A method of operating an audio processing device to improve a user's perception of an input sound includes defining a critical frequency fcrit between a low frequency range and a high frequency range, receiving an input sound by the audio processing device, and analyzing the input sound in a number of frequency bands below and above the critical frequency. The method also includes defining a cut-off frequency fcut below the critical frequency fcrit, identifying a source frequency band above the cut-off frequency fcut, and extracting an envelope of the source band. Further, the method identifying a corresponding target band below the critical frequency fcrit, extracting a phase of the target band, and combining the envelope of the source band with the phase of the target band.