[SFDXA] Heil Sound Celebrating 50th Anniversary - ARRL

[Bill]

http://www.arrl.org/news/heil-sound-celebrating-50th-anniversary


    Heil Sound Celebrating 50th Anniversary

**03/09/2016

*Heil Sound* <http://www.heilsound.com/>, a name that’s probably 
synonymous within the Amateur Radio community for its microphones and 
“boom set” microphone/headset combinations, is marking its 50th 
anniversary this year. Heil Sound came into being in 1966 as Ye Olde 
Music Shoppe — a music store in Marissa, Illinois, the home town of its 
founder Bob Heil, K9EID. The celebration — being called “50 Years of 
Maximum Rock ‘N Roll” — kicked off at the winter NAMM show. A 
commemorative series of *interviews* <http://podcasts.heilsound.com/>, 
packaged as podcasts, also debuted with the new year. The series 
highlights the history of Heil Sound.

Heil initially made a name for himself working with music performers to 
provide sound reinforcement for their live gigs, initially supplying 
full sound system packages for venues and festivals throughout the 
Midwest and later working with world-class acts, such as Humble Pie, The 
Who, The Grateful Dead, and Joe Walsh, WB6ACU. Heil said it was the 
Dead’s Jerry Garcia who suggested changing the name of his enterprise to 
Heil Sound. Among other innovations, Heil created the quadraphonic sound 
system for The Who’s “Quadrophenia” tour as well as the Heil Talk Box 
made famous by Joe Walsh and Peter Frampton.

By 1982 Heil Sound had curtailed the touring side of the business and 
began concentrating on developing products for the Amateur Radio market. 
He also launched a home theater division. Amateur Radio and professional 
audio came together in 2006, when Walsh suggested that Heil Sound 
develop microphones for concert use. Heil Sound designed and 
manufactured high-quality microphones and has gained a reputation among 
music performers for its professional microphone products, such as the 
PR30 and PR40.

Bob Heil and his wife and business partner Sarah — who is the president 
of Heil Sound — are frequent visitors at major Amateur Radio conventions 
and gatherings.