All eyes were on Nashville, Tennessee this week as about 250 customers, channel partners and other stakeholders gathered in the country music capital to test drive HARMAN’s latest innovations for premium audio and infotainment, and exchange perspectives on enabling the connected lifestyle.  The showcase centered on the city’s legendary Grand Ole Opry music venue, among the many premier performance spaces worldwide equipped with HARMAN professional audio.

The HARMAN showcase kicked off in the Grand Ole Opry’s iconic Studio A, which has hosted several popular television shows including the 1970’s hit music and comedy review, Hee Haw.  Personnel from HARMAN’s Lifestyle, Infotainment and Professional Audio divisions were on hand to present the company’s latest products and offer a glimpse into the future of connectivity.

Among the Lifestyle Division innovations on hand was the OnBeatXtreme premium iPad® speaker dock from the company’s popular JBL brand.  This new HARMAN offering delivers “artist quality” sound with optimized DSP equalization to expand the iPad customer experience for Web surfing, movie viewing and even video conferencing. 

A unique rotating dock allows the tablet to be mounted in either landscape or portrait mode, and integral Bluetooth® wireless technology allows users to enjoy the unit’s features from anywhere in the room. 

Included in the presentation was an update on JBL’s new “Hear the truth” branding campaign which takes fans behind the scenes with popular music artists including US legends Maroon 5, Styx and Night Ranger, Chinese pop king Liu Huan and Indian composer and performer A. R. Rahman.

The HARMAN Infotainment Division outlined the company’s product strategy, which encompasses in-vehicle connectivity solutions from entry-level to premium luxury.  The interactive demonstration followed a typical family over several days of traveling to illustrate how they keep connected with friends, media, entertainment and information on the road. 

Embedded innovations included HARMAN GreenEdge™ technology which improves the “green” experience by delivering unmatched performance at twice the energy efficiency of traditional systems. 

Also featured were HARMAN innovations to improve driver safety via hands-free, eyes-free infotainment and in-car systems that optimize driver awareness of their surroundings and route conditions.

Demonstrations from the HARMAN Professional Division included the company’s new IDX® platform, a seamless audio and visual information delivery solution for airports, transit stations, commercial facilities and similar large public spaces.  The system is designed and built to exceed professional audio standards, incorporating premium microphones, amplifiers and loudspeakers for the best audio quality available.  The IDX system leverages the facility’s existing IT infrastructure for easier deployment, and complements HARMAN’s broad range of professional audio systems installed in entertainment, sport and commercial venues worldwide.

HARMAN guests then joined Slate Magazine and a number of distinguished panelists for a digital town meeting (see accompanying story) on broadening the connected lifestyle.  Webcast live to audience members in Nashville and around the world, the discussion was hosted by Slate Chairman and Editor-in-Chief Jacob Weisberg.  Senior executives from The Aspen Institute, Slate, Chrysler, Sierra Wireless, Strategy Analytics and HARMAN reached out to global audience participants to exchange perspectives on a variety of topics such as networking, multimedia and product design.  The session highlights HARMAN’s growing prominence as a leading global provider of entertainment and connectivity solutions.

Following the technology showcase and dinner in the Grand Ole Opry Plaza, participants moved on to the main showroom for an all-star review of the country music and variety entertainment which shapes Nashville’s personality.  Included was a special “Friends of Harman” performance by country music legend Tim McGraw (left) who has sold some 40 million albums and earned more than 50 prestigious music industry awards, McGraw often performs on tour with support from HARMAN professional audio systems.

“Events like this underscore the deep shared passion between HARMAN and the professional music industry,” said Dinesh C. Paliwal, the company’s Chairman, President and CEO.  “The talented artists who  call Nashville their home are committed to delivering great music to fans, and we are proud to help capture and reproduce their artistry.  We salute these music greats, we thank them for their hospitality, and we are grateful for the  confidence that allows HARMAN to play an important role in their careers.”