Manipulates desires in audition (6)
I believe the answer is:
kneads
'manipulates' is the definition.
(kneading is a kind of manipulating)
'desires in audition' is the wordplay.
'desires' becomes 'needs' (needing is a kind of desiring).
'in audition' shows a homophone (sound like) (audition can mean hearing).
'needs' sounds like 'KNEADS'.
(Other definitions for kneads that I've seen before include "Works together into a mass" , "Works (dough) with the hands" , "Presses and stretches with hands, dough or flesh" , "Works and presses with the hands" , "Massages, dough say" .)