The Process of Hearing:

Sound waves enter the outer ear and travel through the ear canal to the eardrum, causing it to vibrate. These vibrations are transmitted via three tiny bones in the middle ear (ossicles: malleus, incus, and stapes) to the inner ear, where they're converted into signals sent to the brain. 

Modern Sound Environments and Listening Fatigue:

Human auditory systems have evolved to process natural environmental sounds. But today’s world throws sound at us from every angle. Modern sound is often distorted, full of clashing frequencies, echoes and background noise. Our brains have to work overtime just to make sense of it all. This can cause listening fatigue, also known as auditory fatigue which occurs when the brain is overworked from processing sounds, particularly in challenging auditory environments. This increased cognitive load can lead to mental and physical exhaustion.

Our ears didn’t evolve for this kind of sound. Human auditory systems have evolved to only process natural environmental sounds and aren't compatible with modern sound environments.

Cognitive load impairs listeners' ability to comprehend sentences, recognize words, and identify speech sounds, suggesting that increased cognitive effort is required in challenging listening environments.

Boosting Frequencies

Our ears naturally enhance sounds in the 2 kHz to 8 kHz frequency range due to both anatomical and functional factors…

Auditory Canal Resonance

The ear canal acts as a tube closed at one end, amplifying high-frequency sounds, particularly between 2,000 Hz and 4,000 Hz. This amplification is influenced by the ear canal's length, volume and curvature, which vary among individuals. Generally, smaller ear canals tend to amplify higher frequencies more.​

Why This Enhancement Occurs

These amplifications are evolutionary adaptations that make us more attuned to the frequencies critical for understanding speech and perceiving environmental sounds. By boosting sounds in the 2 kHz to 8 kHz range, our auditory system ensures we can hear consonants and other important speech elements clearly, aiding communication and situational awareness.​

Flares Journey With Sound

Our passive products are ear adapters that help us manage the impact of sound in different environments.

Calmer® reduces our ear resonance and in doing so gently reduces annoying noises. They don't block sound or make you feel isolated but they smooth spiky sounds making annoying noises much more manageable.

Definition® increases sound quality in any audio situation by addressing hidden ear distortions with our unique reflection technology.

At Flare, we believe the answer lies in rethinking sound from the inside out: from how it’s delivered to how it’s received. We want to reduce distortion, protect clarity, and help people reconnect with sound in a way that feels natural and not fatiguing.

Whether you’re a music lover, someone with sound sensitivities, or just curious about what your ears are really experiencing, it
starts with awareness.

Sound isn’t just noise.
It’s texture, emotion, memory, and meaning and the better we understand it, the more deeply we can connect to the world around us.

The Flare Audio Team

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Citations and References

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)"How Do We Hear https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/how-do-we-hear

HearingLifeCanada"A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding Listening Fatigue" https://www.hearinglife.ca/blog/lifestyle/a-comprehensive-guide-to-understanding-listening-fatigue

Frontiers in PsychologyBrattico, E., &Tervaniemi, M. (2024)."Early Auditory Development and Sensitivity to Natural Sounds: A Neuroevolutionary Perspective. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1474961/full

Ear and Hearing (Journal of the American Auditory Society)Winn, M. B., & Teece, K. H. (2020)."Effects of Cognitive Load on Pure Tone Audiometry and Speech Perception. https://journals.lww.com/ear-hearing/fulltext/2020/07000/effects_of_cognitive_load_on_pure_tone_audiometry.19.aspx

The effect external and middle ears have in otoacoustic emissions, Christiane Marques do Couto 1, Renata Mota Mamede Carvallo:https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1808869415308260?utm_