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Posted: Wednesday, September 20, 2017
Kiwi Audio
Location: Kiwi Audio 39W543 Seavey Rd. Batavia, IL 60510 (doesn’t register on many GPS systems, so see directions below)
Speaker(s): Brad Showalter – Owner/Operator/Builder
DIRECTIONS:
From East:
GPS to intersection of Seavey Rd and Deerpath Rd in Batavia. Head west on Seavey (only way you can go). Once on Seavey, studio is 4th driveway on left (1.5 miles down on south side of Seavey).
From West:
GPS to intersection of Seavey Rd and Bliss Rd. Head East on Seavey. 4th driveway on right (2 miles down on south side of Seavey).
Studio is in red barn. Plenty of gravel parking.
DESCRIPTION:
Kiwi Audio is a 2400 sq ft. studio located in rural Batavia IL. Designed by Jeff Hedback of HDAcoustics, the studio has been built from the ground up almost solely by owner/operator Brad Showalter. "Jeff and I spent about 4 months designing the rooms. I gave Jeff almost complete creative control on the design." After Jeff finalized his design, Brad started construction. Now, 5 years after breaking ground, the studio is nearing completion. Construction has been ongoing as time and finances are available. The studio has been a functional recording space for 4 of the 5 years during various phases of construction. Featuring large rooms (by private studio standards), the tracking room is 570 sq ft. with 14' ceilings. The facility also includes two isolation rooms, a spacious control room, and a lounge area with kitchen and full bath. Located on 124 acres of working farmland, the onsite grain silo doubles as a reverb chamber.
Other Business: Due to scheduling, we will not be able to do a group dinner before the meeting as is typical. Instead, we encourage everyone to come to an informal social afterwards at The Turf Room (about 3 miles from the studio). No reservation is required. Everyone is responsible for their own check. The Turf Room 1033 Kilbery St. North Aurora, IL 60542 (630) 906-9300 theturfroomrestaurant.com/
Posted: Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Location: Shure Incorporated, 5800 W. Touhy Ave, Niles, IL 60714
Speaker(s): Plamen Ivanov, Motorola
DESCRIPTION:
A student analyzing a microphone array or an engineer designing a multi-microphone system is always facing the need for a sizeable and meaningful database of signals with which to test their system. The conventional approach of building a physical model of the system can be very time consuming, expensive, and in some cases of very limited usefulness.
The talk will outline the basics of a simple microphone signal modeling approach, capable of producing sufficiently accurate and useful test data. It will show how such data was used to study the response of differential and adaptive microphone arrays. A review of the basics of differential array processing is also included.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER:
Plamen Ivanov was born in Vratsa, Bulgaria. He studied Acoustics and Audio Signal Processing in the Wroclaw Polytechnic in Poland, and graduated with a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering in 1996, with a final-thesis work on text to speech synthesis. He was awarded a European Union “Tempus Scholar Program” grant for a year-long visit at Sheffield Hallam University (England), where he worked in the area of room acoustics and automated signal identification.
In 1996 he joined the graduate program in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Iowa State University and conducted research in various aspects of non-destructive material evaluation; including finite element modeling, defect detection and characterization, test and measurement system development. He specialized in communications and signal processing and defended a doctorate in 2002.
In 2003 he consulted as a Research Engineer in the area of HSDPA multi-antenna base-band signal processing. Since 2004 he has been with Motorola, contributing to technology development and transfer in product, for various voice and multimedia signal processing components. His current interests and work include surround sound multimedia technology, Ambisonics, array processing, and signal conditioning for robust speech recognition.
MEMBERSHIP:
Not a member of the AES? For information about joining, go to www.aes.org/membership/.
The Audio Engineering Society connects you with top professionals and cutting-edge research in all areas of audio technology.
Other Business: Dinner (optional, but please RSVP) will begin at 6:30pm. Contact Giles Davis ([email protected]) by Tuesday, May 30th if you would like to join us. Pizza and salad from Lou Malnati’s will be provided. Please let Giles know if you have a preference for vegetarian, gluten-free, etc. Price is $10 for non-members and $8 for members and students (please bring cash).
Posted: Wednesday, May 17, 2017
Location: 4544 N. Lincoln Avenue Chicago, IL 60625
Speaker(s): Scott Lundius – Education Director, Rob Fishman – Senior Sound Engineer
Scott Lundius and Rob Fishman have agreed to give our Chicago AES Section a special tour of the Old Town School of Folk Music.
WEST BUILDING: Public spaces (front desk, music store, café, Second Floor Gallery with WPA Mural, Resource Center, etc.) classroom spaces, (group classrooms, private classrooms, etc.) and Maurer Concert Hall.
EAST BUILDING: Public spaces (Lobby gathering space, Grand Staircase with large-scale depiction of R. Crumb's Heroes of Blues, Jazz and Country Music, etc.) classroom spaces, (group classrooms, private classrooms, etc.) and Szold Music and Dance Hall (convertible program/performance space).
Other Business: Due to scheduling, we will not be able to do a group dinner before the meeting as is typical. Instead, we encourage everyone to come to an informal social afterwards at Fork (1 block North at Wilson & Lincoln). No reservation is required. Everyone is responsible for their own check. Fork 4600 N Lincoln Ave. Chicago, IL 60625 (773) 751-1500 forkchicago.net
Posted: Monday, March 20, 2017
Location: Shure Incorporated, 5800 W. Touhy Ave, Niles, IL 60714
Speaker(s): John Woodruff, Knowles Electronics
Listeners with normal hearing can recognize the source of a sound, localize the point of origin, and separate the information provided by an individual source from competing sound sources. There is a longstanding interest in developing algorithms to achieve these capabilities in commercial products. Performance for some problems, such as automatic speech recognition (ASR), has improved substantially in recent years. Conventional signal processing techniques, however, are still widely deployed for the problem of sound separation in spite of well-known limitations.
Supervised learning algorithms have been central to the advances achieved in ASR, and such algorithms are poised to displace or augment long-standing signal processing methods used for sound separation. Recent literature has shown that new approaches to sound separation enabled by machine learning may lead to transformative differences in user experience. One example is improving speech intelligibility in a noisy environment for a hearing aid user. Many technical challenges remain to be overcome before we see widespread deployment of these methods.
In this discussion we will cover the basic concepts and acoustic cues involved in conventional approaches to sound separation, such as beamforming and speech enhancement. We will also introduce recent supervised learning approaches to sound separation and discuss where these can be used in combination with, or to replace conventional methods. Finally, we will talk about the challenges in deploying supervised learning methods for sound separation in real-world products.
About the Presenter:
John Woodruff leads audio processing algorithm development for Knowles’ Intelligent Audio division in Mountain View, CA. He has been with Knowles and Audience since 2012, developing algorithms for detection, localization, classification, separation and enhancement of audio signals, and helping to deploy those algorithms in smart phones, laptops and other consumer devices. Prior to joining Audience, he worked on algorithms for sound separation and localization, pitch tracking, and music remixing in the Perception and Neurodynamics Lab at Ohio State University and the Interactive Audio Lab at Northwestern University. John received a Ph.D. in computer science and engineering from Ohio State University, a M.Music in music technology from Northwestern University, and a B.Sc. in mathematics from the University of Michigan.
Other Business: Dinner (optional, but please RSVP) will begin at 6:30pm. Contact Giles Davis ([email protected]) by Wednesday, February 22nd if you would like to join us. Pizza and salad from Lou Malnati’s will be provided. Please let Giles know if you have a preference for vegetarian, gluten-free, etc. Price is $10 for non-members and $8 for members and students (please bring cash).
Posted: Monday, February 13, 2017
Location: Shure Incorporated, 5800 W. Touhy Ave, Niles, IL 60714
Moderated by: Jamie Tagg
Speaker(s): Assistant Professor of Recording Arts, Indiana University
Born out of a need to overcome the difficulty of listening exclusively on headphones while working on location, as well as the dominance of headphone listening by today's consumers, Jamie has developed a four-microphone configuration called the Stereo Mic Technique for Augmented Ambience Gradient. This technique allows the recordist to make easy adjustments to the amount of direct and reverberant sound from an ideal microphone placement, capturing an improved sense of spatial envelopment when presented over headphones, while still maintaining quality for loudspeaker listening.
Starting with the idea in application, followed by research and development through extensive experimentation and subjective listening tests, this technique has come a long way since its conception in 2010, and is now being used by engineers in several locations across the country in temporary and permanent installations for stereo and surround archiving and broadcast.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER:
A singer, pianist, and saxophonist, D. James Tagg (Jamie) received his bachelor's degree in music from the University of Miami in Music Engineering Technology, a master of music in Sound Recording Technology from the University of Massachusetts Lowell, and has studied engineering and production with Martha de Francisco at McGill University in Montréal. He has taught audio production at SUNY Oneonta, Syracuse University, the University of Massachusetts Lowell, and McGill University. He now lives in Bloomington, IN where he is an Assistant Professor of Recording Arts at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University.
In addition to the stereo mic technique which is the topic of his presentation (Stereo Technique for Augmented Ambience Gradient), Jamie has developed spatial processing tools through digital signal processing (DSP) for his own use, as well as for THAT Corporation's dBx-TV, used by many major TV manufacturers.
Having recorded three GRAMMY®-nominated albums, received multiple internationally competitive recording awards from the Audio Engineering Society, and having worked across the United States and Canada, Jamie is not only passionate about presenting spatial realism in recordings, but also bringing the heart of the performance to the listener.
Other Business: Dinner (optional, but please RSVP) will begin at 6:30pm. Contact Giles Davis ([email protected]) by Wednesday, October 19th if you would like to join us. Pizza and salad from Lou Malnati’s will be provided. Please let Giles know if you have a preference for vegetarian, gluten-free, etc. Price is $10 for non-members and $8 for members and students (please bring cash).
Posted: Thursday, October 20, 2016
Location: 1512 S. Batavia Avenue, Geneva, IL 60134
Moderated by: Eric Wolfram
Speaker(s): Laboratory Manager, RAL
DESCRIPTION:
Riverbank Acoustical Laboratories (RAL) is an internationally respected research facility located in Geneva, Illinois. Constructed in 1918, RAL became the world's first independent laboratory dedicated to the science of architectural acoustics. Riverbank owner, philanthropist Colonel George Fabyan, built the laboratory for its designer, professor Wallace Clement Sabine. The scientific efforts of this renowned Harvard physicist earned him two distinguished titles. Dr. Sabine is acknowledged today as the father of the science of architectural acoustics and the first "modern day" acoustical consultant. The (IP) unit of sound absorption is a Sabin, named in his honor. When the professor died in 1919, his distant cousin, Dr. Paul Earls Sabine became RAL's director. When he retired in 1947, Dr. Paul Sabine turned the operations over to the Armour Research Foundation (known today as Alion Science and Technology).
Today, Riverbank Acoustical Laboratories provides a wide range of acoustical testing services for hundreds of customers worldwide. RAL is accredited by the US Government's National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) as an ISO 17025 lab operation and is an approved participant in Underwriter's Laboratories Third Party Test Data Program.
The majority of RAL tests are for commercial architectural product manufacturers, but RAL also performs research for government agencies and aerospace component designers. RAL conforms to strict guidelines for instrument traceability, handling of proprietary information (including test results), quality management, and ethics.
Also of interest to our guests is RAL's museum dedicated to the Science of Architectural Acoustics. The Acoustical Society of America officially sanctioned the museum in 1989.
More information about the program can be found at: riverbank.alionscience.com
PRESENTER:
Eric Wolfram is the Laboratory Manager for RAL. He leads the lab’s technical and business operations. Prior to joining the RAL team in 2012, Eric served as Lead Acoustical Engineer for Riedel & Associates, an architectural acoustics consulting firm based Milwaukee, WI. As a consulting engineer, Eric provided guidance for hundreds of architectural acoustics projects across the US. Eric Wolfram has a Bachelor’s degree in Acoustics from Columbia College Chicago. RSVP: This event is limited in space, so please RSVP to [email protected] .
Other Business: We will not be able to do a group dinner before the meeting as is typical. Instead, we encourage everyone to come to an informal social afterwards at Geneva Ale House (about a mile north in downtown Geneva, look for the large marquee). No reservation is required. Everyone is responsible for their own check. Geneva Ale House 319 West State Street Geneva, IL 60134 630-262-3877 www.genevaalehouse.com
Posted: Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Location: Shure Incorporated, 5800 W. Touhy Ave, Niles, IL 60714
Speaker(s): Jason Corey Associate Professor, University of Michigan Vice President, Central Region, Audio Engineering Society
DESCRIPTION:
Critical listening skills are necessary for audio engineers to identify qualities such as tonal balance, dynamics, spatial characteristics, instrument/voice balances, noise, and distortion by ear. Through systematic training, listeners can learn to link perceptions of timbre and sound quality with objective qualities of sound, they can develop memories for timbral characteristics, and they can develop a greater ability to discriminate small changes in sound quality. This presentation will cover some methods for technical ear training.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER:
Jason Corey is an associate professor and chair of the Department of Performing Arts Technology at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, where he teaches courses in sound recording, technical ear training, and musical acoustics. He is also active as a recording, mixing, and mastering engineer. The second edition of his book Audio Production and Critical Listening: Technical Ear Training will be published by Routledge in 2016. He currently serves the Audio Engineering Society as Vice President, Central Region (USA/Canada).
Other Business: Dinner (optional, but please RSVP) will begin at 6:30pm. Contact Giles Davis ([email protected]) by Tuesday, May 24th if you would like to join us. Pizza and salad from Lou Malnati’s will be provided. Please let Giles know if you have a preference for vegetarian, gluten-free, etc. Price is $10 for non-members and $8 for members and students (please bring cash).
Posted: Saturday, May 14, 2016
Location: Etymotic Research, Inc., 61 Martin Lane, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007. Meeting will be held in the ER Classroom, across the parking lot.
Speaker(s): Mead Killion, Ph.D (Providing Meeting Introduction), Jonathan Siegel, PhD, Northwestern University Dan Mapes-Riordan, PhD, Etymotic Research, Inc. Robert Cochran, Etymotic Research, Inc.
DESCRIPTION:
Otoacoustic Emissions (OAEs) are sounds generated in the inner ear spontaneously or in response to acoustic stimuli which can be used to detect hearing loss. Clinically, this phenomenon has several uses, especially to identify hearing defects in newborns, where conventional audiometric tests cannot be used. In addition, it is believed that OAEs may be helpful to identify hearing damage that is not measurable with a conventional audiogram.
Etymotic Research makes a variety of Otoacoustic Emission measurement systems for both clinical and research use. A new research system, the ER-10X, is available which extends the bandwidth well beyond 20 kHz.
Come to Etymotic to learn more about OAEs and current research efforts. As part of the meeting, attendees will have the opportunity to have a scan of their hearing for OAEs.
ABOUT THE PRESENTERS:
Mead Killion, Ph.D. founded Etymotic Research, Inc. in 1983. Prior to starting Etymotic, he worked for over 20 years for a major electronic component manufacturer where he designed hearing aid transducers, including microphones that were so accurate they were also used in recording and broadcast studios. Dr. Killion earned degrees in mathematics from Wabash College and the Illinois Institute of Technology, and completed his doctorate in audiology at Northwestern University. He was awarded an honorary doctor of science (Sc.D.) degree from Wabash College. Dr. Killion teaches an advanced course in hearing aid electroacoustics at Northwestern University, where he is an adjunct professor. He has also taught audiology graduate students at Rush University and has directed graduate research at City University of New York Graduate School. Dr. Killion has lectured on hearing protection and hearing aids in 19 countries. He is a Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America and the Audio Engineering Society and has received numerous awards for his contributions to the field of hearing. He is an accomplished choir director, violinist and jazz pianist. He holds over?60 patents.
Jonathan Siegel, PhD., is a neurobiologist with a long-standing interest in auditory physiology. He is an associate professor in the Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, as well as an associate professor of neurobiology in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. Siegel’s primary research interests are otoacoustic emissions and hair cell physiology. He is the principal investigator in the Otoacoustic Emissions Laboratory, and he is also a collaborator in the School of Communication’s Auditory Research Lab. Siegel has written and lectured widely on cochlear physiology and ultrastructure. He is a reviewer for a number of scientific journals, including Audiology and Neurotology, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, and the Journal of Neuroscience. The courses he teaches include Advanced Neurobiology and Physiology, Neurobiology of Communication, and Otoacoustic Emissions: Theory and Practice.
Dan Mapes-Riordan, PhD., has over 25 years’ experience as an R&D engineer in the audio industry. His educational background is in digital electronics, signal processing, acoustics, and auditory perception. He has worked in a variety of areas including digital audio testing, transducer design, echo cancellation and feedback reduction, dynamics processing, hearing test instrumentation, speech processing, surround sound, and binaural recording and playback. He has taught both statistics and acoustics at the college level. Dan has been awarded eight patents and has one patent pending. He currently is a staff engineer/scientist at Etymotic Research, Inc. He is also an associate technical editor of the Journal of the Audio Engineering Society.
Robert Cochran, MSEE, has over 30 years’ experience in audio and telecommunications, including development of sound reinforcement loudspeakers, echo cancellation, public safety radio accessories, and hearing test instrumentation. He is currently a consultant at Etymotic Research, Inc.
Other Business: Dinner (optional, but please RSVP) will begin at 6:30pm. Contact vice chair Kerry J Haps ([email protected]) by Tuesday, April 26th if you would like to join us. Pizza, pasta and salad from Lou Malnati’s will be provided. Please let Kerry know if you have a preference for vegetarian, gluten-free, etc. Price is $10 for non-members and $8 for members and students (please bring cash).
Posted: Monday, April 11, 2016
Location: Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders, Inc, 2151 Madison Street, Bellwood, IL 60104
Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders Inc. has grown to become a leader in the design and construction of fine liturgical and performance oriented pipe organs. The company continues to explore the art, form and role of the pipe organ in today's environment and maintains its commitment to building instruments that define the state of the Art of Organ building. Please join us for a behind-the-scenes view of the building and restoration of these magnificent instruments.
Our tour will include presentations on:
Pipe organ design - Berghaus designer, Michal Leutsch, will show how he uses AutoCAD to design everything from the decorative casework to the steel support structure to the chestwork layout (where the pipes are located.) Tonal Director Jonathan Oblander will discuss how the "sound design" of each instrument is conceived.
"Behind the Façade" - an opportunity to view and explore a pipe organ erected in the shop. Support structures, enclosures, chests, and winding systems all are visible. (Pipe organs take up entire rooms!)
Mechanics - there are many different ways that a pipe organ plays, called "chest actions". Some of these will be on display.
Electronics - learn about how the console (where the musician plays the keyboards) communicates with the chests and pipes.
Voicing - learn how Berghaus artisans work with each pipe (there can be thousands in a single organ) to achieve the desired tone and timbre according to the unique location, size and style of the instrument.
Other Business: Due to scheduling, we will not be able to do a group dinner before the meeting as is typical. Instead, we encourage everyone to come to an informal social afterwards at FatDuck Tavern & Grill (about 3 miles east on Madison St. at Elgin Ave). No reservation is required. Everyone is responsible for their own check. FatDuck Tavern & Grill 7218 Madison St Forest Park, IL 60130 (708) 488-1493 fatduckgrill.com
Posted: Thursday, January 28, 2016
