An implantable device includes a multi-channel electrode array in which eachchannel is associated with an electrodein the array. An audio processing stage processes an input audio signal toproduce output channel signals representing associatedbands of audio frequencies. A timing and envelope detector processes theoutput channel signals in a sequence of sampling intervals,including, for each sampling interval, determining for each output channelsignal: i. a set of requested pulse timings containing aplurality of pulse timing requests, and ii. a set of corresponding envelopesignals representing pulse magnitude for pulse timingrequests. A pulse selection amplitude definition stage determines for each setof requested pulse timings: i. a set of output pulses atspecified times selected from the set of requested pulse timings based on apulse selection inhibition function, and ii. a stimulationamplitude associated with each output pulse. The multi-channel electrode arrayapplies the output pulses at their associatedstimu-lation amplitudes to surrounding tissue.
