Abstract: In one example, a headset comprises a microphone; an earpiece that is configured to output audio based on one or more of the following: a first audio signal from a connected host device and associated with an application type and a second audio signal from the microphone, when present; a noise reduction module that is configured to reduce ambient noise; a speech detection module that is configured to detect whether a headset user is talking; a voice pass-through module that is configured to pass external voices captured with the microphone as the second audio signal to the earpiece, when activated; and a controller that is configured to activate the voice pass-through module in response to the speech detection module detecting the headset user talking, when uplink audio is off.