Audio and radio engineer Bob Heil has passed at 83
March 5, 2024 11:06 PM Subscribe
Bob became well-known for designing the concept of modern rock and roll systems we see today. Bob designed touring sound systems for rock and roll bands such as the Grateful Dead, the Who, and many others. Bob’s career was jumpstarted when the Grateful Dead arrived in St. Louis to play the Fabulous Fox in February 1970 without a sound system.
Bob provided his own sound system for the show which was such a success that the band asked Bob and his sound system to join them on the road. That led to Bob designing sound and touring with the Who on their Who’s Next tour in 1971 and later the mixer for Quadrophrenia.
Bob invented the Heil Talk Box, which was frequently used by musicians such as Peter Frampton, Joe Walsh and Richie Sambora, and is still in use today by musicians of nearly every genre. The Heil Talk Box was the first high-powered talk box on the market, which could reliably be used on high-level rock stages.
The first Heil Talk Box was built for Peter Frampton’s girlfriend to give to Peter as a Christmas present in 1974. It can be heard prominently on his 1975 album, Frampton and 1976’s Comes Alive – one of the best selling live albums of all time. His work made such an impact in the rock and roll industry that Heil Sound was invited to become the only manufacturer featured in a display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2006. Some of Bob’s historically important gear, including the first modular mixing console (the Mavis), his custom quadraphonic mixer (originally used on the Quadrophenia tour), and the very first Heil Talk Box were included in the display.
Bob’s work was also featured in the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis, MO. My own mixer was featured in the same display, as I was an acquaintance and radio pal of Bob's. An old installation from the Kiel Opera House, famous to St. Louisans of a certain age.
An avid engineer, Bob proudly became an amateur radio operator at the age of 13 with the call sign K9EID. He spent much of his teen years designing and building homemade transmitters, amplifiers, and antenna systems, including his elaborate “moon bounce” antenna he used with NASA to transmit a signal to the moon and back. In the early 1980s, Bob left the pro sound industry to focus exclusively on the amateur radio market, first under the Melco brand, later returning to the Heil Sound brand, and currently under the Heil Ham Radio brand.
Bob became a global innovator in the field of amateur radio, manufacturing headsets, microphones, equalizers, and accessories. Bob was very active in amateur radio giving countless presentations at hamfests and ham radio clubs, and a proud supporter of the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) and multiple youth programs for amateur radio.
Bob was a fixture in St. Louis through his “High Tech Heil” educational segments on KMOX radio plus KSDK and KTVI television. He frequently lectured at major electronic and satellite conventions, including CES and NAB shows in Las Vegas, Trebas Institute in Toronto and Blackbird Academy in Nashville. Bob recorded four albums as a musician such as Meet Me in St. Louis and Heil Plays Hammond, and also published five books on music and sound technology including Professional Drawbar Tips for the Hammond Organ, Practical Guide for Concert Sound, The 10 meter FM handbook, Heil Ham Radio Handbook, Practical Guide for Concert Sound – Volume 2, and part of the NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) Oral History Library.
In the late 1980s, Heil Sound entered the home theater movement becoming popular in the United States. His company became one of the first to design Custom Home theater systems with over 3,000 systems installed by 2010. Heil installed the very first DSS System, which he placed at the St. Louis office of Bob Costas. He was also on the original test team for the RCA DirecTV dish system and became one of the largest RCA dealers in the world.
In the early 2000s, following a request from Bob’s longtime friend Joe Walsh to develop a new vocal microphone, Bob re-entered the pro sound industry and introduced a new line of professional microphones and accessories, which Heil Sound continues to manufacture today. Countless Grammy-winning artists, creators, broadcasters, podcasters, sound engineers, and sound professionals continue to be influenced by Bob’s work and products.
Bob won a number of awards and honors. He was the “International Amateur Radio Operator of the Year” in 1982, an award which had been held by Barry Goldwater the year before. He was later awarded the 1989 “USA Satellite Dealer of the Year” by the Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association in Las Vegas. In 1995, he received the very first “Live Sound Pioneer Award” at the Audio Engineering Society Convention in San Francisco. In 2007, Bob received the Audio Innovator Parnelli Award. In 2014, Bob was awarded an Honorary Doctoral Degree in Music and Technology from the University of Missouri.
Bob Heil and Joe Walsh waxing elegant about radios.
Bob being part of the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.
Bob provided his own sound system for the show which was such a success that the band asked Bob and his sound system to join them on the road. That led to Bob designing sound and touring with the Who on their Who’s Next tour in 1971 and later the mixer for Quadrophrenia.
Bob invented the Heil Talk Box, which was frequently used by musicians such as Peter Frampton, Joe Walsh and Richie Sambora, and is still in use today by musicians of nearly every genre. The Heil Talk Box was the first high-powered talk box on the market, which could reliably be used on high-level rock stages.
The first Heil Talk Box was built for Peter Frampton’s girlfriend to give to Peter as a Christmas present in 1974. It can be heard prominently on his 1975 album, Frampton and 1976’s Comes Alive – one of the best selling live albums of all time. His work made such an impact in the rock and roll industry that Heil Sound was invited to become the only manufacturer featured in a display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2006. Some of Bob’s historically important gear, including the first modular mixing console (the Mavis), his custom quadraphonic mixer (originally used on the Quadrophenia tour), and the very first Heil Talk Box were included in the display.
Bob’s work was also featured in the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis, MO. My own mixer was featured in the same display, as I was an acquaintance and radio pal of Bob's. An old installation from the Kiel Opera House, famous to St. Louisans of a certain age.
An avid engineer, Bob proudly became an amateur radio operator at the age of 13 with the call sign K9EID. He spent much of his teen years designing and building homemade transmitters, amplifiers, and antenna systems, including his elaborate “moon bounce” antenna he used with NASA to transmit a signal to the moon and back. In the early 1980s, Bob left the pro sound industry to focus exclusively on the amateur radio market, first under the Melco brand, later returning to the Heil Sound brand, and currently under the Heil Ham Radio brand.
Bob became a global innovator in the field of amateur radio, manufacturing headsets, microphones, equalizers, and accessories. Bob was very active in amateur radio giving countless presentations at hamfests and ham radio clubs, and a proud supporter of the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) and multiple youth programs for amateur radio.
Bob was a fixture in St. Louis through his “High Tech Heil” educational segments on KMOX radio plus KSDK and KTVI television. He frequently lectured at major electronic and satellite conventions, including CES and NAB shows in Las Vegas, Trebas Institute in Toronto and Blackbird Academy in Nashville. Bob recorded four albums as a musician such as Meet Me in St. Louis and Heil Plays Hammond, and also published five books on music and sound technology including Professional Drawbar Tips for the Hammond Organ, Practical Guide for Concert Sound, The 10 meter FM handbook, Heil Ham Radio Handbook, Practical Guide for Concert Sound – Volume 2, and part of the NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) Oral History Library.
In the late 1980s, Heil Sound entered the home theater movement becoming popular in the United States. His company became one of the first to design Custom Home theater systems with over 3,000 systems installed by 2010. Heil installed the very first DSS System, which he placed at the St. Louis office of Bob Costas. He was also on the original test team for the RCA DirecTV dish system and became one of the largest RCA dealers in the world.
In the early 2000s, following a request from Bob’s longtime friend Joe Walsh to develop a new vocal microphone, Bob re-entered the pro sound industry and introduced a new line of professional microphones and accessories, which Heil Sound continues to manufacture today. Countless Grammy-winning artists, creators, broadcasters, podcasters, sound engineers, and sound professionals continue to be influenced by Bob’s work and products.
Bob won a number of awards and honors. He was the “International Amateur Radio Operator of the Year” in 1982, an award which had been held by Barry Goldwater the year before. He was later awarded the 1989 “USA Satellite Dealer of the Year” by the Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association in Las Vegas. In 1995, he received the very first “Live Sound Pioneer Award” at the Audio Engineering Society Convention in San Francisco. In 2007, Bob received the Audio Innovator Parnelli Award. In 2014, Bob was awarded an Honorary Doctoral Degree in Music and Technology from the University of Missouri.
Bob Heil and Joe Walsh waxing elegant about radios.
Bob being part of the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.
Bobs mics are fantastic - I own two. He loved dynamic mics (only type he made - IIRC) and they are VERY USEFUL for broadcast, podcast, recording, or live sound.
Sad that he passed, but he left behind a great legacy!
posted by kabong the wiser at 2:51 AM on March 6
Sad that he passed, but he left behind a great legacy!
posted by kabong the wiser at 2:51 AM on March 6
Important both to me in my career and later in my hobby. What a true legend.
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posted by chasles at 4:30 AM on March 6
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posted by chasles at 4:30 AM on March 6
I knew the man was revered as an audio elder, but i didn't know so much about his many accomplishments.
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Thanks for this post.
posted by Artful Codger at 4:40 AM on March 6
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Thanks for this post.
posted by Artful Codger at 4:40 AM on March 6
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posted by JoeXIII007 at 4:54 AM on March 6
posted by JoeXIII007 at 4:54 AM on March 6
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posted by mikelieman at 5:20 AM on March 6
posted by mikelieman at 5:20 AM on March 6
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Own a couple of his headsets for my ham radio station.
posted by Grumpy old geek at 8:27 AM on March 6
Own a couple of his headsets for my ham radio station.
posted by Grumpy old geek at 8:27 AM on March 6
Rock on in heaven, Bob! I can see a happy reunion with Jerry G in your future.
posted by Lynsey at 9:03 AM on March 6
posted by Lynsey at 9:03 AM on March 6
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posted by the sobsister at 10:11 AM on March 6
posted by the sobsister at 10:11 AM on March 6
I was at the Dayton Hamvention in 2011, and it turns out that the very helpful staffer on the Heil stand who helped me pick out very reasonably priced kit was none other than Bob himself. It's sad to hear he's gone SK (= silent key), but it sounds like he had a lot of fun.
posted by scruss at 12:31 PM on March 6 [2 favorites]
posted by scruss at 12:31 PM on March 6 [2 favorites]
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Only knew him by my favorite mic before now. Thanks for the post.
posted by Malaclypse_Fnord at 6:46 PM on March 6
Only knew him by my favorite mic before now. Thanks for the post.
posted by Malaclypse_Fnord at 6:46 PM on March 6
The comments on his obituary are so lovely, we should all be so lucky to live a life worthy of such tribute!
posted by goo at 11:31 PM on March 6
posted by goo at 11:31 PM on March 6
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The man is a true legend. As a Deadhead, I have heard the story of his saving the band. Steve Parish (Jerry's guitar tech/roadie) has spoken highly of Bob Heil.
The man accomplished a lot in his lifetime, and it sounds like he could have accomplished whatever he put his mind to.
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posted by JohnnyGunn at 1:32 AM on March 6