An audio headset may receive a plurality of audio signals corresponding to plurality of surround sound channels. The headset may determine, via its audio processing circuitry, context and content of the audio signals. The audio processing circuitry may process the audio signals to generate a pair of stereo signals carrying one or more virtual surround channels, wherein the processing comprises automatically controlling, based on the context and the content of the audio signals, a simulated acoustic environment of the virtual surround channels.