Sean Olive
@seanolive.bsky.social
i am a former Senior Fellow at Harman doing research in perception and measurement of sound quality including loudspeakers and headphones. Interests include music, hockey, wine, cycling, politics, science and technology. A Canadian who is also American.
Great views when cycling in Marin County. This one is at the Sausalito waterfront
November 12, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Great views when cycling in Marin County. This one is at the Sausalito waterfront
This is the web-based ABX software app I wrote to run headphone distortion listening tests for our headphone distortion research project with @rtings.com.web.brid.gy. Binaural recordings of different headphones playing music files were made SPL from 85 to 134 dB.
November 7, 2025 at 5:36 PM
This is the web-based ABX software app I wrote to run headphone distortion listening tests for our headphone distortion research project with @rtings.com.web.brid.gy. Binaural recordings of different headphones playing music files were made SPL from 85 to 134 dB.
The second seminar on Sunday is an update of the Nonlinear Distortion in Headphones — a research project being conducted with Pierre Lelièvre at Rtings.com
November 1, 2025 at 9:08 PM
The second seminar on Sunday is an update of the Nonlinear Distortion in Headphones — a research project being conducted with Pierre Lelièvre at Rtings.com
Next weekend at CanJam Dallas I will be giving 2 seminars on Saturday and Sunday at noon. The first one is a repeat of AES paper Dan Clark and I gave last weekend in Long Beach. More details about CanJam Dallas in the video link
youtu.be/EHHyKL86xN4
youtu.be/EHHyKL86xN4
November 1, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Next weekend at CanJam Dallas I will be giving 2 seminars on Saturday and Sunday at noon. The first one is a repeat of AES paper Dan Clark and I gave last weekend in Long Beach. More details about CanJam Dallas in the video link
youtu.be/EHHyKL86xN4
youtu.be/EHHyKL86xN4
The new books finally arrived from the publisher
October 28, 2025 at 11:38 PM
The new books finally arrived from the publisher
Went for a short ride today on my new Canyon after charging the rear derailleur battery which was dead and installing the latest firmware.
October 27, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Went for a short ride today on my new Canyon after charging the rear derailleur battery which was dead and installing the latest firmware.
I was fortunate enough to be presented the Richard Heyser MemorialLecture Award by his widow Amy who attended the lecture.
October 26, 2025 at 11:10 PM
I was fortunate enough to be presented the Richard Heyser MemorialLecture Award by his widow Amy who attended the lecture.
The AES Heyser lecture is behind me and one more talk tomorrow at 3;30 pm on some headphone research
October 25, 2025 at 6:28 AM
The AES Heyser lecture is behind me and one more talk tomorrow at 3;30 pm on some headphone research
Arrived at the Hyatt Hotel Long Beach where the AES convention begins tomorrow. Not sure if I want to attend indoor lectures or drink Margaritas by the pool? It’s like a resort here.
October 22, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Arrived at the Hyatt Hotel Long Beach where the AES convention begins tomorrow. Not sure if I want to attend indoor lectures or drink Margaritas by the pool? It’s like a resort here.
How much is listener segmentation (different preferences for bass and treble beyond a reference target) be explained by how the headphone couples and interacts with the impedance of the ear?
October 17, 2025 at 10:43 PM
How much is listener segmentation (different preferences for bass and treble beyond a reference target) be explained by how the headphone couples and interacts with the impedance of the ear?
A nice paper that compares 3 methods for measuring the acoustic impedance or "openness" of a
headphone...https://aes2.org/publications/elibrary-page/?id=19825
headphone...https://aes2.org/publications/elibrary-page/?id=19825
October 14, 2025 at 8:26 PM
A nice paper that compares 3 methods for measuring the acoustic impedance or "openness" of a
headphone...https://aes2.org/publications/elibrary-page/?id=19825
headphone...https://aes2.org/publications/elibrary-page/?id=19825
Evaluating some speakers and headphones by Gait that use glass diaphragms.
October 6, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Evaluating some speakers and headphones by Gait that use glass diaphragms.
Here is the Similarity Scale use showing a Reference and 7 options (hidden reference + 7 Harman Target Equivalents for 3 fixtures)
September 30, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Here is the Similarity Scale use showing a Reference and 7 options (hidden reference + 7 Harman Target Equivalents for 3 fixtures)
The Susvara (none UV version) we tested wasn't so invariant on fixtures. This is a smoothed version of it on Original Welti ear fixture (green), GRAS45CA-10 (blue) and 5128 (red). The HE1000 was less variant/
September 30, 2025 at 9:33 PM
The Susvara (none UV version) we tested wasn't so invariant on fixtures. This is a smoothed version of it on Original Welti ear fixture (green), GRAS45CA-10 (blue) and 5128 (red). The HE1000 was less variant/
This article written by Pierre Lelièvre at @rtings.com.web.brid.gy describes the motivation behind the research we are doing on Perception and Measurement of Nonlinear Distortion in Headphones. In future articles will cover the methodology used and results. www.rtings.com/headphones/l...?
September 30, 2025 at 7:42 PM
This article written by Pierre Lelièvre at @rtings.com.web.brid.gy describes the motivation behind the research we are doing on Perception and Measurement of Nonlinear Distortion in Headphones. In future articles will cover the methodology used and results. www.rtings.com/headphones/l...?
Here is the review of the most preferred headphone. So much for the notion that audio professionals prefer neutral headphones with flat bass.
September 30, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Here is the review of the most preferred headphone. So much for the notion that audio professionals prefer neutral headphones with flat bass.
A paper submitted for the upcoming AES Convention next month in Long Beach. The first paper written under my consulting company Sean Olive Audio Consulting in collaboration with Dan Clark Audio. Expect more papers to come including ones based on research with @rtings.com.web.brid.gy.
September 27, 2025 at 7:07 PM
A paper submitted for the upcoming AES Convention next month in Long Beach. The first paper written under my consulting company Sean Olive Audio Consulting in collaboration with Dan Clark Audio. Expect more papers to come including ones based on research with @rtings.com.web.brid.gy.
@rtings.com.web.brid.gy just announced they will be testing bowling equipment. Early pilot tests in progress.
September 18, 2025 at 10:24 PM
@rtings.com.web.brid.gy just announced they will be testing bowling equipment. Early pilot tests in progress.
CanJAM SoCal talk is history. @rtings.com.web.brid.gy
September 15, 2025 at 1:03 AM
CanJAM SoCal talk is history. @rtings.com.web.brid.gy
First victim —err listener — is underway. This listener is a toe tapper. You could set a metronome to his feet.
September 13, 2025 at 4:15 PM
First victim —err listener — is underway. This listener is a toe tapper. You could set a metronome to his feet.
We are using some very tiny condenser microphones with a 3D printed acoustically transparent mic holder to measure leakage effects and to compare in-ear responses of listeners at CanJAM while wearing the headphones
September 13, 2025 at 4:08 PM
We are using some very tiny condenser microphones with a 3D printed acoustically transparent mic holder to measure leakage effects and to compare in-ear responses of listeners at CanJAM while wearing the headphones
Someone didn’t get the memo
September 13, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Someone didn’t get the memo
September 4, 2025 at 6:24 AM
I got my pinna and ear canals scanned by Soundlyfit. What should I do with this next?
September 3, 2025 at 10:36 AM
I got my pinna and ear canals scanned by Soundlyfit. What should I do with this next?
Paris has a nice vibe that goes well with coffee
September 2, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Paris has a nice vibe that goes well with coffee