Meet the Team

With Meet The HARMAN Luxury Team, our goal is for you to get to know us better. In each edition we feature a different member of the team, and this month it's Dave Barber, Principal Hardware Engineer.

How would you describe what you do in your current role?

I design the electronics for some of HARMAN’s high-end audio brands, to take music in its stored format, deliver it to your loudspeakers and give you ultimate listening pleasure.

What did you study in school? Did you always imagine yourself doing something like what you’re doing now or did the fates just take you in that direction?

When I was young, we had a hire TV which would occasionally stop working and the TV engineer would come out to repair it. I watched them with keen interest and recall saying, “when I grow up, I want to do that”. Well … hire TV’s don’t exist anymore and neither do TV repair engineers visit our homes. But it was from then I knew that I wanted to get into Electronics. I studied Electronic Engineering part time, over the course of six years, to gain my qualification.

How did your career path lead you to HARMAN?

I’ve worked in the high-end audio business for many years, developing world class audio products. HARMAN Luxury Audio brands share my passion for delivering fantastic musical performances. So it’s my love of the products and my skills and experience that have brought us together.

What is the most important thing you have learned over your career?

Work smarter, not harder. We’re always told we need to work hard, but making things hard for oneself is futile. Challenge is good, but I try find ways to work effectively, whether it’s physical tools to make a job easier, or “tools of the mind” to improve productivity.

Any other advice you would share with people just starting out in this industry?

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. When you’re starting out in a career you are often surrounded by people with vast experience and it’s not uncommon to feel that you should know more than you do. That’s totally normal, and those experienced people around you should be willing to share their knowledge with you. Ask questions and don’t be afraid to ask for a deeper explanation if you don’t fully understand. It’s our job as experienced professionals to nurture talent and to pass on our knowledge.

What are you most proud of in your life?

I’m proud of everything that I’ve achieved so far. Life has presented many challenges, struggles and successes, but most importantly I’m grateful for everything and everyone I have in my life.

When did you realize you had a passion for music or audio? Was there any one band, song, or movie that did it for you?

My parents always had the radio on when I was growing up, so pop music of the time was the backdrop to my childhood. I also bought some turntables in my teens and DJ’d in my bedroom and at friends’ parties. I don’t think I go a single day without listening to music.

What current technology impresses you the most?

Artificial Intelligence. I think it has many possibilities in my field of work, from helping with new product concepts to analysing product performance and so much more.

Favorite music genre?

I like such a variety! I would have to say Alternative Rock as that encompasses many of the bands and much of the music I like to listen to regularly. I also have a love of uplifting trance, it’s great for focus and when driving.

The desert island question, of course. If you were marooned for eternity and could listen to only three albums, what would they be?

Killers – Hot Fuss

Fleetwood Mac – Rumours

Dave Pearce – Trance Anthems 2008

You have the floor. In closing, tell us anything else you want us to know about yourself.

I love adventure and trying new things. I’ve traveled many countries of the world and currently have a little camper van, so spend many of my holidays and weekends exploring the British countryside.