; f) detecting secondary features of said stimulus waveform by comparing said sequences of primary features with stereotypical patterns of said primary features; g) producing a plurality of sequences of said secondary features; and h) producing an output representation comprising one or more sequences each of which results from detecting combined spatial and temporal relationships of said primary and secondary feature sequences.