The technology described in this document can be embodied in a computer-implemented method that includes receiving, at a first acoustic device, a representation of an audio signal, and amplifying the representation of the audio signal by a first gain factor to generate an amplified input signal. The method also includes processing the amplified input signal by an audio codec that includes one or more processors to generate a processed signal that represents a portion of the audio signal to be output by a second acoustic device. The processed signal includes noise originating at the audio codec. The method further includes transmitting the processed signal to the second acoustic device.