Meeting Anton Golota [Software QA Engineer]

In a new series of posts that introduces some of ADAM Audio’s team members, we interviewed Anton Golota, our Software QA Engineer.

Hello Anton, we appreciate you dedicating time for this brief interview. To get started, can you give us a brief outline of your background?

“Sure! I have a bachelor’s degree in physics and a master’s degree in applied acoustics. Overall, I have a decade of experience in software quality assurance (QA) and testing as an engineer, and five years as QA team lead.

Another aspect of my career is computer-aided engineering in acoustics and vibration. I have around seven years of experience in numerical simulations and co-authored several technical papers. In addition, I have conducted acoustics measurements for heavy machinery and construction equipment at other companies. Eventually, I joined ADAM Audio in 2023.”

Many people might not associate studio monitors with software at first. Could you please explain what your position as a Software QA Engineer is about?

“These days, a lot of products have a software component. Software can bring flexibility and additional value to a ‘hardware’ product.

For example, many of our studio monitors are equipped with digital signal processors (DSP) on their circuit boards. These DSPs allow users to make detailed EQ settings or enable a better integration of a speaker in a multi-channel sound reproduction setup. Users can change the settings on all speakers at once or on a single speaker without touching the physical controls on the speaker. Software is a key element in controlling the built-in DSPs and my job is to test the software and assess its quality.”

Is there such a thing as a typical day on the job?

“My tasks can vary greatly from one day to another, depending on the project I am working on. One day, I may assemble a specific setup and investigate certain software behaviors within this environment; on another day, I may test software on different operating systems or ensure that all documentation for the product is ready.

I often need to monitor communication between software and hardware, for which I use specific 3rd party tools or even operating system tools. Another time, I wrote a Python program that allows me to simulate conditions that can occur during data exchange between software and hardware.

The main challenge usually is to make sure that most malfunctions are discovered and correctly explained. I need to find the exact steps that lead to a malfunction, which can be tricky sometimes.”

With which other departments do you work most closely? How do you work together?

“As a part of the Software team, I work closely with the Firmware department. Also, I collaborate with Customer Support to address software-related questions or problems. When assessing the overall quality of the product, I collaborate closely with the hardware QA department. So, I am talking to various colleagues over the course of the day.

It may sound corny, but I really enjoy working with the team here at ADAM Audio. There are a lot of specialists from different fields, and many came to Germany from other countries. People are very friendly and there is always an opportunity to learn something interesting.”

What motivates you and what connection do you have with studio monitors?

“I make music as a hobby. Occasionally I release music or play gigs from time to time, but that doesn’t pay the bills. So, I have always been interested in audio technologies, and I was using ADAM Audio monitors long before I joined the team.

I enjoy experimenting with hardware and software synthesizers. It is very exciting to see what the market offers today and compare it to what was available 20 years ago. Additionally, I have started learning C++ and I have an ongoing max/msp project that adapts machine learning.

Audio technology and music are my passions, and many colleagues here share these passions. We like to share our unique insights, interesting facts or just fun anecdotes related to those topics. Given my hobby, knowledge, my experience, and the great fit with the team, it was a no-brainer to accept the job at ADAM Audio.”

To learn more about the music industry, head over to our ADAM Audio Blog. If you are interested in joining our team, then check out our Career section to see what positions we currently have available.