Steve's Professional Overview
Steve Hutt: INTRODUCTION
This bio/résumé/CV was put together as a friendly read and professional overview of my background and consulting services.
cheers,
steve.
Objectives:
1. Collaborate with a well managed audio tech company in an R&D leadership or technology development role.
2. License key transducer and audio system technologies.
Synopsis:
Steve is one of those rare "triple-threat" audio technology experts with extensive experience in three main arenas of audio technology & product development: Professional, Consumer & Automotive OEM. Over the past several years Steve has been working as an R&D manager and consultant providing audio and acoustics product and engineering solutions. With fifteen issued US patents (& more international) he has experience in transducer design and innovation. He has provided audio system tuning (calibration) services to major automotive OEMs, Pro & CE systems and managed complex design projects that run from concept to launch. On the management side he has provided business model development with strategic technology road maps, QMS procedures and supply chain consulting. Steve worked at Harman International's Automotive Division from 1996-2006 where he managed their global acoustics Advanced Technology Development group. In prior years, Steve worked as a transducer and audio system designer on professional and consumer products, was a freelance live sound engineer and was also a professional musician and music educator.
April 2021
PROFESSIONAL OVERVIEW
Steve is a performance-driven professional with extensive knowledge in designing & implementing emerging technology solutions.
He is a resourceful leader with multinational executive R & D management experience and a proven track record of developing and aligning technology assets and innovation resources to successfully meet marketing and sales objectives. I.E. - he is a good collaborator that can manage people to get things done on time & on budget.
He is a motivated self-starter with the ability to effectively document and communicate strategic plans and RoadMaps that empower organizations to achieve growth targets.
He is an enthusiastic and adaptable thinker with practical hands on design experience (15 patents to date) and remains current with technology, new management & communications practices, computer tools, & technology culture trends.
SERVICES
(photo: http://davidthompson.typepad.com/davidthompson/2009/01/eavesdropping.html)
Transducer Design & Innovations
Audio / Acoustics Consulting
Product Launch Project Management
Strategic Planning / Roadmapping / QMS initiativesEmerging
Technology Development
Procurement Consulting Services
Example Consulting Projects:
Technology Development;
Transducer design, sub-components (motors, spiders, cone/surround etc.) and loudspeaker system development.
Work with organisation's engineering department on internal and outsourced development.
Expert troubleshooting for existing products and processes as well as analysis of transducer pre-production plans and design.
Audio System Tuning to integrate loudspeakers, electronics (DSP) and room acoustics for Automotive, Consumer, and Professional idioms.
Strategic Planning and Roadmapping;
Bridging top down market driven opportunities with bottom up innovation.
Resource analysis for required allocation or outsourcing - financial, manpower and capital investment.
Timeline development with coordinated cross-functional planning
Roadmapping - converging plans for market opportunities with product and innovation development.
Program Management;
Bringing product from concept and design through sourcing and manufacturing to market launch.
- Coordinating all aspects of design with vendor capability, through design verification, product validation and customer QA requirements.
Business Model Development;
Assess brand positioning, existing technologies and corporate capabilities vs. market potential with risk assessment and ROI analysis.
Technology Development
Steve is developing proprietary transducers, loudspeaker systems, and audio test technologies.
With patent applications in the pipeline, key technologies are available for license to strategic partners.
Technology Licensing:
Audio System Quality Verification:
- A Cloud Based or Embedded data analytics and test protocol to diagnose and if necessary, calibrate production vehicle audio systems to match the original reference system on which they are based. ASQV can be used in B&A at End-of-Line and by dealer service as an intelligent diagnostics process to trouble shoot audio systems.
- - - Value Proposition:
- The Audio System Quality Verification (ASQV) method can virtually eliminate false warranty (NFF/NTF) claims reducing warranty costs (arguably, 50% to 80% of all audio system warranty costs)
-- US Patent No. 9,668,072 "Loudspeaker Rectification Method".
SOME WORK HISTORY
Equity Sound Investments
Independent Consultancy: Audio Technology, R&D Management, Strategic Planning. Product Management, Project Management.
Consulting Examples Partial List:
Due to Non-Disclosure Agreements some client identity cannot be disclosed.
Eighteen Sound Reggio Emilia, Italy
Director R&D (Contract Consultant)
Introduced numerous procedures, design & test practices and and worked with their excellent transducer engineers to guide the R&D department through development of numerous subwoofers, woofers, mid-drivers and compression drivers.
Audera Acoustics Inc. & Sentient Magnetics Inc. Toronto, Canada
Audera Acoustics is a highly innovative engineering organization based in Toronto with offices in Shenzhen & Indianapolis.
Steve has consulted for Audera on QMS initiatives, strategic technology development and technical and automotive OEM market.
Steve provided strategic & technical support for their Sentient Magnetics Inc. an Audera spin-off with patented electromagnetic transducer that has since been acquired by Harman International. Previously, Steve worked arms length with Audera while industrializing the THX - Razer Mako audio system for production.
nfuzion inc.
nfuzion inc. was (was acquired) a brilliant organisation that specialize in tier 1 HMI solutions. They also have great depth in RF and audio amplifier development and have prototyped their first DSP/Class D 400 watt 12v amp with all the bells & "your door is open" whistles you could ask for. nfuzion has installed an HMI and audio system showcase in a Mini Countryman debuted at CES '12 to awesome acclaim. Steve provided transducer design and utilized proprietary vehicle tuning methodologies to "voice" their demo Mini sound.
Jestaco Labs - USA & Korea
Steve has developed a proprietary approach to maximize performance capability with maximal engineering efficiency. While at Jestaco Labs Steve utilised his proprietary techniques to tune (GM like to say 'calibrate') automotive audio systems while working on site at vehicle manufacturer's facilities:
- Loudspeaker electro-acoustic parameter analysis
- Cabin Acoustics analysis and tuning:
> Time domain - impulse, ETC, Reflectograms all critical for minimum phase analysis.
> Frequency domain data - balanced with minimum phase capability.
> Spatial, stage, imaging, spectral & dynamic range - maximized performance.
> Subjective scoring targets have exceeded customer LiT performance requirements, and in some cases, by considerable margin.
Regen Living Inc.
Regen Living was an eco audio/lighting start up partnered by the Noribachi and Ammunition Groups. Steve held the role of acting Director, Audio Technology while they explored developing two iPhone/iPod audio docking systems. Both solar powered, the Reverb is a floor standing, full blown 2.1 iPhone/iPod player and the Audio Dock is a desk top docking station/charger. Launch targets were set for late 2010 but alas, the Regen audio products have been on hold.
Razer Mako 2.1
THX Ltd.
Steve held the THX title Director Advanced Audio Technology while working as an independent consultant for THX in the role of Technical Program Manager on the product launch of Laurie Fincham's patented THX Ground PlaneTM and THX Slot TechnologyTM. Laurie designed these technologies into the Razer Mako 2.1 multimedia audio system sold by Razer. Industrialization of the Mako 2.1 system required expertise in transducer design, system integration, design verification, production methods, QA initiatives, production validation, end-of-line test procedures, global safety certifications, and customer sign-offs - etc.
http://www.razerzone.com/p-90-razer-mako-21-advanced-desktop-audio.aspx
Klipsch, LLC
Consulted on strategic planning by reviewing a specific market opportunity segment vs. technology portfolio vs. resource load requirements.
Can't say more.
(Well, I can say though, I really like the old Paul W. Klipsch logo. Super cool. ! )
Harman International - Automotive Division
Harman: 2002 - 2006 Senior Manager, Advanced Technology Development - Global Acoustics Group
- Directly supervised & coordinated deliverables for group of ~15 elite staff and through staff, shaped acoustics innovation in the general engineering workforce of ~200.
- Created the acoustics Science & Technology Roadmap with innovative acoustics hardware, software & tools that still serves Harman today.
- Strong multi-cultural communication & leadership skills. Created & coordinated effective cross-functional teams across multi-national sites in the EU, US & Asia synchronizing - >50 key technology development projects annually.
- Lead acoustics Intellectual Property development increasing acoustics group IP portfolio.
- Utilized technical expertise to drive solutions that lead to substantial business awards by Daimler, BMW, Toyota/Lexus, Hyundai etc.
- Organized and hosted bi-annual 2 day Harman Technology Meetings for internal strategic knowledge transfer, resulted in leveraging cross-group technology development. An example is the automotive EDPL "WaveBender" lens utilizing the same science as the JBL Pro CBT line array.
Harman: Job Functions
Strategic Planning & RoadMaps;
Business Development;
Identify, analyze and align technical and market opportunities.
Customer interaction & technology presentations.
Business Model Development.
Execute organizational resource planning & timing.
Team leading - management roadmapping methodologies.
Manage Technology Development;
Transducer technologies
Software tools development for acoustic measurement and FEA/BEM simulation
Instrumentation
Subjective Benchmarking
Advanced Acoustic Systems - EDPL & line arrays in vehicles
Manage cross-corporate technology knowledge transfers within Harman International;
Plan & Execute bi-annual corporate Harman technology meetings with typically 50 - 100 Harman engineers meeting to teach & share technologies. Kind of like GE's Crotonville, but for sharing electro-acoustic engineering and best practices.
Coordinate IP activity;
Investigate and negotiate external technology opportunities.
Managing;
Coordinate multinational department with direct staff in FR, DE, AT, UK, US
Directed elite group of R & D engineers, many having made benchmark contributions to audio.
A little name dropping !
Dr. Richard Small (of Thiele/Small parameters fame)
Don (D.B. Keele (of Constant Directivity horn & CBT 'invention' fame)
Dr. Gerhard Krump ( >80 patents)
Gilles Milot (Audax R & D for ~20 years)
Harman (Motive & Harman/Becker):
1999 - 2002 Manager, North America Advanced Technology Development
1996 - 1999 Sr. & Principal Transducer Engineer
(photo from ebay: Mark Levinson 200mm subwoofer designed for Lexus LS430 by S. Hutt)
Transducer designs (partial list)
250mm subwoofer - Toyota Camry >1997
200mm subwoofer - Toyota Avalon >1998
230mm subwoofer - Toyota Solara >1999
200mm subwoofer - Lexus >2000
65mm/19mm two-way horn - Lexus >2000
Electro-Dynamic Planar Loudspeakers - BMW, SGM, Kia, Ferarri
Transducer Sub-Components
Regressive Roll Spider - utilised in all Steve designed subwoofers (& others) since 1998
ALumaprene cones - released ~2007 in BMW automotive audio systems, 2011 released in Ferarri
Acoustic Lens - WaveBender for EDPL, utilized on all (?) EDPLs.
- 1996 Toronto, ON, Canada
Owner/President/Chief Engineer
Equity Sound manufactured and distributed three loudspeaker brands; BOND, GANE and SERVODRIVE (the latter for Canadian market only).
Responsibilities;
Corporate: Overall managing of loudspeaker manufacturing business. Made all business related decisions.
Design: Designed all BOND and GANE transducers, horns and systems.
Production: Coordination of manufacturing, quality assurance, delivery etc.
Pro-Audio Transducer and Systems
BOND Electro-Acoustics High-power professional loudspeakers Featured Co-ax drivers;
350mm Midbass Driver
75mm High Frequency Driver
Spherical Coordinate Formula Horns
User Interchangeable and rotatable horns formatted for various applications
Active forced-air cooling for extra-ordinary high power and no power compression
GANE
Fluid-Cooled Loudspeakers
Featured custom fluid cooled transducers;
Ten competitively priced system models
Catered to the MI and cost sensitive professional market areas.
GANE was distributed Canada, the United States, Europe, and Asia.
Notable installation:Canadian Department of Defense R & D acoustics lab as >124dB ultra-low frequency (16 - 32 Hz)
Audio Engineer (Freelance) Toronto, ON, Canada
Audio engineer mixing live sound specializing in Jazz groups. (client examples; Rob McConnell, Moe Koffman, Red Mitchell, Art Farmer, Clifford Jordan, Toronto Jazz Festival).
Musician (Freelance) & Music Educator, Toronto, ON, Canada
Performed in nightclubs, convention centers, studios and concert halls.
Bandleader, band manager and audio engineer.
Music Teacher - piano, saxophone, clarinet, flute.
TECHNICAL PAPERS, PRESENTATIONS, COMMITTEES
Audio Engineering Society - www.aes.org
Mr. Hutt is an active contributor to the Audio Engineering Society:
chair - Technical Council
chair - Technical Committee for Loudspeakers and Headphones
chair - Standards Committee SC04-03 - Standards Committee for Loudspeaker Measurement and Modeling
AES Preprints: (note, this section requires updates to include additional AES participation)
Audio System Variance in Production Vehicles
Production vehicle audio systems are custom engineered to achieve acceptable performance levels for a given vehicle's market segment and the audio system's class based on brand, number of loudspeakers, amplifier, signal processing etc. But little attention has been paid to verifying the performance consistency across any specific production vehicle audio system type. On the other hand, mass produced loudspeakers are known to exhibit production deviations that affect sensitivity, bandwidth, frequency response and distortion characteristics. When utilized in production vehicle audio systems loudspeakers have production tolerances that compound the system level variance. In this paper audio systems in production vehicles are analyzed to quantify system performance variance.
Author: Hutt, Steve
Affiliation: Equity Sound Investments
Power Compression Elimination in Moving-Coil Loudspeakers by the Use of Fan-Actuated Forced-Air Cooling
The effects of heat on the performance of moving coil loudspeakers has been shown to be detrimental to sound quality and quantity by Button, Danley, Henricksen and others. This paper investigates the use of fan actuated forced air to actively remove heat from the voice coil and motor structure and includes discussion of various designs and fluids.
Paper Number: 3191 Convention: 91 (October 1991)
Author: Hutt, Steven W.
Affiliation: Bond Electro-Acoustics, (div. of Equity Sound Investments), Toronto, Ontario M4M 1E4, Canada
Loudspeaker Spider Linearity
Loudspeaker voice coil suspensions (referred to as spiders) are traditionally made of phenolic resin impregnated textiles. The spider's function is to maintain voice coil centering in the magnetic gap, while at the same time allowing axial motion of the voice coil. Several types of spiders were compared with differing geometry and materials, with the goal of developing a spider with potentially long-linear excursion.
Paper Number: 5159 Convention: 108 (February 2000)
Author: Hutt, Steven
Affiliation: Senior Transducer Engineer, Harman OEM Group North America and Asia, USA
Loudspeaker Litz Wire
Studies of loudspeaker components most often concentrate on the functions that add or detract from the acoustically measurable performance aspects of loudspeakers - such as cones, suspensions, or magnet and motor assemblies. On the other hand, application of litz wire into the loudspeaker design is not well documented. Yet the litz wire has a profound impact on reliability and has a propensity to cause problems such as unacceptable extraneous noise. After a review of classical theory on the vibration of strings, bars and elasticity one will surmise that understanding the vibration of litz wire is not trivial. This paper reviews a loudspeaker case study and the ramifications of using behaved and not so well behaved litz wire.
Paper Number: 5303 Convention: 110 (May 2001)
Author: Hutt, Steven
Affiliation: Harman Becker Automotive Systems Inc., Martinsville, IN
AmbientTemperature Influences on OEM Automotive Loudspeakers
Loudspeakers used in OEM Automotive sound systems are expected to endure and even perform throughout a wide ambient temperature range. These extreme temperatures can have significant effects on suspension linearity. Loudspeakers used in automotive audio systems are analyzed at various temperatures to study how ambient thermal conditions affect performance.
Paper Number: 5507 Convention: 112 (April 2002)
Author: Hutt, Steven W.
Affiliation: Harman Becker Automotive Systems, Martinsville, IN
Loudspeaker Production Variance (see attachments below)
Numerous quality assurance philosophies have evolved over the last few decades designed to manage manufacturing quality. Managing quality control of production loudspeakers is particularly challenging. Variation of sub-components and assembly processes across loudspeaker driver production batches may lead to excessive variation of sensitivity, bandwidth, frequency response and distortion characteristics etc. As loudspeaker drivers are integrated into production audio systems these variants result in broad performance permutation from system to system that affects all aspects of acoustic balance and spatial attributes. This paper will discuss traditional electro-dynamic loudspeaker production variation.
Author: Hutt, Steve1 and Fincham, Laurie2
Affiliation: 1 Equity Sound Investments, 2 THX Ltd.
AES Workshops, Sessions and Committees
Audio Engineering Society “Loudspeaker Workshop” Invited Panelist: “Designing Loudspeaker Systems to meet Specified Targets” 101st convention Los Angeles 1996.
Audio Engineering Society “Loudspeaker Session” Chairman. 109th convention, Los Angeles 2000.
Audio Engineering Society “Loudspeaker Session” Chairman. 111th convention, Los Angeles 2002
Standards Committee: Chair SC04-03 Loudspeaker Measurement and Modeling.
Technical Committee Loudspeaker Measurement and Modeling; Workshop Chair - AES 126th Saturday, May 9, 15:30 — 18:30
W16 - Loudspeaker FE/BE Modeling
Chair:
Steve Hutt, Equity Sound Investments
Panelists:
Wolfgang Klippel, Klippel GmbH
Hermann Landes, SIMetris GmbH
Rich Little, Tymphany Inc.
Peter Larsen, Loudsoft Ltd.
Patrick Macey, PACSYS Limited
Joerg Panzer, R and D Team GmbH
Pierre Thieffry, ANSYS Inc.
Abstract:
This workshop will explore FE/BE modeling of loudspeaker drivers. A case study of an existing loudspeaker driver will be modeled by each panelist to benchmark the capabilities of their modeling software package. A loudspeaker driver's dimensions and material properties will be provided to panelists in advance of the convention so that they may develop a thorough model for presentation at the workshop. Results will be discussed along with measurement analysis of the real loudspeaker driver.
Tutorial: “Specifying and Selecting Loudspeaker Drivers”.
Abstract:
When designing loudspeaker systems, design engineers and product managers have a seemingly infinite number of loudspeaker drivers from which to choose. Understanding LF, MF and HF driver specifications is critical to this task if value of the overall product is to be maximized in the overall system design by specifying the correct drivers. To meet those goals the following (and other) questions will be discussed:
1) What is a loudspeaker specification and how is specification data determined?
2) How does loudspeaker selection affect overall system design?
3) Should loudspeakers be selected from a catalog or custom designed?
4) How does loudspeaker selection and budget affect marketability of a loudspeaker system?
5) How do you compare the performance of different options?
6) What matters most, electrical power in, or sound power out?
And: The tutorial will address aspects of how standards are:
1. applied
2. inferred
3. abused
ALMA International
Board member 1996-2002
Vice President 1998-2000
President 2001-2002
(note: the ALMA was dissolved ~2019 & restructured as ALTI)
Inventor or co-inventor on 16 issued US patents - not including multi-national duplicate patents. Additional ~20 applications in process.
1 Patent Pending.
Issued Patents (USPTO):
9668072 Loudspeaker Rectification Method (an/Hutt, available for license)
8121336 Directional loudspeaker to reduce direct sound
8073156 Vehicle Loudspeaker Array
7945069 Plastic Cone Body (ALumaprene)
7873178 Electro-Dynamic Planar Loudspeaker (EDPL Planar Tweeter)
7716808 Method of attaching a diaphragm to a frame for a planar loudspeaker (EDPL)
7400740 Core cap for loudspeaker
7316290 Acoustic lens system (EDPL)
7203332 Magnet arrangement for loudspeaker
7155026 Mounting bracket system
7152299 Method of assembling a loudspeaker (EDPL)
7149321 Electro-dynamic loudspeaker mounting system (EDPL)
7136501 Acoustically enhanced electro-dynamic loudspeakers (EDPL)
7092536 System for Transducer Compensation Based on Ambient Conditions
7035425 Frequency response enhancements for electro-dynamic loudspeakers (EDPL)
6449375 Loudspeaker spider with regressive rolls
Numerous International Patents also issued.
INTERESTS
Music (see steve's interests)
My work and personal interests focus around music enjoyment. It is a rare occurrence to hear purely acoustic performances, so chasing properly amplified reproduction, whether live or playback, is the bridge between my interest in music and audio.
CONTACT
email hutt . steve @ gmail.com (please note spaces if using copy/paste)
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