Physical Sound Waves
Whether in the control room or living room, sound first comes out of the speakers in sound waves and travels through every molecule in the room, hitting all parts of your body. Just as waves travel on water, sound waves travel through the air. When the speaker pushes out, it creates compressed air (denser air with a higher air pressure) in front of the speakers. This compressed air corresponds to the crest of a wave in water. When the speaker pulls back in and the sound doesn't return, it creates "spaced out" air (rarefied air). As we all know, when you have a water fight in the pool and you push the water and pull your hand back, the water doesn't come back. Instead, a trough is created. In the air, this trough corresponds to spaced out air. Therefore, sound travels in waves consisting of alternating compressed and rarefied air. This is one way that we perceive sound.