Robert Heil, microphone innovator, at 83

[PTBoardOp93]

Robert "Bob" Heil passed of cancer on February 28.

Heil began his career as a theater organist, and got into electronics in the 1960s, first with public address equipment and later finding a specialty in microphones. He and his wife sold Heil Sound in 2022.
He was also an amateur radio operator, as K9EID. Heil was the host of the long-running "Ham Nation" podcast until recently.

Bob Heil, K9EID, Silent Key

The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is the national association for amateur radio, connecting hams around the U.S. with news, information and resources.

www.arrl.org

 

[Greg Goodfellow]

My former church has a huge Heil speaker from the previous congregation, which was original to 1978. The building was abandoned for several years, until the former minister gifted it to the current congregation (which then put in over $30,000 in repairs and a new metal roof).

 

[Oldie919]

Currently I own 5 Heil HB-1 mic booms.....Rugged and inexpensive.....
The Heil condenser mics are well-respected in broadcast circles --- along with Shure and E-V......
RIP, Bob.....

 

[Theater of My Mind]

Heil dynamic mics are also sweet. Used in both live sound and broadcast/podcast studios, I'm a longtime fan of their sound.

He developed the Heil talk box, first used by Joe Walsh and then by Peter Frampton who used it extensively on his multi-platinum Frampton Comes Alive where I'm sure most of you have heard it.

As mentioned above, he was a big ham radio enthusiast and developed some very well-regarded gear specifically for that field.

He was an innovative sound engineer who had an interesting life and career, and who created some truly excellent gear.

 

[CTListener]

As mentioned above, he was a big ham radio enthusiast and developed some very well-regarded gear specifically for that field.

Yet, when he died, he became a "Silent Key," in ham slang. Of all he gave to the hobby, there's not a key that bears his name.