Bring out the magnolias – tomorrow, March 29, Shively Acoustics International (SAI) is marking its second anniversary! 💐👏💐👏 While our own Roger Shively founded his namesake LLC in 2023, it is of course only the latest blossom on a tree planted nearly 15 years ago with roots stretching back nearly 40. As we enter our sophomore year as Shively Acoustics in name, it’s worth repeating what we said last month: things couldn’t be off to a better start in 2025. Among much else, Silentium USA is officially a reality, while the APDA Webinars have begun to livestream on a regular basis.

Speaking of webinars: In case you missed it, the latest industry insights from the Audio Product Development Alliance aired just a few days ago on March 25. Check out “Better Options for Open Control and Monitoring” with the OCA Alliance’s Ethan Wetzell and all past webinars on YouTube channel @AudioProductDevAlliance. Our next guest will be Jan Rennies-Hochmuth, who will give a talk on sound personalization in audio products on April 8. Stay tuned to our socials in the immediate coming days for an official announcement.

Getting down to business:

In the next month, SAI will begin working with California-based MRIaudio to develop a headphone with active noise control (ANC) and two-way communication for use in MRI chambers without magnetic interference. MRIaudio has already long been developing headphones for MRI machines, but as metal can’t be used in such machines, these have been pneumatic headphones, which some of our older readers may remember from airplane rides in a bygone era. The need now is for higher sound quality, while naturally still avoiding any metal, and the way to do that might be with a newish loudspeaker technology using MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems) speakers.

Shively Acoustics is also going to start a multi-year contract with mobile audio company DSP Solutions for product design, development, and planning of their Modus brand automotive and marine audio products that seek to pair high performance with energy management and efficiency. While Modus is a major focus, the contract with DSP Solutions will go beyond that. This is also ready to begin in the coming month.

Good things come in threes and in addition to our MRIaudio and DSP Solutions news, we look forward to joining the Board of Advisors for high-end audio innovator and loudspeaker developer MeierWerks. We’re still working out the final details of this, but can’t wait to take on this new role!

As you can see, as you have seen, and as you will continue to see: the work never stops at Shively Acoustics International. What’s next? Well…

Events, events, events

Just around the corner is the annual SAE World Congress (WCX) in Detroit on April 8-10. Roger will attend all three days, exploring and reporting on new technologies, just like last year, and co-hosting a live APDA Webinar in the midst of the first day – unlike last year. 😉

Immediately following WCX on April 11-13 is the Audio Expo North America (AXPONA). Unfortunately, Roger and SAI won’t be able to attend in person this year, but the APDA will be there on our behalf in Chicago, so stop on by to see what the alliance is cooking up.

Following in May are the SAE Noise and Vibration Conference and Exhibition on May 12-15 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and AES Europe 2025 the week after from May 22-25 in Warsaw, Poland. Shively Acoustics will be in attendance at both and Roger is busy preparing for Warsaw and, by extension, getting the technical committee for the AES Automotive Audio Conference up and running for the US convention due to take place in June 2026. After the success of last year in Gothenburg, 2026 can’t come soon enough!

As usual, Roger will cover these and other events for industry magazine and SAI media partner audioXpress. In addition, he is currently working on a special feature on Automotive, due to appear online in May in time for Warsaw and later in the June print edition of the magazine.

There is much to look forward to for Shively Acoustics in the coming weeks, months, and year, and covering it all for you, the SAI Blog will be here. ■

Shively Acoustics International — Modern Audio Solutions, Worldwide

Making Moves in March

Events, events, events

Silentium USA: It’s Official