The familiar bell-jar demonstration, commonly used to show that sound cannot travel in a vacuum, is revisited in this study. It is suggested that by emphasizing the different media present in this set-up, sound propagation in near-vacuum conditions can be made possible. In this way, the concept of sound propagation in this set-up can be examined in a nuanced manner. In a study involving upper-secondary students, the set-up has also been found to be helpful in addressing a few alternative conceptions related to sound propagation. (Contains 2 figures.)