Have We Seen the Last of Harry Pearson?
 

From John Atkinson:

So, it's official. Harry Pearson is no longer with The Absolute Sound after nearly 40 years. According to publisher Jim Hannon, "Harry’s life-changing heart surgery has prompted him to rethink how he wants to spend his time going forward. Consequently, it is my unhappy task to inform you that Harry Pearson has decided to resign from The Absolute Sound."

Is this the final chapter to the man who single handedly put most of the high-end audio companies we know today on the map? Does HP still have a trick or two up his sleeve?

It's not surprising news since HP has been basically Gordon Holted since TAS was bought by Tom Martin. His output has become less and less and it seems TAS only rolls him out when it serves their purposes.

Whatever the future holds for HP, I'll be forever grateful for introducing me to the hobby that I hold so dear today!

I am not surprised to see him go.

He likely wasn't PC enough for TAS. Harry liked to tell it how he saw it. He will be missed and hopefully we see him pop up again soon. Maybe Tone or something new.

---Forty years is a long time at the same audio magazine.

Harry gave me a lot; musically. I will always be grateful.

Harry and Gordon (Holt) are some of the true audio gurus, among few others like Julian Hirsch, Edward Foster, ....

* I have read some of these people since the sixties. ...And I never stopped.
...Half of a century in this audio hobby!

Happy life Harry! :)

Personally, don't think HP could work for someone else. That said, whoever would hire him would have to pay him a real salary, something rare in our industry.

What happens to the 2301's? :p

Yeah, I was anxiously awaiting that review.

I've been reading TAS since issue One, and have subscribed continuously since about issue Five.

The three early TAS reviewers, HP, PHD, and JWC brought many of us into the higher end of audio and audio equipment. I caught the bug from them and it continues to this day.

TAS Issues were a little sporadic in those early days, and we subscribers couldn't wait until the next issue arrived.

I, for one, practically memorized every word those guys wrote, and traveled many, many miles, trying to listen to the things they recommended and actually bought a lot of equipment based on their recommendations, their reviews, and then going and listening for myself.

It was in the early '70s, Well before the days of the internet and e-mail, but I wrote letters to HP, asking questions and making suggestions, and I was delighted to get post cards from Harry Pearson himself thanking me for ideas and offering "personalized" suggestions in response to my questions. Man, was I impressed!

It was almost as though the three reviewers were my personal friends - Harry Pearson in New York, Patrick Donleycott in North Carolina and John Coolidge in Atlanta.

I was living in Atlanta in those days, and I met Dr. Coolidge several times and saw him in "Stereo Stores" often. He was a "good guy" and a great reviewer.

I suppose I've read every word HP has written in the 40 years he guided the magazine, and, have had (almost) complete confidence that he believed every thing he said, and thought that he had the ability to hear differences in equipment that set him apart from any other reviewer of my experience.

HP was the king of the golden ears, and I think he still is . . . Best ears in the business and an incredible ability to write about what he hears.

I'll miss the guy.

I think rumors of his demise have been greatly exaggerated :)

---How old is Harry, sixty-two?