A headset comprising an input circuit, one or more filter circuits (302a, 302b, 304a, 304b), one or more common signal detection circuits (306a, 306b), and a controller, wherein: said input circuit is operable to receive combined-game-and-chat audio signals that comprises chat audio and game audio mixed together; said chat audio signal is a monophonic signal having energy substantially contained in a vocal band from 300 Hz to 3000 Hz; said game audio signals includes a left channel signal having significant energy outside of said vocal band; and said game audio signal comprises a right channel signal having significant energy outside of said vocal band; said one or more filter circuits (302a, 302b, 304a, 304b) is operable to: filter a first of said combined-game-and-chat audio signals to generate a first vocal-band signal and a first non-vocal-band signal; filter a second of said combined-game-and-chat audio signals resulting in a second vocal-band signal and a second non-vocal band signal; wherein said one or more common signal detection circuits (306a, 306b) is operable to look for characteristics that indicate the presence of speech and: detect a strength of a first signal component that comprises characteristics that indicate the presence of speech and is common to said first vocal-band signal and said second vocal-band signal; detect a strength of a second signal component that is common to said first non-vocal-band signal and said second non-vocal-band signal; said controller is operable to automatically control a volume setting based on one or both of said detected strength of said first signal component, and said detected strength of said second signal component. said input circuit is operable to receive combined-game-and-chat audio signals that comprises chat audio and game audio mixed together; said chat audio signal is a monophonic signal having energy substantially contained in a vocal band from 300 Hz to 3000 Hz; said game audio signals includes a left channel signal having significant energy outside of said vocal band; and said game audio signal comprises a right channel signal having significant energy outside of said vocal band; said one or more filter circuits (302a, 302b, 304a, 304b) is operable to: filter a first of said combined-game-and-chat audio signals to generate a first vocal-band signal and a first non-vocal-band signal; filter a second of said combined-game-and-chat audio signals resulting in a second vocal-band signal and a second non-vocal band signal; wherein said one or more common signal detection circuits (306a, 306b) is operable to look for characteristics that indicate the presence of speech and: detect a strength of a first signal component that comprises characteristics that indicate the presence of speech and is common to said first vocal-band signal and said second vocal-band signal; detect a strength of a second signal component that is common to said first non-vocal-band signal and said second non-vocal-band signal; said controller is operable to automatically control a volume setting based on one or both of said detected strength of said first signal component, and said detected strength of said second signal component. filter a first of said combined-game-and-chat audio signals to generate a first vocal-band signal and a first non-vocal-band signal; filter a second of said combined-game-and-chat audio signals resulting in a second vocal-band signal and a second non-vocal band signal; wherein said one or more common signal detection circuits (306a, 306b) is operable to look for characteristics that indicate the presence of speech and: detect a strength of a first signal component that comprises characteristics that indicate the presence of speech and is common to said first vocal-band signal and said second vocal-band signal; detect a strength of a second signal component that is common to said first non-vocal-band signal and said second non-vocal-band signal; said controller is operable to automatically control a volume setting based on one or both of said detected strength of said first signal component, and said detected strength of said second signal component. detect a strength of a first signal component that comprises characteristics that indicate the presence of speech and is common to said first vocal-band signal and said second vocal-band signal; detect a strength of a second signal component that is common to said first non-vocal-band signal and said second non-vocal-band signal; said controller is operable to automatically control a volume setting based on one or both of said detected strength of said first signal component, and said detected strength of said second signal component.