What I Love About Audio

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(Image credit: rp Visuals)

Audio can make or break an installation. Bad sound can immediately disrupt the user experience. I love how audio can make something truly come alive—and put you right in the moment.

In honor of Valentine's Day, I asked audio pros what they love about sound.

Cory Schaeffer, Director Strategic Industry Relations, QSC

I love the people side of our industry. This industry is unique with people who are generous in sharing their knowledge, their time, and creativity.  Technical advancements are being made every day, ensuring that I’m always learning!  To sum it up, I love this industry.

Bradford Benn, End User and Audio Industry Veteran

I love audio because it is both art and science. I have been tweaking audio since I was  five years old when I was given a cassette tape recorder. Once I learned I could make things sound better or worse, I was hooked. Since then I have not stopped learning and studying audio and technology in over 40 years.

Jim Schwenzer, Director of Technical Support & Service, Ashly Audio

The thing to love about pro audio is how perfectly it integrates into our lives. Valentine’s Day is a great time to think about that—whether it’s a fun shopping trip to buy a present for your loved one, or a romantic dinner at a great restaurant, pro audio is there to make your day just a little bit better.

[Related: What I Love About Digital Signage]

Michael Bridwell, Director, Commercial Sales, Dana Innovations

I was raised in a household where music was seen as sacred—the voices of Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, and Marvin Gaye intermingling with Steely Dan, the Allman Brothers, and Little Feet each evening. I have two siblings, and we all remember falling asleep to these voices, these sounds. When the music was on, we fell asleep knowing that all was right in the world. Today, I’m passing that on to my own kids. That’s love to me: tradition, family, and a touch of nostalgia.

 Perrin Meyer, Director of Emerging Technologies, Meyer Sound

My favorite part about pro audio is the experience we are able to create using sound. I love going to gigs where the musicians and the audience are completely unaware of time and space, and they are the completely entranced by the sound that’s filling the room.

Megan A. Dutta

Megan A. Dutta is a pro AV industry journalist, and the former content director for Systems Contractor News (SCN) and Digital Signage Magazine, both Future U.S. publications. Dutta previously served as the marketing communications manager at Peerless-AV, where she led the company’s marketing and communications department. Dutta is the recipient of AVIXA's 2017 Young AV Professional Award and Women in Consumer Technology's 2018 Woman to Watch Award. Dutta is co-founder of Women of Digital Signage, an organization designed to provide a pathway to promote networking, mentoring, and personal growth.