@toddalin I don't walk around in public while listening to music through loudspeakers.
The sound you hear IS natural. The 'sound' isn't modified in any way. Your ears are being modified to capture more of the sound. Like animals that can change the shape of their ear to hear better, bats, horses, dogs, etc...
This raises the question...people with large ears are capable of capturing more sound and hear better than those with small ears? I think it's very possible.
Thoughts to ponder.