“Spatial” and “immersive” audio are buzzwords that we seem unable to escape in today’s world of live sound, but what do they actually mean and how do we use them — if we even should at all? Theatre sound designer Nat Houle joins the show in Episode 289 to provide a “manufacturer-agnostic” take on the topic, benefits and limitations, and much more. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.

Houle, a 2025 USITT Rising Star winner for sound design, works as a designer and associate across the U.S. Last year, she launched a website, NMH Spatial, aimed at introducing folks to the benefits of spatial audio, in addition to shedding light on a number of common myths and misconceptions about the technology and how it can enable and impact your art.

Episode Links:
Nat Houle Website
NMH Spatial
Nat’s Blog On SoundGirls.org
Q&A: Natalie “Nat” Margaret Houle, 2025 USITT Rising Star Winner
Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers Association (TSDCA)
Pat MacKay Scholarships For Diversity In Design
USITT
Episode 289 Transcript

Spatial Resources:
TiMax
L-Acoustics L-ISA
Meyer Sound Spacemap Go
d&b audiotechnik Soundscape
FLUX:: SPAT

Connect with the community on the Signal To Noise Facebook Group and Discord Server. Both are spaces for listeners to create to generate conversations around the people and topics covered in the podcast — we want your questions and comments!

Also please check out and support The Roadie Clinic, Their mission is simple. “We exist to empower & heal roadies and their families by providing resources & services tailored to the struggles of the touring lifestyle.”

The Signal To Noise Podcast on ProSoundWeb is co-hosted by pro audio veterans Andy Leviss and Sean Walker.

Want to be a part of the show? If you have a quick tip to share, or a question for the hosts, past or future guests, or listeners at home, we’d love to include it in a future episode. You can send it to us one of two ways:

1) If you want to send it in as text and have us read it, or record your own short audio file, send it to signal2noise@prosoundweb.com with the subject “Tips” or “Questions”

2) If you want a quick easy way to do a short (90s or less) audio recording, go to https://www.speakpipe.com/S2N and leave us a voicemail there 

This week, Andy takes us behind the scenes for a look at how an episode of Signal to Noise is produced and edited. He walks through the recording, processing, and editing chain, sharing tips and tricks on how to efficiently produce an unscripted conversational podcast, as well as some plugins and tips that are equally applicable to live mixes to broadcast or streaming.

Links:
iZotope RX 11
SoundRadix POWAIR
REAPER
Episode 288 Transcript

Connect with the community on the Signal To Noise Facebook Group and Discord Server. Both are spaces for listeners to create to generate conversations around the people and topics covered in the podcast — we want your questions and comments!

Also please check out and support The Roadie Clinic, Their mission is simple. “We exist to empower & heal roadies and their families by providing resources & services tailored to the struggles of the touring lifestyle.”

The Signal To Noise Podcast on ProSoundWeb is co-hosted by pro audio veterans Andy Leviss and Sean Walker.

Want to be a part of the show? If you have a quick tip to share, or a question for the hosts, past or future guests, or listeners at home, we’d love to include it in a future episode. You can send it to us one of two ways:

1) If you want to send it in as text and have us read it, or record your own short audio file, send it to signal2noise@prosoundweb.com with the subject “Tips” or “Questions”

2) If you want a quick easy way to do a short (90s or less) audio recording, go to https://www.speakpipe.com/S2N and leave us a voicemail there

Episode 288 Transcript

Veteran mix engineer Wayne Pauley returns the show in Episode 287 to talk with the hosts about his experience mixing RCF’s Ultimate Jam Night showcase at NAMM, and doing it in the inimitable “Wayne Pauley style” — in other words, as analog as possible! This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.

Wayne also talks about touring with an RCF TT+ Audio PA as well as his love for ATI Paragon II consoles, sharing the story of his one-of-a-kind custom half-desk Paragon made by FOH engineer and analog console whisperer Chris Mitchell. In addition, he offers some first-class advice on how to make your reverbs sound perfectly subtle, and much more!

Episode Links:
Signal To Noise, Episode 57: FOH Engineer Wayne Pauley On His Analog Approach & More
Analog Rejuvenation: The Joy Of Getting Back To Basics By Wayne Pawley
Measure Six Times, Cut Once: The Process Of Downsizing An ATI Paragon II Console By Chris Mitchell
The Days Of Rosewood & Iron: Restoring And Enhancing An Early ’80s Mixer By Chris Mitchell
Signal To Noise, Episode 35: FOH Engineer Chris Mitchell
Signal To Noise, Episode 46: Mix Engineers Chris Mitchell & Chris Rabold
Episode 287 Transcript

Connect with the community on the Signal To Noise Facebook Group and Discord Server. Both are spaces for listeners to create to generate conversations around the people and topics covered in the podcast — we want your questions and comments!

Also please check out and support The Roadie Clinic, Their mission is simple. “We exist to empower & heal roadies and their families by providing resources & services tailored to the struggles of the touring lifestyle.”

The Signal To Noise Podcast on ProSoundWeb is co-hosted by pro audio veterans Andy Leviss and Sean Walker.

Want to be a part of the show? If you have a quick tip to share, or a question for the hosts, past or future guests, or listeners at home, we’d love to include it in a future episode. You can send it to us one of two ways:

1) If you want to send it in as text and have us read it, or record your own short audio file, send it to signal2noise@prosoundweb.com with the subject “Tips” or “Questions”

2) If you want a quick easy way to do a short (90s or less) audio recording, go to https://www.speakpipe.com/S2N and leave us a voicemail there 

In Episode 286, Sean and Andy continue their look at stepping up from smaller shows with a dive into larger intercom platforms and a look at life past four-channel analog systems. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.

Drawing from his work programming intercom systems for large scale corporate and broadcast events, including network upfronts, professional wrestling matches, and the recent SNL50 Homecoming Concert at Radio City Music Hall, Andy shares a brand-agnostic look at some tips and tricks for making the most of the options digital intercom systems offer — how a nearly infinite pool of private channels is helpful (and when it’s not!), making sure that as a comms programmer, the first goal is to make everybody else’s show run smoother, and why the most important tool a programmer can have on a show site is almost certainly not what you’d guess!

Episode Links:
Episode 286 Transcript

Connect with the community on the Signal To Noise Facebook Group and Discord Server. Both are spaces for listeners to create to generate conversations around the people and topics covered in the podcast — we want your questions and comments!

Also please check out and support The Roadie Clinic, Their mission is simple. “We exist to empower & heal roadies and their families by providing resources & services tailored to the struggles of the touring lifestyle.”

The Signal To Noise Podcast on ProSoundWeb is co-hosted by pro audio veterans Andy Leviss and Sean Walker.

Want to be a part of the show? If you have a quick tip to share, or a question for the hosts, past or future guests, or listeners at home, we’d love to include it in a future episode. You can send it to us one of two ways:

1) If you want to send it in as text and have us read it, or record your own short audio file, send it to signal2noise@prosoundweb.com with the subject “Tips” or “Questions”

2) If you want a quick easy way to do a short (90s or less) audio recording, go to https://www.speakpipe.com/S2N and leave us a voicemail there

In Episode 285, the hosts are joined by Tal Kocen and Dave Friesema, founders of brand-new in-ear monitor maker Dark Matter Audio Labs. Sean and Andy were impressed with their IEMs when the company launched at NAMM a couple weeks ago, and knew they had to have the duo on to tell their story. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.

Tal and Dave detail their history in the live audio and IEM manufacturing worlds, and the journey that led to them branching off on their own to start Dark Matter Audio Labs. They also dig deep into the design and mechanics of IEMs, explaining a lot of what goes into making objectively and subjectively good IEMs, the surprisingly tricky task of making generic-fit demo models of custom IEMs, why the frequency response of IEMs might surprise you, and so much more!

As a special bonus for listeners, Tal and Dave are offering a 10 percent discount off any of their in-ears to listeners…just use the discount code “SignalToNoise” when you check out! Also, if any listeners or their artists are interested in joining the DMA Labs artist program, reach out to Rachelle, their artist relations human, at rachelle@darkmatteraudiolabs.com, and tell her you heard about them on Signal to Noise!

Episode Links:
Dark Matter Audio Labs Website
Dark Matter Audio Labs On ProSoundWeb
Episode 285 Transcript

Connect with the community on the Signal To Noise Facebook Group and Discord Server. Both are spaces for listeners to create to generate conversations around the people and topics covered in the podcast — we want your questions and comments!

Also please check out and support The Roadie Clinic, Their mission is simple. “We exist to empower & heal roadies and their families by providing resources & services tailored to the struggles of the touring lifestyle.”

The Signal To Noise Podcast on ProSoundWeb is co-hosted by pro audio veterans Andy Leviss and Sean Walker.

Want to be a part of the show? If you have a quick tip to share, or a question for the hosts, past or future guests, or listeners at home, we’d love to include it in a future episode. You can send it to us one of two ways:

1) If you want to send it in as text and have us read it, or record your own short audio file, send it to signal2noise@prosoundweb.com with the subject “Tips” or “Questions”

2) If you want a quick easy way to do a short (90s or less) audio recording, go to https://www.speakpipe.com/S2N and leave us a voicemail there

Picking up where they left off in Episode 282, Sean and Andy dig deeper into the “hows and whys” of wireless system frequency coordination, addressing issues such as whether it’s ever OK to just scan on the receiver, an overview of the differences between the Shure Wireless Workbench and SoundBase Coord platforms, the reasons why it’s always a good idea to do your own frequency scan with an analyzer, which inexpensive analyzers you can trust (and which you can’t — and why!), and more. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.

Be sure to register for Live Sound Nashville on March 11, where you can check out the annual Live Sound International Loudspeaker Demo, hear talks by Jim Yakabuski, Sawyer Dickenson, Wayne Pauley, and much more! Use code “SAVE10” at https://livesound.regfox.com/live-sound-nashville to take $10 off the already low $30 registration!

Episode Links:
Signal to Noise, Episode 282: Focus on Monitoring
Pete Erskine’s “RF Coordination for Roadies” (PDF)
Shure Video: What is Intermodulation?
Shure — All About Wireless: Intermodulation Distortion
Video: Basics of Resolution Bandwidth and Video Bandwidth in a Spectrum Analyzer
Practical Show Tech Videos:
Intro to RF Coordination Using SoundBase
RF Coordination Using SoundBase, Part 2
SoundBase Offline RF Coordination Features, Part 3
WWB RF Coordination Process for a Made-Up Mega Convention Show
IAS RF Coordination Process for a Made-Up Mega Convention Show
Lunch with Pete: A Show RF Coordination Process
Episode 284 Transcript

Connect with the community on the Signal To Noise Facebook Group and Discord Server. Both are spaces for listeners to create to generate conversations around the people and topics covered in the podcast — we want your questions and comments!

Also please check out and support The Roadie Clinic, Their mission is simple. “We exist to empower & heal roadies and their families by providing resources & services tailored to the struggles of the touring lifestyle.”

The Signal To Noise Podcast on ProSoundWeb is co-hosted by pro audio veterans Andy Leviss and Sean Walker.

Fresh back from the 2025 North American Music Merchants (NAMM) Show in Anaheim, CA, Andy and Sean compare notes on all the cool new audio things they saw there, including loudspeakers, in-ear monitors, plugins, consoles, and everything in between. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.

Be sure to register for Live Sound Nashville on March 11, where you can check out the annual Live Sound International Loudspeaker Demo, hear talks by Jim Yakabuski, Sawyer Dickenson, Wayne Pauley, and much more! Use code “SAVE10” at https://livesound.regfox.com/live-sound-nashville to take $10 off the already low $30 registration!

Episode Links:
Korneff Audio Shure Level-Loc Plugin
Dark Matter Audio Labs IEMs
Allen & Heath SQ Rack
TT+ Audio GTX Line Array System
Sound Devices Astral Wireless Family
Shure Axient Digital PSM & Nexadyne Microphones
d&b CL-Series Compact Cardioid Line Array
Episode 283 Transcript

Connect with the community on the Signal To Noise Facebook Group and Discord Server. Both are spaces for listeners to create to generate conversations around the people and topics covered in the podcast — we want your questions and comments!

Also please check out and support The Roadie Clinic, Their mission is simple. “We exist to empower & heal roadies and their families by providing resources & services tailored to the struggles of the touring lifestyle.”

The Signal To Noise Podcast on ProSoundWeb is co-hosted by pro audio veterans Andy Leviss and Sean Walker.

Want to be a part of the show? If you have a quick tip to share, or a question for the hosts, past or future guests, or listeners at home, we’d love to include it in a future episode. You can send it to us one of two ways:

1) If you want to send it in as text and have us read it, or record your own short audio file, send it to signal2noise@prosoundweb.com with the subject “Tips” or “Questions”

2) If you want a quick easy way to do a short (90s or less) audio recording, go to https://www.speakpipe.com/S2N and leave us a voicemail there

In Episode 282, Sean and Andy pick up where they left off last time, answering some follow-up questions they’ve received on gain staging for monitor mixes, other tips and tricks for clean and clear in-ear monitors, as well as how to make the most “bang for your buck” improvements to wireless microphones and monitors. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.

If you’re going to the NAMM, be sure to find Sean and Andy and say hi! More events will be announced on the Discord and Facebook groups as it gets closer, but if you’re there on Saturday, January 25, they’ll be doing a meet-and-greet and helping give away a CQ mixer at Allen & Heath’s booth at 11 am Pacific!

Episode Links:
Discord Conversation On In-Ear Mixes
Drew Brashler “Monitor Mixing — Making IEM Mixes Better: What is Occlusion?”
Eddie Caipo “Finding the Sweet Spot: Getting the Desired Vocal Sound in IEM Mixes”
Tim Wendelboe Coffee
Episode 282 Transcript

Connect with the community on the Signal To Noise Facebook Group and Discord Server. Both are spaces for listeners to create to generate conversations around the people and topics covered in the podcast — we want your questions and comments!

Also please check out and support The Roadie Clinic, Their mission is simple. “We exist to empower & heal roadies and their families by providing resources & services tailored to the struggles of the touring lifestyle.”

The Signal To Noise Podcast on ProSoundWeb is co-hosted by pro audio veterans Andy Leviss and Sean Walker.

Want to be a part of the show? If you have a quick tip to share, or a question for the hosts, past or future guests, or listeners at home, we’d love to include it in a future episode. You can send it to us one of two ways:

1) If you want to send it in as text and have us read it, or record your own short audio file, send it to signal2noise@prosoundweb.com with the subject “Tips” or “Questions”
2) If you want a quick easy way to do a short (90s or less) audio recording, go to https://www.speakpipe.com/S2N and leave us a voicemail there

In the final episode of 2024, Sean and Andy pick up where they left off last time (Episode 280) in rounding out some baseline tips for getting a rocking mix going fast — compressors, effects, and general mixing advice abound as their last holiday gift to everyone out there listening! This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.

Episode Links:
Episode 230: Sean’s Go-To Effects
Episode 236: Pat Brown on Gain Structure
Episode 273: Ben Ivey
Episode 280: Tips & Tricks Part 1
Episode 281 Transcript

Connect with the community on the Signal To Noise Facebook Group and Discord Server. Both are spaces for listeners to create to generate conversations around the people and topics covered in the podcast — we want your questions and comments!

Also please check out and support The Roadie Clinic, Their mission is simple. “We exist to empower & heal roadies and their families by providing resources & services tailored to the struggles of the touring lifestyle.”

The Signal To Noise Podcast on ProSoundWeb is co-hosted by pro audio veterans Andy Leviss and Sean Walker.

Want to be a part of the show? If you have a quick tip to share, or a question for the hosts, past or future guests, or listeners at home, we’d love to include it in a future episode. You can send it to us one of two ways:

1) If you want to send it in as text and have us read it, or record your own short audio file, send it to signal2noise@prosoundweb.com with the subject “Tips” or “Questions”
2) If you want a quick easy way to do a short (90s or less) audio recording, go to https://www.speakpipe.com/S2N and leave us a voicemail there

In Episode 280, Sean and Andy take it back to basics, and offer some advice for folks early in their live sound journey to help speed through sound check and get a band dialed in more quickly. From setting gains to EQ and compressors, the hosts share a bunch of tips and tricks they’ve learned along the way from all sorts of smart folks in both the live audio and recording worlds. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF.

Episode Links:
ProSoundWeb Study Hall: Mixing & Consoles
Episode 280 Transcript

Connect with the community on the Signal To Noise Facebook Group and Discord Server. Both are spaces for listeners to create to generate conversations around the people and topics covered in the podcast — we want your questions and comments!

Also please check out and support The Roadie Clinic, Their mission is simple. “We exist to empower & heal roadies and their families by providing resources & services tailored to the struggles of the touring lifestyle.”

The Signal To Noise Podcast on ProSoundWeb is co-hosted by pro audio veterans Andy Leviss and Sean Walker.

Want to be a part of the show? If you have a quick tip to share, or a question for the hosts, past or future guests, or listeners at home, we’d love to include it in a future episode. You can send it to us one of two ways:

1) If you want to send it in as text and have us read it, or record your own short audio file, send it to signal2noise@prosoundweb.com with the subject “Tips” or “Questions”
2) If you want a quick easy way to do a short (90s or less) audio recording, go to https://www.speakpipe.com/S2N and leave us a voicemail there