Robin Doerfler
Portrait of Robin Doerfler

Robin Doerfler

Senior Audio Research Engineer

ML · Neural Audio Synthesis · Differentiable DSP

Audio Research Engineer specialising in machine learning, differentiable signal processing, and neural audio synthesis. I develop methods for audio generation and processing, combining learned and signal-processing components for real-time audio, with the first models now reaching production on embedded targets. My primary domain is automotive active audio, where I work as a researcher and as Product Owner of EVx Suite. I hold an M.Sc. in Sound and Music Computing from Universitat Pompeu Fabra, with work published at EUSIPCO, AES, and IEEE CASS.

Munich, Germany · Impulse Audio Lab GmbH

Publications & Talks

2026

  1. Gradient-Based Learning of Parametric Engine Sound Representations for Real-Time Resynthesis and Tuning on Embedded Systems Paper [arXiv]

    Robin Doerfler, Matthieu Kuntz, Clemens Zimmer

    AES 6th International Conference on Automotive Audio (Automotive Audio 2026), Detroit, USA

  2. Physics-Informed Neural Engine Sound Modeling with Differentiable Pulse-Train Synthesis Paper [arXiv]

    Robin Doerfler, Lonce Wyse

    34th European Signal Processing Conference (EUSIPCO 2026)

  3. Analysis-Driven Procedural Generation of an Engine Sound Dataset with Embedded Control Annotations Paper [arXiv]

    Robin Doerfler, Lonce Wyse

    34th European Signal Processing Conference (EUSIPCO 2026)

2025

  1. Neural Engine Sound Synthesis with Physics-Informed Inductive Biases and Differentiable Signal Processing Thesis [Code]

    Robin Doerfler

    M.Sc. Thesis, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona

  2. Procedural Engine Sounds Dataset Dataset [Dataset]

    Robin Doerfler

    Zenodo

2024

  1. Invited Keynote — AES 2024, Gothenburg Keynote

    Robin Doerfler, Jasper de Kruiff

    AES 5th International Conference on Automotive Audio, Uni3 by Geely, Gothenburg, Sweden

  2. Cycling '74: Max MSP in the Industry Interview [Video]

    Robin Doerfler, Josh Weatherspoon

    Cycling '74 YouTube series

2022

  1. Invited Talk — IEEE CASS RS Talks 2022 Invited Talk [Video]

    Rodrigo Schramm, Robin Doerfler

    IEEE Circuits and Systems Society, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil

  2. Invited Keynote — AES International Conference on Automotive Audio 2022 Keynote

    Rodrigo Schramm, Robin Doerfler

    Audio Engineering Society, Dearborn, USA

  3. AI in Automotive Audio: Approaching Dynamic Driving Sound Design Paper [Paper]

    Rodrigo Schramm, Jasper de Kruiff, Robin Doerfler, Jonas Merkt, Philipp Kampmann, Peter Dowling, Florian Walter

    AES International Conference on Automotive Audio 2022

Experience

Impulse Audio Lab GmbH

Munich, Germany · 2018 — present

  1. Senior Audio Research Engineer

    2022-04 – present

    Research and development of ML-driven audio synthesis and processing — building neural and signal-processing methods that generate and control sound in real time on embedded hardware, applied to automotive audio. Core work spans neural audio synthesis, differentiable DSP, and end-to-end pipelines that combine learned and signal-processing components, including RPM/torque-conditioned synthesis networks, parameter estimation from audio, and timbre-space embeddings. Product Owner of the EVx Suite — an automotive DAW for developing and deploying interactive driving sounds and in-vehicle audio, selected by major international OEMs for production use. I own the technical roadmap and have taken it from early prototype to production.

  2. Lead Audio R&D Engineer

    2020-04 – 2022-04

    Built the real-time DSP and synthesis engines behind procedurally generated engine sound. Developed analysis-and-resynthesis pipelines that decompose recorded combustion-engine audio into synthesis-ready representations — harmonic/noise components, wavetable frames, procedural parameters — for real-time resynthesis on embedded targets across additive, wavetable, procedural, and sample-based methods. Built and annotated a dataset of synthetic engine audio that supported the downstream ML-based synthesis and parameter-estimation work.

  3. Audio Design Engineer

    2018-04 – 2020-04

    Designed and prototyped real-time interactive audio systems that map live vehicle and sensor data to synthesised sound — spanning active sound design and algorithmic prototyping for interactive driving and engine sounds. Built demonstrators and research prototypes in Max/MSP and Python for premium OEM clients including BMW, Mercedes-AMG, Mercedes G GmbH, Rolls-Royce, and MINI.

SEED Mediendesign GmbH

Munich, Germany · 2017 — 2018

  1. Sound Designer | Audio Engineer

    2017-04 – 2018-04

    Audio engineering, recording, and post-production for multimedia applications.

Superstrings Music GbR

Munich, Germany · 2015 — 2017

  1. Assistant Composer | Music Production

    2015-12 – 2017-02

    Score composition, recording, and mixdown for film and media projects.

    Worked with Hans Martin Buff (2× Grammy).

Education

Software & Projects