What all does SAI do, exactly?
The SAI Blog is back to form this month with the latest from Shively Acoustics International (SAI). But as a versatile audio engineering consultant and services provider, what all does SAI do, exactly? Zooming out, we’re a small company, but one with an industry footprint that paints a bigger picture. So how about a quick refresher, by way of a current snapshot of all the baskets we have eggs in—or, better said, buckets we have candy in: Happy Halloween! 🎃
“I See What You Mean”. . . Take a peek inside at all that Shively Acoustics does and what we’re currently up to. SAI visited the CEDIA Expo, and the Blue Bear, at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver this past September (Photo: SAI)
Shively Acoustics provides design, simulation, optimization, research, and product development expertise and solutions in five principal industry areas, namely Automotive Audio, Consumer Audio, Personal Audio, Pro Audio, and Architectural Acoustics.
The last of these is one that we don’t talk much about on the SAI Blog, but there’s no time like the present: SAI is now cooperating once again on a room acoustics and design project with event planner Hargrove, this time for a modular video podcast studio in New York City. We first began working with Hargrove back in 2024.
Automotive, of course, remains one of SAI’s most robust areas of application. Whether at home or abroad, SAI is continuously working with Tier Ones and OEMs to find innovative audio system solutions, at times with other companies such as GPU Audio, where SAI chief Roger Shively sits on the advisory board as Chief Automotive Audio Engineer. He also lends his expertise as a team member at MeierWerks and as the head of Silentium USA, the North American subsidiary of automotive software supplier Silentium.
We first mentioned in August talks with a mobility as a service (MaaS) provider developing robotaxi services. We can now say that SAI is starting two projects with the Bay Area tech company involving Active Noise Control (ANC) and creating a Digital Twin design prototype (using COMSOL and auralization by Illusonic) for their next vehicle model. In addition, Shively Acoustics has just entered discussions with a well-known Chinese automaker for consulting on their premium audio systems. Meanwhile, our high-performance loudspeaker design projects with BOSS Audio and DSP Solutions remain ongoing, particularly for the latter’s automotive and marine audio brand Modus.
Roger at AES Automotive Audio 2026 (Photo: Glen Keune)
Beyond that, readers know by now that Roger is one of the principle organizers of the Audio Engineering Society’s International Automotive Audio Conference, serving as a Chair of the AES Technical Committee – Automotive Audio (TC-AA). Held every two years, Roger and SAI have helped to revitalize the event for the 2022 (Detroit) and 2024 (Gothenburg, Sweden) conferences and, most recently, the return to Detroit this past July for the biggest one yet.
Complementing our automotive audio projects, more and more business is coming from consumer product design and optimization. In this area, we often work with start-ups, such as our new client WIL, a San Francisco-based company developing “personal AI” wristbands that allow hands-free and voice-activated control of smartphone apps. While the company is already in the pre-production stage for its speakerless Wilband, the next step is an audio system for the wrist-worn device.
SAI is currently helping to design solutions for its speaker system, including: selecting a suitable miniature speaker for a very small enclosure, acoustic design and optimization of the cavity/enclosure as well as venting and waterproofing considerations, speaker amplifier selection and matching, in addition to overall speaker performance optimization within tight size and power constraints. The work also involves using MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems) microphones and helping with microphone systems for wearables, particularly near-field voice detection and voice proximity detection (i.e. detecting when a user is speaking close to the wristband) and improving voice capture in noisy environments.
But that’s only the most recent wearables project for us. Check out Spotlight #2 and Spotlight #4 of the SAI Spotlight Series for a deeper look at some others and to see just how diverse our engineering work is and how applicable acoustics can be. Furthermore, a wide overview of former and current clients in all five principal industry areas can be found on our Solutions page.
What else? In addition to engineering and consulting services, Shively Acoustics International has a media partnership with industry magazine audioXpress, for which Roger covers industry conferences and events alongside his attendance as president and CEO of SAI. An archive of his contributions to the magazine itself and its newsletter The Audio Voice, can be found on our Industry Articles page. That is to say, SAI isn’t just providing our clients with insight and expertise, but the audio industry at large and the wider public.
This is also one of the goals of the Audio Product Development Alliance (APDA), of which both Shively Acoustics and audioXpress are co-founders, each serving as one of its core education pillars. The APDA hosts live webinars and leads workshops (see below) on a regular basis, bringing together industry experts for discussions on trends in manufacturing, marketing, supply chain, and technology.
So, what all does SAI do, exactly? That, and a whole lot more.
On your radar
Coming up very soon is the AES Nashville Show 2026, taking the stage in Tennessee’s capital over three days from October 30 to November 1. While Shively Acoustics never misses the Audio Engineering Society’s annual North America show, this year is extra special. On the first day of the show, Roger is set to receive the AES Board of Governors Award in recognition of chairing the 2026 AES International Conference on Automotive Audio this past July in Detroit; he also received this award four years ago for his chairing of the 2022 conference.
On the second day in Nashville, the Audio Product Development Alliance is set to hold a workshop on October 31 at 5 pm, led by Scott Leslie of Loudspeaker Labs and organized by Roger on behalf of sponsor the APDA. “Digital Twin Engineering of Loudspeakers” is to present the use of Digital Twin methods and software as the next generation of audio product development. In the interactive workshop, Leslie demonstrates how mechanical, acoustical, and electrical engineering are integrated on the Loudspeaker Labs SpeakerJet Digital Twin platform to design and simulate digital loudspeaker prototypes. Don’t miss the chance to take part!
In other news, the APDA Webinars are returning after a brief hiatus in recent months. First up is our 19th webinar: “Manufacturing in the Philippines: An Alternative for the Audio Industry” with Sam Herec of ASEAN Audio. The webinar livestreamed only just yesterday, October 20, so it’s still fresh! Watch the recording here to learn more about the changing Asian manufacturing landscape and why the Philippines in particular is becoming an attractive location for the audio industry.
Not long after, APDA Webinar #20 is scheduled for November 10: Marty Zanfino of Right-Ear/Left-Ear Technologies is set to present the company’s 3D VR audio technology, which sends unique sounds waves to each ear within a large soundfield, but achieves this without any headgear. Join us live on the 10th to hear more.
Finally, Roger attended the COMSOL Conference earlier this month in Boston. His coverage is set to appear this week in issue #581 of The Audio Voice Newsletter. Be sure to check it out.
Until next time—happy workshopping, streaming, and reading! ■
Shively Acoustics International — Modern Audio Solutions, Worldwide