Sidney Harman dead

[tomt]

Sheesh! Writeup in the WaPo -
and a picture of him next to a distinctive looking speaker ... (captured for posterity)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifest...QWD_story.html

the la times, quoted near word for word, the w-post article.

this picture was one of two for the 'times version' -

[DS-21]

A great old article about Dr. Harman:
http://www.economist.com/node/103423..._id=E1_TDPQNPT

[4313B]

Thanks for the link! This is great.

"Mr Harman's management ideas seem mainly motivated by nothing more complicated than a gentle, deeply felt regard for his fellow humans."

Yet maybe American business leaders would be wise, in their current mess, to devote more attention to their workers, and less to the investment bankers, analysts and armies of public-relations people who dress them up and put on the show for shareholders. In a knowledge-intensive world, a company's most valuable assets are its workers, and they appear to be seriously disenchanted with their lot at the moment. If what is good for employees is also good for the company, says Mr Harman, “how can anybody quarrel with you?”

[robertbartsch]

I did not know he had a physics degree and that he was credited for putting the first tuner, pre-amp and power amp into the same box....

...a true visionary.

Unfortunately, the Net, PCs and big-screen TVs came along and now great audio is no longer appreciated like in years gone bye.,... In retrospect, things like 4 and then 7 channel audio were bad for the industry.

[robertbartsch]

...my recollection of the older Harman Kardon receivers was that they were never really the a top shelf brand like Marantz, Denon and some others. He acquired a lot of electronics companies over the early years and the success of all that is somewhat mixed.

He seemed to make a lot of dough on the JBL brand and car stereos.

[4313B]

...my recollection of the older Harman Kardon receivers was that they were never really the a top shelf brand like Marantz, Denon and some others.

I think you have it backwards...

The other stuff was prettier, it didn't sound as good as the H/K gear. Arguably one of the most enjoyable pairings was B&O front ends with H/K power.

[JeffW]

Unfortunately, the Net, PCs and big-screen TVs came along and now great audio is no longer appreciated like in years gone bye.

I have the 'net, a PC, and a big screen TV and I still appreciate great audio.

[Titanium Dome]

the Net, PCs and big-screen TVs came along and now great audio is no longer appreciated like in years gone bye.,... In retrospect, things like 4 and then 7 channel audio were bad for the industry.

I have the 'net, a PC, and a big screen TV and I still appreciate great audio.

Yes, I definitely cannot appreciate it like in years gone bye, thankfully. Harman had a hand in that by hiring/acquiring some great talent that pioneered Logic7, 6-Axis, Synthesis, Harman International White Papers, etc. If Lexicon, BSS, and JBL weren't in the family, I be SOL for a great HT. Thanks, Dr. Sid.

[BMWCCA]

http://www.newsweek.com/2011/04/17/h...he-corner.html

Plus a nice human retrospective on how his involvement with Newsweek began:
http://www.newsweek.com/2011/04/17/big-love.html

[Hey19]

...my recollection of the older Harman Kardon receivers was that they were never really the a top shelf brand like Marantz, Denon and some others. He acquired a lot of electronics companies over the early years and the success of all that is somewhat mixed.

He seemed to make a lot of dough on the JBL brand and car stereos.

Citation II = pure brilliance.