Audio Talks

with Karen Pearson, award winning producer, mentor, and founder and CEO of Folded Wing In this episode of Audio Talks, host Oisin Lunny sits down with Karen Pearson, an award-winning producer and the visionary founder of Folded Wing, to explore her remarkable journey through the world of audio. From her early passion for music and radio to leading one of the UK’s most innovative audio production companies, Karen shares how creativity, resilience, and a deep belief in the power of sound have shaped her path. She reflects on the founding of Folded Wing and its mission to champion diversity and inclusion in audio storytelling. Karen offers a heartfelt perspective on the enduring magic of live radio - its intimacy, authenticity, and the irreplaceable role of passionate presenters. She contrasts this with the rise of video and streaming, emphasizing why radio’s local connection and human touch still matter in a digital world. She also highlights the democratizing power of podcasts, celebrating how they’ve opened up the world of audio to new voices and fresh perspectives. As technology continues to reshape the audio landscape, Karen explains why these changes only enhance radio’s role as a source of comfort, community, and companionship. ---------------------------------------- Have a listen to Ezra Collective here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDjQX5MfQrWowYF9ucLpdOQ [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDjQX5MfQrWowYF9ucLpdOQ] Learn more about Folded Wing here: https://www.foldedwing.co.uk/ [https://www.foldedwing.co.uk/] More info on 'Round Midnight from The Fire Station Sunderland at BBC Proms: https://www.foldedwing.co.uk/newsandblog/7685-soweto-kinch-to-host-a-special-edition-of-round-midnight-for-this-years-proms [https://www.foldedwing.co.uk/news_and_blog/7685-soweto-kinch-to-host-a-special-edition-of-round-midnight-for-this-years-proms] Link to the 'Round Midnight show: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001xmqv [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001xmqv] Link to The Jazz Show with Jamie Cullum: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00rr86v [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00rr86v] Jamie Cullum with Clint Eastwood: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p009vy6r [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p009vy6r] Jamie Cullum pays tribute to Dave Brubeck: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0127ll1 [https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0127ll1] We Live in Philly, Baby Radio Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQ803dflKx4 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQ803dflKx4] Our Audio Talks Playlist: https://listen.tidal.com/playlist/6d14f4ad-f1c7-404d-ba82-fe8d0a320b93 [https://listen.tidal.com/playlist/6d14f4ad-f1c7-404d-ba82-fe8d0a320b93] Make sure to follow us on Social Media and visit our Art of Listening website to get a full view on how HARMAN helps people get the most out of each moment they spend listening: Instagram @audiotalkspodcast Instagram @HARMANintl Twitter @HARMANintl Facebook @HARMANint LinkedIn @HARMAN International https://artoflistening.harman.com/ [https://artoflistening.harman.com/]

with Marcela Rada, audio engineer and leading force in the world of immersive audio In this episode of Audio Talks, host Oisin Lunny is joined by Marcela Rada, an award-winning researcher, educator, and founder of the Immersive Lounge. From discovering a field recorder at age six to winning Best Student Paper at the AES Convention in Warsaw, Marcela’s journey is a powerful blend of curiosity, academic rigor, and a passion for making immersive audio more accessible and artist-driven. Marcela discusses the audio industry’s ongoing transformation driven by the rise of spatial and immersive audio formats such as binaural and ambisonics, and shares her thoughts on how these technologies are reshaping how sound is produced, experienced, and distributed, particularly in music, VR, and AR. As streaming platforms adopt immersive formats and offer new incentives, there’s growing demand for high-quality, spatially-aware music production. Through initiatives like The Immersive Lounge, Marcela explores how research, education, and collaborative production can help shape immersive audio as both a technological innovation and a creative discipline. ---------------------------------------- Check out Marcela's paper for the AES here: https://aes2.org/publications/elibrary-page/?id=22911 Learn more about the Audio Engineering Society here: https://aes2.org/ Find out more about The Immersive Lounge here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-immersive-lounge/posts/?feedView=all Our Audio Talks Playlist: https://listen.tidal.com/playlist/6d14f4ad-f1c7-404d-ba82-fe8d0a320b93 Make sure to follow us on Social Media and visit our Art of Listening website to get a full view on how HARMAN helps people get the most out of each moment they spend listening: Instagram @audiotalkspodcast Instagram @HARMANintl Twitter @HARMANintl Facebook @HARMANint LinkedIn @HARMAN International https://artoflistening.harman.com/

with Dr. Sean Olive In this episode of Audio Talks, host Oisin Lunny sits down with Sean Olive, former Senior Fellow at HARMAN and one of the most influential figures in modern audio research. Known for his groundbreaking work on the HARMAN Sound Curve, Sean has helped elevate the entire industry’s understanding of sound quality - bridging the gap between how we hear and how we measure sound. From struggling with poor recordings of his own piano recitals and jazz orchestrations to his mentorship under audio legend Dr. Floyd Toole and leadership as President of the Audio Engineering Society, Sean’s mission has always been to transform the way we experience sound. Here, he shares the personal and professional journey that led him to reshape how we think about listener preferences, headphone equalization, and predictive modeling of sound quality. Check out the latest AKG headphones: https://uk.akg.com/ Learn more about the Audio Engineering Society here: https://aes2.org/ Look out for the upcoming fourth edition of Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers, Rooms and Headphones here: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9781003477495/sound-reproduction-floyd-toole-sean-olive-todd-welti For Sean's upcoming keynote at the 2025 AES International Conference on Headphone Technology visit:https://aes2.org/event-extra/2025-aes-international-conference-on-headphone-technology-program/ Our Audio Talks Playlist: https://listen.tidal.com/playlist/6d14f4ad-f1c7-404d-ba82-fe8d0a320b93 Make sure to follow us on Social Media and visit our Art of Listening website to get a full view on how HARMAN helps people get the most out of each moment they spend listening: Instagram @audiotalkspodcast Instagram @HARMANintl Twitter @HARMANintl Facebook @HARMANint LinkedIn @HARMAN International https://artoflistening.harman.com/

with Carsten Olesen and Guy Hammett In this episode of Audio Talks, host Oisin Lunny explores the rich history and exciting future of portable audio with Carsten Olesen from Harman International and Guy Hammett from Futuresource Consulting. From the vinyl Dansettes of the 1950s to today’s AI-enhanced Bluetooth speakers, the conversation traces the cultural, emotional, and technological evolution of music on the move. The guests discuss pivotal innovations like the JBL Flip and JBL Charge series, the rise of rugged party speakers, and the transformative potential of Bluetooth LE and Auracast. With personal stories, industry insights, and a look at what’s next, this episode is a celebration of how portable audio continues to shape our lives. ---------------------------------------- Check out the latest JBL reviews from WhatHifi?: JBL Flip 7: https://www.whathifi.com/speakers/wireless-speakers/jbl-flip-7 JBL Charge 6: https://www.whathifi.com/speakers/wireless-speakers/jbl-charge-6 Our Audio Talks Playlist: https://listen.tidal.com/playlist/6d14f4ad-f1c7-404d-ba82-fe8d0a320b93 Make sure to follow us on Social Media and visit our Art of Listening website to get a full view on how HARMAN helps people get the most out of each moment they spend listening: Instagram @audiotalkspodcast Instagram @HARMANintl Twitter @HARMANintl Facebook @HARMANint LinkedIn @HARMAN International https://artoflistening.harman.com/

with David Seubert and Gerald Seligman In this episode of Audio Talks, host Oisin Lunny engages with audio preservation experts David Seubert and Gerald Seligman to discuss the critical importance of preserving master recordings and audio heritage. They explore the devastating impact of the 2008 Universal Fire at Universal Studios, which destroyed countless irreplaceable recordings, and the broader implications for music history and cultural memory. The conversation delves into the challenges faced by both public institutions and commercial record labels in preserving audio, the fragility of audio heritage, the role of technology in restoration efforts, and how listeners can contribute to preserving sound history. ---------------------------------------- Listen to the broadcast recordings referenced in today's episode: Fountain Hughes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTdDuXvc1lI Winston Churchill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkTw3_PmKtc Martin Luther King Jr.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdPGXmKmBZ0 Visit the Discography of American Historical Recordings here: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/ Visit the UCSB Cylinder Audio Archive here: https://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/index.php For Gerald Seligman's photography visit: https://vero.co/geraldseligman Our Audio Talks Playlist: https://listen.tidal.com/playlist/b0444612-f8b5-408c-bbb6-819df4a3f7cb Make sure to follow us on Social Media and visit our Art of Listening website to get a full view on how HARMAN helps people get the most out of each moment they spend listening: Instagram @audiotalkspodcast Instagram @HARMANintl Twitter @HARMANintl Facebook @HARMANint LinkedIn @HARMAN International https://artoflistening.harman.com/