AUDIO PROCESSOR

A method and apparatus for distributing audio signals from one of a plurality of audio sources to an output connect compressed audio signals from each one of the plurality of audio sources to an audio processor. Uncompressed audio signals are derived from the compressed audio signals. The compressed audio signal from one of the plurality of audio sources is selectively coupled to the output based upon the uncompressed audio signals. In a preferred embodiment, the compressed audio signal from one of the plurality of audio sources is coupled to the output selectively in accordance with speech information detected in the uncompressed audio signals from the plurality of audio sources. The method and apparatus include mixing, selectively, the uncompressed audio signals from the plurality of audio sources into a composite uncompressed audio signal; compressing the uncompressed composite signal into a corresponding compressed composite signal; and connecting the compressed composite signal or the selected one of the compressed audio signals to the output selectively in accordance with the uncompressed audio signals. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the compressed composite signal is fed to the output when speech audio signals are detected from more than one source and the selected one of the compressed audio signals is coupled to the output when speech is detected from only one of the sources.