A method includes, while a user is wearing stereo headphones in an environment, obtaining, from a target digital assistant, a response to a query issued by the user, and obtaining spatial audio preferences of the user. Based on the spatial audio preferences of the user, the method also includes determining a spatially disposed location within a playback sound-field for the user to perceive as a sound-source of the response to the query. The method further includes rendering output audio signals characterizing the response to the query through the stereo headphones to produce the playback sound-field. Here, the user perceives the response to the query as emanating from the sound-source at the spatially disposed location within the playback sound-field.