MasterTech Expo 2025 Announces Dr. Sean Olive for High Fidelity Sound Session

MasterTech Expo, held March 20-23, 2025, at the Mesa Convention Center in Mesa, Arizona, has announced a new session, “High Fidelity Sound: The Relationship Between Objective and Subjective Measurements of Sound Quality,” led by the distinguished Dr. Sean Olive of Harman International.

“Dr. Olive, a world-renowned Senior Fellow in Acoustic Research at Harman International, will guide attendees through the fascinating intersection of science and sound perception,” explained Bryan Schmitt, MasterTech founder/CEO/president. “This session offers attendees exclusive insights into the groundbreaking methodologies pioneered by Dr. Olive and his mentor, Floyd Toole, in correlating objective data with subjective sound preferences. Whether you’re an audio professional, enthusiast, or innovator, you’ll walk away equipped with actionable knowledge to enhance system design and evaluation.”

With a career dedicated to bridging the technical and human aspects of audio, Dr. Olive will explore key areas such as:

• Listening Tests and Demonstrations: Learn how to conduct scientific tests for reliable, unbiased data vs. random opinions.
• Subjective vs. Objective Debate: Discuss if audio quality is subjective or if objective data offers meaningful insights.
• Listener Preferences: Understand listener preferences and how they match measurable sound system traits.
• Predictability in System Design: See how objective data and subjective experiences improve audio system performance.
• Practical Implementation: Learn how to apply this understanding to system design and evaluation.
• Expert Insights: Benefit from the audio research from Dr. Olive.

“My session will provide some practical tips on how to evaluate the sound quality of reproduced sound, and the science behind what most listeners prefer and the measurements that best predict those preferences,” said Dr. Olive. “With this knowledge in hand, making good sounding audio systems becomes a straightforward engineering exercise with clearly defined performance targets.”

Dr. Olive’s credentials include a Bachelor of Music from the University of Toronto and advanced degrees in Sound Recording from McGill University. A former president of the Audio Engineering Society (AES) and collaborator with audio pioneer Floyd Toole, Dr. Olive will bring his expertise to the MasterTech Expo stage.

“Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of the world’s foremost experts in sound quality,” Schmitt concluded. “Join us at MasterTech Expo 2025 for a session that promises to inspire and elevate your understanding of high-fidelity audio.”

For more information on the MasterTech Expo, visit mastertechexpo.com.