Without the middle ear, if sound reached the inner ear it would be:

The middle ear plays a crucial role in the auditory process by acting as an impedance-matching device that effectively transfers sound vibrations from the air to the fluid-filled inner ear. The sound waves encountered in the environment primarily travel through air, which has a significantly lower density than the fluid found in the inner ear.

If sound were to bypass the middle ear and directly reach the inner ear, the efficiency of sound energy transmission would be greatly diminished. This is because the majority of the sound energy would be reflected rather than transmitted into the fluid of the inner ear, leading to a situation where the sound perceived would be virtually nonexistent. This is due to the fact that without the middle ear's amplification and pressure-matching capabilities, the inner ear lacks the means to effectively convert auditory signals into neuroelectric signals for the brain to interpret.

In essence, the absence of the middle ear results in insufficient energy to stimulate the hair cells in the cochlea, leading to very weak, if not imperceptible, sound sensations.