Martin Van Dijk, Partner & Director

Martin Van Dijk, Senior Consultant and Design Lead

Martin Van Dijk is a senior consultant and the design lead at Engineering Harmonics. With 32 years’ experience in the conception, design and execution of sound reinforcement, control, AV, production, and recording systems of various types, Martin has a unique understanding of technology and the drivers for change. His knowledge provides the foundation for excellence among our design group, and his opinion is often solicited by manufacturers seeking validation of their design approaches and development of such products as proprietary loudspeaker systems and processing devices, automated loudspeaker test equipment, and AC safety controls for power distribution systems.

As design lead, Martin has established many of our conception, design and documentation processes and methodologies, including an in-house database program that effectively manages our cable, conduit and backbox designs. His efforts have resulted in improved efficiency and effectiveness of our products and services.
 

Portfolio

Martin’s portfolio encompasses some of the most highly regarded solutions in the industry. These include the Ottawa Airport public address system, the first of its kind in Canada to incorporate a software based audio signal processing network and extensive use of digitally controlled loudspeakers; the Supreme Court of Canada’s main courtroom, incorporating a fully redundant fail-safe architecture for exceptional reliability; and the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver and Koerner Hall in Toronto, both featuring critically acclaimed loudspeaker system designs.

His portfolio also includes:

  • Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn, NY
  • Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Toronto, ON
  • Collège Boréal, Sudbury, ON
  • Globe and Mail, Toronto, ON
  • Halifax International Airport, Halifax, NS
  • Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Kansas City, MO
  • KPMG, Toronto, ON (Featured Project)
  • Massey Hall, Toronto, ON
  • Overture Center, Madison, WI (Featured Project)
  • Regent Casino, Winnipeg, MB
  • Roy Thomson Hall, Toronto, ON
  • Toronto Hydro
  • Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, CA

 

Career Beginnings

Early in his career, Martin toured internationally as the bassist in a major musical collaboration. He quickly established himself as the group’s sound tech, a capacity in which he was later to tour extensively in Europe. Thus began his life-long pursuit of AV systems design, set-up and calibration. Martin also earned his stripes as a live sound mixer, which further developed his professional musical ear, and continues to benefit his work today. Prior to joining Engineering Harmonics in 2000, Martin had distinguished himself as technical head of a leading audio integrator, a position in which he was responsible for all technical design and system installations. He established himself indisputably as one of the best sound system debug, calibration and tuning experts in the country, and became a much sought after resource from clients requesting expert calibration of their systems in the field, including that of the Chinese National Congress main legislative chamber in Beijing.


Memberships

Martin is a member of the Audio Engineering Society (AES) and the Building Industry Consulting Service International (BICSI). He also sits on the Ontario Film and Television Production Electrical Committee (OFTPEC), responsible for amending the electrical code to address the unique requirements of the production and entertainment industries.
 

Publications

Martin lectures for the industry training organization Syn-Aud-Con, and writes for their technical publications. His work was featured in "The Jewel on the Hill" (Lighting & Sound America, March, 2012), “Combining Voice-lift and Performance Sound” (Lighting & Sound America, April, 2010), “Walking the Hall: A Guide to Wirelessly Tuning a Loudspeaker System” (Lighting & Sound America, November, 2007), and “Overture Center” (Professional Sound, February, 2005).