An audio customization system responsive to one or more audio profiles to define a transformation to apply to audio information. The system allows users to select the profiles that dictate the nature of the customization of the audio delivered to an audio output devise such as a headphones. The system is set up to be able to lessen the influence of undesirable audio and enhance desirable audio. The system may specify aspects of audio to be modified by specification of filtering algorithm, characterization of audio samples, monitored distortion, user selection, location specification or environmental specification and may be used in a social networking system.

A sound system is provided with a headphone that includes a transducer and at least one microphone. The sound system also includes an equalization filter and a loop filter circuit. The equalization filter is adapted to equalize an audio input signal based on at least one predetermined coefficient. The loop filter circuit includes a leaky integrator circuit that is adapted to generate a filtered audio signal based on the equalized audio input signal and a feedback signal indicative of sound received by the at least one microphone, and to provide the filtered audio signal to the transducer.

A noise reducing device includes: an acoustic-to-electric conversion section for collecting noise and outputting an analog noise signal; an analog-to-digital conversion section for converting the analog noise signal into a digital noise signal; and a digital processing section for generating a digital noise reducing signal on a basis of the digital noise signal and a desired parameter. The device further includes: a retaining section for retaining a plurality of parameters corresponding to a plurality of kinds of noise characteristics; a setting section for setting one of the plurality of parameters as the desired parameter of the digital processing section; a digital-to-analog conversion section for converting the digital noise reducing signal into an analog noise reducing signal; and an electric-to-acoustic conversion section for outputting noise reducing sound on a basis of the analog noise reducing signal.

A programmable Active Noise Compensation (ANC) system for an audio input includes a parameter store structured to store a number of various filter parameters. A mode of operation is selected that represents the type of environment the ANC system is operating in—feed-forward, feed-back, or combined feed-forward and feedback. Different filter parameters are retrieved from the parameter store based on the selected mode and desired operation. Audio inputs are sampled at a relatively high sample rate that matches inputs from a feed-forward and feedback microphone that may be present in the system. Parameters and instructions may be changed in the system responsive to changing conditions of the compensation system.

An audio output device controls the application of active noise cancellation (ANC) levels based on a current status of the device. The audio output device includes a communication interface configured to provide a wired or wireless connection to a playback device, a signal detector configured to detect an audio signal provided through the communication interface, an ANC module configured to apply a first-level ANC to the audio signal, and a control unit configured to determine a level of the ANC to be applied by the ANC module. Upon determining that the audio signal is not provided based on information provided from at least one of the communication interface or the signal detector, the control unit instructs the ANC module to perform a second-level ANC.

A method of operating a headphone configured to be removed from and placed in close proximity to a user's ear can include generating an input signal by an input signal generating device. The method can also include determining whether an insertion event has occurred based on the generated input signal and causing the headphone to operate in 5 a low power mode responsive to an absence of an insertion event determination after a first period of time. The method can also include causing the headphone to operate in an ultra-low power mode responsive to the absence of an insertion event determination after a second period of time that occurs after the first period of time, the ultra-low power mode having a lower power consumption than the low power mode.

A device has a standard female audio connector that is capable of receiving four-pole male connectors and three-pole male connectors and implements: means (CTRL, VCC, S1) for selectively transmitting a DC power supply signal via a first pin (DP1) of said connector; means (CTRL, ANC) for selectively activating a cancellation mechanism for ambient noise from digital audio signals that are intended to be received, via the first pin, in a manner superimposed on said DC power supply signal; means (CTRL, MIF) for selectively transmitting via a second pin of said connector, in a manner superimposed on said audio signals, a timing clock that is intended for digital microphones (DML, DMR) or other sensors; means (CTRL) for configuring itself vis-à-vis the DC power supply signal, the ambient noise cancellation mechanism and the timing clock, according to a determined type of listening device that is effectively connected via said connector.

An audio customization system responsive to one or more inputs that enhance aspects of an audio output and one or more inputs that diminish aspects of an audio output. The system is set up to be able to lessen the influence of ambient audio or in some situations enhance ambient audio over source audio. The system may specify aspects of audio to be modified by specification of filtering algorithm, characterization of audio samples, monitored distortion, user selection, location specification or environmental specification.

A noise reducing sound reproduction system comprises a loudspeaker that is connected to a loudspeaker input path and that radiates noise reducing sound. A microphone is connected to a microphone output path and picks up the noise or a residual thereof. An active noise reduction filter is connected between the microphone output path and the loudspeaker input path, and the active noise reduction filter comprises at least one shelving filter.

An in-ear device includes a molding shaped to hold the in-ear device in an ear, and an audio package configured to emit sound. The audio package is structured to removably attach to the molding. An electronics package is structured to removably couple to the audio package and removably attach to the molding. The electronics package includes a controller to control the sound output from the audio package.