Actually here is what the ear hears and its far from flat at the extreme top and bottom range of our ears in particular:
http://www.independentrecording.net/irn/resources/freqchart/ear_sensitivity.htm
For example according to this what measures correctly as flat at say 20 hz will be heard down more than 70db by the typical human ear in the worst case at the lower volume limit of human hearing. Less so but still down at higher volumes. So significant equalization/boost is needed to "hear it as flat". How much depends on volume. Same true with the high end.
Whereas a microphone used to measure the levels accurately would have flat response end to end. Our ears are far from that as shown in the chart.
http://www.independentrecording.net/irn/resources/freqchart/ear_sensitivity.htm
For example according to this what measures correctly as flat at say 20 hz will be heard down more than 70db by the typical human ear in the worst case at the lower volume limit of human hearing. Less so but still down at higher volumes. So significant equalization/boost is needed to "hear it as flat". How much depends on volume. Same true with the high end.
Whereas a microphone used to measure the levels accurately would have flat response end to end. Our ears are far from that as shown in the chart.