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whoa daddy... I just heard that Harry Pearson has passed away. He gave us an industry. I am in shock.
Rest in Peace, Harry.
Follow Ups:
HP's passing seems to be a negative for TAS, the magazine seems to be the brunt of nothing but negative comments. That said, there's more chatter about it than I've seen in years. Even in death, HP's influence over TAS is undeniable. TAS is in a hot spot right now re: the handling of HP's passing, how do they handle it? Don'tchaknow the eyes of the Audio hobbyist community will be totally focused on their response. What do you think? Will it be a righteous special issue dedicated to him, or will it be a lame one-column editorial by Harley?
This is very sad news indeed. I was a subscriber of TAS for decades although I dropped it about 10 years ago. The older magazines with their fabulous cover art and meticulous editting were truly works of art and shall remain on my shelves until the day I die.
RIP Harry.
I know that when Harry was running the Absolute Sound I read every issue from cover to cover. I never do that anymore with any of the current high end magazines. I am very sad that Harry is gone. Maybe Absolute Sound as a tribute could publish a special issue with the best of Harry's writing. I would buy it
Alan
That's sad to read.
It's almost like the passing of Julian Hirsch.
But not as significant as Richard Heyser or Michael Gerzon or John Hilliard or Jim Lansing or Harry Olson or ...
He had an audio magazine. It's not like he actually designed anything or pioneered a concept. C'mon guys, get over it.
A lot of us considered Harry as a friend. You don't get over a friends passing. Your comment is very out of place.
Alan
He was such a character! Do you guys remember how, for years, he refused to be photographed, to the point that it used to be commented on, only a select few even knew what he looked like back than! Also, how Harry would 'answer for' HP and vice-versa in the letters column! I'll leave it to the analysts to comment on what this type of behavior says about a persons ego. I always found his eccentricities to be wildly entertaining (at least, in the old days I did!;).
...you got it - he was one of a kind.
In about 1980 there was a feature article about him on the cover of the Village Voice if I recall, with a photo of him from a distance standing with his arms on the sides of his IRS speakers as if holding them up.
He said in the article he was afraid of groupies showing up at his house or stalking him which is why he wanted to remain anonymous.
Very sad indeed! I am grateful for all that I learned from HP. Peace and comfort to his family.
...one might say the right side of my brain, there is no doubt in my mind that his early writings in TAS filled and engaged my left brain. As such, this hobby has so enriched my whole being, and I give much of that credit to him. What a great hobby this is! You will be missed Harry, and I hope the high end audio industry finds a way to adequately honor you. It will be a tall order indeed, rather reflective of the standard to which you have held an entire industry for several decades.
Rest in peace, Steve
Truly a sad day for one of the pioneers of observational (i.e. subjective) reviewing.
He was bold enough to put his sonic observations to a vocabulary and was one of the few that succeeded in this difficult step.
His old reviews should be a model for those who aspire to make a review today. Critical thinking that is largely absent from the current crop of reviews.
Clearly the man was not perfect...who is? However, he did much for pushing the industry, IMO, towards a more natural sound and for that I thank him greatly.
.
I couldn't wait for those infrequent issues back in the early 80's just to read what he had to say. Because of his consistent praise for tube preamps and amps I tried some.
I'll miss him.
Your presence and absence is keenly felt.
Vbr,
Sam
God Bless you. Thanks for all the photos. and comments here, too. Some history has passed... and in my lifetime. Wow, life is short.
robss
His first issues of the Absolute Sound influenced my passion for this crazy hobby as a teenager.
Those very same issues are still entertaining today. Thank you HP for defining the industry and giving us the ongoing language to describe what we hear.
A giant is gone. I did not know him personally but the loss I felt was acute. He brought music and high end audio into my life. I have valued his reviews since issue one of TAS. Golden ears and literary skills to match. The audio community is diminished by his death. He will be missed.
Rest in peace Harry.
Sue Kraft
RIP fellow Maggie man
We tend to focus on his music systems and not as much his love for video. His "Super Maggie" HT/Multi-channel system was incredible! It used 20.1s in the front with dual CC3s for center and 3.6s in the rear. Along with no fewer than five Nola powered Thunderbolt subs.
Sourced by an EMM Labs player / Krell processor via CJ MET preamp, Edge amplification and Nordost cabling, the result was spectacular.
I remember first hearing 3.7s there in another system in Room 2 driven by Mac tube amps sourced by some incredible vinyl supplied by Michael Hobson who thought the system sounded pretty darn good as well. :)
.
All the positive things you guys are saying are a big +1 for me as well. But what I really loved about HP was the poetic and outstanding expository writing that he displayed during the body of a review. There was one review for, I think it was a cartridge alignment gauge, that he clearly did not like. But as if to make no mistake about his feeings he ended the review with '...this is clearly a piece of shit...' It doesn't get any clearer than that. His use of metaphors and similes in describing this amp or that preamp were undeniably on the money in conveying the message. There will never be another like HP. RIP!
...And raised the expectations and standards of home sound reproduction.
He will be missed. RIP.
No, he wasn't perfect -- none of us are -- but HP's ability to listen analytically, communicate what he heard has never been surpassed, and his passionate love of the absolute sound joined that of J. Gordon Holt to build an industry.
I subscribed to TAS with the second issue, which, in those days, also bought you the first, and many were the times when I read an HP review of a piece of gear that I owned and knew well and was both gratified and reassured to find that he had heard the same sonic quirk that I had. Not only that, his tastes in reproduction were very much like my own, so much that so that he was one of the few reviewers I trusted to the extent that I would buy equipment he had recommended without having heard it myself, typically with excellent results.
If Gordon Holt taught me that there was a world of sonic differences beyond the usual measurements, HP taught me what to listen for, and both, I think, brought an inspiring integrity to the reviewing process and a delightful willingness to be frank about which components they preferred. Some have criticized the horse race aspect of that, and HP's unfortunate tendency to tout each new component as a revelation likely contributed to a sometimes unjustified increase in the price of high end components. But for this young audiophile, it was manna from heaven.
Agreed. Rest in peace, HP.
FrankC
nt
Dman
Analog Junkie
I think Stereophile's Art Dudley is in the tradition of JGH and HP. He has a clear vision of those aspects of music that are important to him and of those components that deliver the goods.
...AD's focus is very narrow, unlike HP and JGH.
Estat, those were great pictures! Thanks for sharing. Was that a Jullius Futterman amp? ......Mark Korda
you'll find it was a Conrad-Johnson Premier One amp. That 200 watt/channel amp drove the mid/tweeter section while the IRS servo woofers had their own 3kW amps.
HP was definitely a bass freak. When I would visit, I would usually suggest we turn down the woofer towers a bit - from IRS to Nola Grand Reference to Scaena 1.4s. :)
(nt)
on things that enriched my musical life and experiences. I once wrote him a note telling him thanks for the poverty I nearly faced every now and again as upgrade would follow upgrade....
May he enjoy the next plateau.
You are familiar with my reference system.
I'm substituting the component under review for the one I use regularly.
Now I will play a recording that you have heard me describe many times and that is available for you to purchase.
I will now describe what I heard, and how it differs from the reference.
Compare that with the drivel passing for reviews and published virtually everywhere these days.
Expand that philosophy into a 2 1/2 discussion, and you have a pretty good idea of what my only meeting with him was like!
He called crap CRAP. He also gave PRAISE where it was due! Yes, we may have opinions, but that is EXACTLY what he taught, IMHO. Listen and judge rather than read an follow (that itself is an irony, given his profession!).
I would never have thought that meeting someone for only 2 1/2 hours would have such an impact on my own life and choice of profession.
Cheers,
Dman
Analog Junkie
.
that I had no clue that it existed, Classical Wax, and turned me onto Lyrita vinyl albums I ended up there often. When they began their going out of biz sale the prices were dropped 10% a week. I ended up with a nearly complete collection of those incredible Lyrita records that HP often went into detail about.
Some were bought at as little as 90% off retail...
And do they still sound great? You betcha...
Not so relevant in the last couple decades when TAS (and Stereophile, for that matter) moved from the nifty little booklet format to the "widescreen" magazine format.
In the early years, I LOVED reading through each and ever issue of TAS. Forgive me if I don't spell a name correctly, but the Robbii Wesson covers were truly works of art. Me? I always liked to look at the back cover, where HP would say he took a picture of this or that, using this camera, that lens, and under these conditions. He had a good to great eye. I'll always grieve at what he could otherwise have captured.
RIP HP
You gave us a saying--your legacy
the Hi End
Des
Love him or hate him, ALL audiophiles owe HP their gratitude for his role in furthering this hobby. I phased out of reading the mags (TAS & Stereophile) once they changed from being digest-sized. I still own many of those and still find them very readable, especially early TAS. I remember how floored I was that an editor was so snarky, the letters section was the most fun of the mag! RIP.
I owe my interest in the high end to Harry. I never met him but to me he seemed larger than life itself. Rest In Peace Harry, I for one will miss you.
"Far away across the field
The tolling of the iron bell
Calls the faithful to their knees
To hear the softly spoken magic spells."
Wow.
d
HP and JGH were the giants who created the kind of audio publishing we all both enjoy and carp about. First JGH left us and now HP is gone. We may never see two such special, creative people in our audio passion and hobby again. Certainly no one can take their places. When ever I open an issue of their mags, there is something missing. I miss their unique approaches to writing about our hobby.
which tended to revolve around him.
Who can fault someone for looking after their personal interests and no one looked after themselves better than HP. I am confident HP never wrote a Julian Hirsch type review but I could take exception to the loan arrangements of gear that HP liked. Many would find the practice a little suspect.
So much upper end stuff is very subtly shaded in their differences. One could wonder if the nod would go to the manufacturer that would allow what was ostensibly a permanent loan.
All of his grandstanding about no advertising at the start; this practice, I thought, was far more corrosive than advertising.
HP wrote many important articles in the early days. He had a great ear for other writers. No one should forget the contributions of John Cooledge and a little later Anthony Cordesman along with a few others whose names have escaped me.
I discovered the magazine at age eighteen. A copy of the first issue had been left in an Atlanta store; Dr. Cooledge was friendly with the owners. One of those fateful days when everything you thought you knew was put into question. I blame HP for my subsequent obsession!
I think HP will not be forgiven for his component of the month club. At least STEREOPHILE was published even more sporadically so one could hold onto the latest and greatest thing for a little longer.
I will never forget HP thinking a DENON direct drive table was much better than a LINN Sondek in the early days of the realization that turntables matter. There were a few more of these landmark faux pas but they have long left my memory. He would eventually see the light.
His greatest moment, in my unhunble opinion, was when it was discovered that there was broken glass underneath the stage at CARNEGIE. He had complained of the horrible sound after the re-model and said it sounded like there was glass under the stage. One could not have a more credibility affirming event than that.
Lost interest in all of those magazines in the late eighties. It all became a little insane (only to become even more insane now) and I discovered DIY audio which allows true happiness since one never has to worry about what someone you know little about thinks of the component.
The best part of HP was his love of music and music of all kinds. I learned much more about music, and that has remained a part of me, from HP than I did about components and I suspect that is how he would want the rest of us to remember him.
d
maybe you should read it again.
I said as many nice things as "bad"; what you are perceiving as bad were just facts. Before he died I felt sure he was human and prone to being human.
So you are one for hagiography? HP was not a saint
People die and you assess their lives and how their lives affected yours.
When are we allowed to speak sincerely? What is the waiting period? Should all comments be bland and amorphous?
is right up Tinears' simpleminded alley!
I think your thoughts were respectfully, honestly and refreshingly communicated.
"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination" -Michael McClure
Did that make you laugh? Trying to make up for the Brit sitcom thing.
ET
No sweat on the the sitcom thing but thanks.
As for tinear, he can go frock himself!
"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination" -Michael McClure
Pretty good!
ET
and a dying man's last words we people in public are supposed to worship (same line of thought)
roger wang
the guy has gone cold.
If you don't get it, you don't.
To me, it's not just bad form. Or just insensitivity.
There is a time and a place for "objectivity" and criticism.
As an immediate response to the first notification of death, I'd say that ain't it.
But that's just me.
...you know what the Bored said about your posts - perhaps "Toxic" was a word I read.
This would be an example of that.
under who know's what circumstances couldn't color your opinion, could it?
At least let a few hours go by before the clever put downs begin.
(nt)
Your upbringing is showing.
stick to your amateur movie reviews and not try to interact with human beings.
Sad, sad news of the death of my audio mentor. Harry, I hope the celestial choirs are singing sweet music to you.
-----
If you haven't heard it, you don't have an opinion.
...which he introduced me to when I was shown a copy of TAS in 1977.
I went on to write for TAS between 1985 and 2001 when the magazine changed hands.
He was a great guy, a lot of fun, very insightful and did more to create and support high end audio than anyone else.
His contributions will really be missed.
His magazine really influenced me, as with so many others.
RIP
I met the man only once, and he not only totally changed the way I look at audio components, but also taught me how to listen effectively to both the components AND the performance/recording.
Great... Not only am I in Litigation Mode with a divorce/custody issue, but now this sad news!
Going home tonight and spinning "Music For Bang, Baaroom, And Harp". It was one of the first recordings he suggested I listen to!
Dman
Analog Junkie
nt
His audio writing was nearly legendary in its ability to truly describe the character of one component vs. another. Returning to read old issues always puts a smile on my face.On a personal level, I cannot begin to express just how much I learned about music and audio from both HP and his long term friend and former TAS reviewer Dr. Cooledge. It was JWC who introduced me to HP in the late 70s during a visit to Atlanta. I had phenomenal mentors.
I always looked forward to visits to Sea Cliff and experience yet another recalibration of my perspective of what an audio system can do. While my audio preferences and priorities were not the same as his, I nevertheless felt enormously privileged to benefit from his experience and exposure to a wide range of fabulous gear since I was in my late teens.
His laugh was truly infectious. :)
edit: I dug out some pics taken during my first visit in 1980. This was before the Great Fire in what was later to be called Room 2. Koetsu, Goldmund T3, Conrad-Johnson and Denneson preamps, Premier One amp, Fulton Gold cables, IRS, VPI Magic Bricks. After hearing that system, I immediately understood the characteristic he called "authority". His huge record collection was distributed throughout the house.
Edits: 11/05/14 11/05/14 11/05/14 11/05/14
... Great photos!
I recognize Mickey Mouse but I would not dare speculate on the other two.
d:o)
Smile
Sox
Great pics!
Love the pics...thank you.
Agreed Peter- R.I.P. HP.
I know a lot of people didn't like him, but he and his publication was what got me not only into this hobby, but into the high-end business.
I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with him several times early on in my career and pursuit of the elusive "absolute sound". He always took the time to answer my questions and taught me about music and how to listen.
He will be missed.
R.I.P. Harry...you were one of a kind.
I think, like him or hate him, we all can say that he touched our hearts and minds in some way...
Dman
Analog Junkie
I heard HP was ill through the jungle drums, but this has come as a surprise.
Rest In Peace, Harry. Your passing leaves us all diminished.
-
Editor, Hi-Fi Plus magazine, Lun-duhnn, Ingerland, innit
Sad news. I subscribed when the magazine started publication. Most of the reviewers came to be known by their initials. Props to Gordon Holt and HP.
What happened? He wasn't all THAT old, was he? RIP
not that old, but had been sick for awhile
He was 77.
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