Provided is an apparatus and corresponding method to control sound. The apparatus includes a genre determiner configured to determine a genre of sound data by using a genre recognition model, an equalizer setter configured to set an equalizer according to the determined genre, and a reproducer configured to reproduce the sound data based on the set equalizer.

Methods and devices for masking emotional information of a user population, e.g., from a voice assistant device. For instance, the device may comprise one or more processor; a microphone; and a speaker. The one or more processor is configured to: listen, using the microphone, to multiple samples of speech by the user population; iteratively create emotionally obfuscating noises, using the multiple samples of speech, to determine a final emotionally obfuscating noise; recognize, using the microphone, a wake word of the voice assistant device; and generate the emotionally obfuscating noise over utterances by a user.

Methods and devices for masking emotional information of a user population, e.g., from a voice assistant device. For instance, the device may comprise one or more processor; a microphone; and a speaker. The one or more processor is configured to: listen, using the microphone, to multiple samples of speech by the user population; iteratively create emotionally obfuscating noises, using the multiple samples of speech, to determine a final emotionally obfuscating noise; recognize, using the microphone, a wake word of the voice assistant device; and generate the emotionally obfuscating noise over utterances by a user.