Listeners burning to get within hearing distance (7)
I believe the answer is:
earshot
'hearing distance' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'listeners burning' is the wordplay.
'listeners' becomes 'ears' (body parts which listen).
'burning' becomes 'hot' (similar in meaning).
'ears'+'hot'='EARSHOT'
'to get within' is the link.
This may not be right. Some or all of it may belong to another bit of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for earshot that I've seen before include "Range for hearing" , "Distance within which a sound can be heard" , "Within which we hear" , "Range of audibility" , "Range over which one may hear or be heard" .)