It’s time for an InfoComm debrief, as returning guest Elliott Carroll joins Andy and Sean to compare notes on what he and Andy saw during their recent trip to Orlando for this year’s InfoComm trade show. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF . As Andy puts it, it was the year of big wireless in small packages — so much of the show was about putting eyes and ears on the latest offerings from Shure, Sennheiser, and Sound Devices, but there was also a lot to check out in terms of s...
Jul 03, 2025•1 hr 18 min
In Episode 297, it’s all about safe listening levels, hearing protection and more, as Sean and Andy talk to three of the folks behind the Healthy Ears, Limited Annoyance Initiative (HELA) about all things loud (but not too loud)! This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF . Returning guest Laura Sinnott, AuD is joined by Jon Burton and Jos Mulder to explain where HELA came from, its purpose, and much more. From World Health Organization standards for live event audio to which generic...
Jun 26, 2025•1 hr 4 min
In episode 296, Sean and Andy are joined by Garrett Doran, Sean’s director of operations at Audio Engineers Northwest, to get more perspective on how to get hired as a freelancer in the live audio industry. Garrett shares what he looks for in a resume and/or interview, how to impress a sound company you’re new to, and – just as importantly – what sorts of things are immediate red flags for a company like theirs! They also dig into strategies for keeping the small to medium size festival gigs tha...
Jun 06, 2025•1 hr 12 min
Listener favorite Ryan John returns to the show in Episode 295 to catch up with Andy and Sean about a wide range of subjects, from the recent season of network TV “upfronts” and “For Your Consideration” presentations he worked to presenting at the L-Acoustics 2025 Keynote in his role as the company’s director of product management for software. There’s even a deep dive into espresso machines and the wonders of super light roasted coffee! This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF . E...
May 28, 2025•1 hr 5 min
Picking up where they left off in Episode 293 , the hosts continue the conversation Brian Maddox about building a successful freelance career in live events. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF . Brian brings the unique perspective of not only being one of the most in-demand freelance mixers in the corporate event market, but having built a new freelance career after pivoting from a staff job at three different times in his life. Episode Links: STN Episode 151 With Brian Maddo...
May 20, 2025•49 min
Friend of the podcast and returning guest Brian Maddox joins Sean and Andy in Episode 293 to dig into the nuts and bolts of how to build a successful freelance career in live events. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF . Brian brings the unique perspective of not only being one of the most in-demand freelance mixers in the corporate event market, but having built a new career after pivoting from a staff job at three different times in his life. This conversation got so in dept...
May 16, 2025•43 min
In Episode 292, the hosts turn to a question from the Signal to Noise Discord community and take a trip to Signal to Noise University, where professor Sean treats Andy and the listeners to Marketing 101 with a look at how to make yourself indispensable to clients. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF . Whether you’re a small to medium-sized sound provider looking for new business, a freelancer seeking for work from one of those providers, or you’re doing (or trying to do) weddi...
May 01, 2025•1 hr 3 min
In the second part of Andy’s conversation with Cody Heimann of Sound Devices (part one is here ), the duo rolls up their sleeves and goes deep on the company’s Astral wireless platform that offers 32 channels in a single rack-unit, Optocore integration, and a handheld transmitter that can take almost any capsule on the market without any additional adapters, there’s a lot to discuss. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF . Episode Links: Episode 290 — Cody Heimann On Large-Scale...
Apr 18, 2025•1 hr
Episode 290 goes all in on wireless as Andy is joined by Cody Heimann, RF applications engineer at Sound Devices as well as a veteran RF coordinator for large-scale events. In the first of two episodes, he talks about how his career grew and led to finding a niche as an RF coordinator for events and clients such as Coachella, New Year’s Eve in Times Square, and some of the largest corporate events and conventions in the world. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF . In a wide-ra...
Apr 15, 2025•58 min
“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 ac...
Apr 03, 2025•1 hr 5 min
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 ...
Mar 21, 2025•48 min
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 ...
Mar 07, 2025•53 min
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 s...
Feb 21, 2025•59 min
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...
Feb 10, 2025•1 hr 12 min
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 epis...
Feb 05, 2025•48 min
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...
Jan 31, 2025•45 min
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 Face...
Jan 17, 2025•1 hr 1 min
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 Episod...
Dec 31, 2024•49 min
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...
Dec 27, 2024•47 min
In Episode 279, the hosts learn all about Direct Field Audio Testing, or as one of this week’s guests put it, “Blasting super loud sound at spacecraft and satellites!” This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF . Many listeners will be familiar with Maryland Sound International (MSI), the sound company best known for its work on large-scale events like New Year’s Eve in Times Square, the U.S. Presidential Inauguration, and many more. Fewer know of their sister company, Maryland Sound...
Dec 20, 2024•56 min
Brian Grahn, joins the show in Episode 278 to talk about all things Clear-Com. He clears up a lot of mysteries about Arcadia, HelixNet, and Freespeak, lets us in on the new cloud-based Gen-IC Virtual Intercom, and sheds some light on common problems and tricks to getting the most out of good ol’ fashioned two-wire partyline intercoms, and more. Brian started as a musician, which quickly turned into working as a bar/club sound engineer, and then in turn to running his own company and working vari...
Dec 10, 2024•1 hr 4 min
In a bonus Episode 277, the Signal To Noise community presents it’s first-ever holiday gift guide. Join hosts Sean and Andy as well as a parade of past guests, friends, and listeners with gift suggestions for your favorite sound engineer/production tech to meet every budget, from $10s to $1000s. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF . Episode Links: Article With Links: The Signal To Noise Podcast 2024 Holiday Gift Guide Episode 277 Transcript Be sure to check out the Signal To N...
Nov 27, 2024•1 hr 10 min
Seattle-based globe-trotting sound engineer Jason Waggoner joins the show in Episode 276 and talks about the many twists and turns of his career in live audio. From e-sport tournaments to Formula 1 racing, theatre to corporate events to concerts, mixing to systems engineering, and even helping to build the U.S. tech support and education branch of a major loudspeaker manufacturer, there’s not much in live audio Jason hasn’t done. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF . Jason’s a...
Nov 25, 2024•1 hr 14 min
Luke McRitchie and Brian Maddox join the show in Episode 275 to talk about their experience working together as mixers for the Olympic Broadcasting Service’s coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics. They share what it’s like mixing up to 16 simultaneous broadcast channels at once for one of the largest viewing audiences in the world, as well as insights into making the leap from a full-time staff position to freelance work, and how the Signal to Noise Discord community directly led to Luke flying to...
Nov 18, 2024•1 hr 13 min
In Episode 274, Sean and Andy open it up to listeners in the Signal to Noise Discord and Facebook groups to ask them anything, who provided a lot of great questions about work/home life, gear they bring to gigs, business goals — and, of course — tacos! This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF . Episode Links: Episode 274 Transcript Be sure to check out the Signal To Noise Facebook Group and Discord Server. Both are spaces for listeners to create to generate conversations around the...
Nov 08, 2024•1 hr 9 min
Ever wonder what it’s like to mix sound at Madison Square Garden for the first time without as much as a line check, let alone a proper sound check? In Episode 273, front of house engineer Ben Ivey shares his thrilling experience doing just that for country artist Warren Zeiders. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF . Ben also talks about his journey from learning church sound alongside his sound engineer dad to balancing life on and off the road, mixing sound for top acts that...
Nov 01, 2024•1 hr 7 min
Let’s get down to shackles and eyebolts in Episode 272, as riggers Siobhan Colleen and Katrina Puleo join the show to demystify rigging. Whether it’s a ballroom or an arena, Siobhan and Katrina share their vast experience of what to look out for and how to make life easier and safer for you, your rigging team, and the rest of the production. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF . Siobhan Colleen is an entertainment and live events professional with a background in rigging, fall...
Oct 18, 2024•1 hr 20 min
In Episode 271, Sean sits down with Nikki Sanz, founder and CEO of Giggs , a platform designed to revolutionize how professionals in the live event industry hire, find work, and connect — essentially a LinkedIn for our word-of-mouth, niche market. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF . After working with a diverse range of clients including Live Nation, the Ryman Auditorium, CMA Fest, and touring with Eric Church, Nikki pivoted from the “gigxiety” and challenges of both finding...
Oct 10, 2024•56 min
In Episode 270, the hosts are joined by live sound engineers and software developers Justin Tyre and Stephen Bailey, who earlier this year launched ProdCom , new software for the live event industry that provides real-time multichannel text transcriptions of talkback mics, intercom chatter, or any other audio fed into a MacOS computer. This episode is sponsored by Allen & Heath and RCF . Stephen and Justin talk about how the idea came about as a way to make their own work as live sound engin...
Oct 03, 2024•56 min
In Episode 269, it’s time to break out your best dayglo shirts and leather jackets, dig out a slap bracelet or two, and get your 80s on, as Chris Pou, FOH and production manager for 80s rock cover band Electric Avenue, joins Sean and Andy to talk about what it takes to recreate those classic 80s sounds (spoiler: allllll the reverbs). Chris also digs deep into the Waves LV1 fly rig he built to tour with, how he decided on that platform, and what it takes to build it and keep it rock-solid reliabl...
Sep 26, 2024•1 hr 3 min
