The three bones in your middle ear are responsible for matching impedance between the air outside your ear and the fluid in your cochlea as explained in this video on impedance matching in the ear. As...The three bones in your middle ear are responsible for matching impedance between the air outside your ear and the fluid in your cochlea as explained in this video on impedance matching in the ear. As we will see, the bell of a wind instrument also affects the overtones present (and therefor the timbre) but the main function of a bell is to help sound waves exit the instrument by matching the impedance.
