Reflected sounds physically dominate what reaches listeners’ ears

Evidence

All sound reproduction through loudspeakers involves a room as the final element in the sound delivery system. We know that listeners receive a direct sound from the loudspeaker and then many reflections from numerous directions at numerous later times. When examined, as was done in Section 2.4, we learn that the reflected sounds physically dominate what reaches the ears; collectively they are the loudest sounds. — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 469