A method (200;300) of controlling a wearable audio output device having active noise reduction (ANR) capabilities, the method comprising: detecting (202;302) a speech signal from a user wearing the wearable audio output device, wherein the ANR is set to an initial level; in response to detecting the speech signal, determining (204;304-308) whether the user desires to speak to a subject in the vicinity of the user, by checking for one or more conditions confirming that the detected speech signal from the user is not related to a purpose other than to speak with a subject in the vicinity of the user; in response to the determining, automatically setting (206;312) the ANR to allow the user to hear sounds external to the wearable audio output device more audibly relative to the initial level and starting a timer; in response to detecting an additional speech signal from the user while the timer is running, extending or resetting the timer (314;320); and in response to the timer expiring, automatically setting the ANR to the initial level, the method characterized in that checking for one or more conditions confirming that the detected speech signal from the user is not related to a purpose other than to speak with a subject in the vicinity of the user includes: - checking that the speech signal does not include a wake-up word (WUW) configured to trigger a voice personal assistant (VPA), and/or - checking that the speech signal does not include voice commands for a voice personal assistant (VPA), and/or - checking that the speech signal does not include singing or humming while music is being streamed to the wearable audio output device. detecting (202;302) a speech signal from a user wearing the wearable audio output device, wherein the ANR is set to an initial level; in response to detecting the speech signal, determining (204;304-308) whether the user desires to speak to a subject in the vicinity of the user, by checking for one or more conditions confirming that the detected speech signal from the user is not related to a purpose other than to speak with a subject in the vicinity of the user; in response to the determining, automatically setting (206;312) the ANR to allow the user to hear sounds external to the wearable audio output device more audibly relative to the initial level and starting a timer; in response to detecting an additional speech signal from the user while the timer is running, extending or resetting the timer (314;320); and in response to the timer expiring, automatically setting the ANR to the initial level, the method characterized in that checking for one or more conditions confirming that the detected speech signal from the user is not related to a purpose other than to speak with a subject in the vicinity of the user includes: - checking that the speech signal does not include a wake-up word (WUW) configured to trigger a voice personal assistant (VPA), and/or - checking that the speech signal does not include voice commands for a voice personal assistant (VPA), and/or - checking that the speech signal does not include singing or humming while music is being streamed to the wearable audio output device. - checking that the speech signal does not include a wake-up word (WUW) configured to trigger a voice personal assistant (VPA), and/or - checking that the speech signal does not include voice commands for a voice personal assistant (VPA), and/or - checking that the speech signal does not include singing or humming while music is being streamed to the wearable audio output device. <EOS>