What’s New

By Paul Neville

Director of Global Engineering Engineer

When I joined HARMAN Luxury Audio in April 2021, I embarked on an exciting journey to grow the development team in our Cambridge office—the original home of the ARCAM brand—and to bring an eagerly anticipated product roadmap to life.

In one of my first conversations with Dave Tovissi, VP&GM Luxury Audio BU, he introduced me to the concept of POWER teams, which immediately resonated with my own beliefs and experience in building great development teams. POWER stands for:

• Passion
• Ownership
• Wellbeing
• Excellence
• Relationships

These principles align perfectly with what it takes to create outstanding audio products. A multidisciplinary approach is essential, requiring expertise in electronics, software, acoustics, mechanical and industrial design, product management, design quality, test engineering, and project management.

Passion and Collaboration

Passion is a driving force behind everything we do. Whether it’s a passion for audio, our products, our technology, or the brand itself, it fuels innovation and keeps us pushing boundaries and breaking new ground.

One of the key strengths of our team is collaboration —having our project team work together in the same space. This fosters better communication, enables hands-on problem-solving, eliminates the need for excessive formal meetings, and encourages spontaneous discussions that spark new ideas and solutions keeping energy and momentum flowing. Being surrounded by development activities also strengthens relationships, which are crucial to getting things done effectively and promotes ownership, not only for an individual domain but also the project.

Our people are our biggest asset and, we continue to recruit the very best engineers from the audio industry and the technology sector. Hence, the team dynamic and the wellbeing of every individual is fundamental to creating a high-performing development team. We have tripled our development team in the last three years, primarily focussing on Audio Electronics, Software and Product Test functions.

Building on Strong Foundations

At the heart of our work is sound quality. The ARCAM brand has a rich heritage, and having John Dawson, ARCAM’s Founder, still part of the team is invaluable. His deep knowledge and experience, combined with fresh perspectives from new engineers in the Hi-Fi industry, lead to dynamic discussions and groundbreaking ideas. We continuously refine our approach, combining listening tests, theoretical analysis, and measurement validation to push sound quality even further in the pursuit of excellence. Sometimes, we even discover improvements that sound great but challenge our ability to measure them!

The Role of Software in Modern Audio

I would say user experience drives our raison d’etre, which means that software is at the heart of our development. It is now integral to all consumer electronics, and we’ve built strong in-house software expertise to match. It’s the brain of our products, controlling everything from power management to display technology and a significant part of the user experience. Bringing in a Senior SW Development Manager to oversee this function and build relationships within HARMAN to leverage technologies within the group has been integral to building this essential pillar in the development foundations.

Our newly formed test team plays a crucial role in ensuring product quality. With a test lead from the world of customer service, we have an insightful understanding of user expectations. The team is the gateway between development and the outside world, working closely with software engineers to streamline releases and minimize development cycles. Our Test Management System continues to grow as a valuable knowledge base, capturing insights that improve our processes over time.

Looking Ahead: Reinforcing Brand Loyalty

Premium audio customers often have a strong connection to their chosen brands, making it essential for us to develop products that reinforce brand loyalty and keep a level of anticipation and excitement. That means not only delivering exceptional hardware but also maintaining and enhancing our products through regular software updates, new features, and seamless integration with evolving music streaming services. In today’s world, staying current is no longer a “nice to have”—it’s a necessity and audio products can’t afford to stand still. Building future-proof technology platforms which provide long-term vision and alignment to the Luxury Audio product roadmap is essential to meet this requirement.

As we look to the future, I’m excited about what lies ahead for our team. By continuing to build on the POWER principles, fostering collaboration, and prioritizing excellence, we are well-positioned to drive innovation and strengthen ARCAM’s legacy in the world of HARMAN Luxury Audio.