Our unique perception of the acoustic world evolves with experience throughout our lifespan. As neuroscientists we believe that perceptual differences in hearing, including pathological perturbations of our ability to accurately perceive our sensory environment, partly arise from variable circuitry in central auditory systems. However, we do not yet understand the molecular, synaptic, and circuit mechanisms by which experience shapes and perturbs auditory circuits. Identifying neural targets for plasticity will offer both novel insight into hearing disorders and potential therapeutic strategies to restructure pathological circuitry in adulthood.