A hearing device comprises a microphone configured to produce microphone signals and is coupled to an input of a first amplifier. A wireless transceiver is configured to receive an audio stream and is coupled to an input of a second amplifier. The second amplifier is configured to amplify the audio stream at a pre-established gain. A digital signal processor (DSP) is coupled to the microphone and the first and second amplifiers. The DSP is configured to monitor the microphone signals for a predetermined sound type of interest to the wearer during playback of the audio stream by a speaker and, while maintaining playback of the audio stream at the pre-established gain, automatically adjust gain of the first amplifier coupled to the microphone in response to detecting the predetermined sound type of interest.