Heil Sound

Heil Sound, formally Heil Sound Communications, Inc., is an American manufacturer of professional audio and amateur-radio equipment headquartered in Fairview Heights, Illinois. The company was founded in 1966 by Bob Heil, an organist, inventor, sound-system designer, and amateur-radio enthusiast whose work connected live music, broadcast-quality audio, and radio communications. The business began in Bob Heil's hometown of Marissa, Illinois, where he opened Ye Olde Music Shop. The store sold and serviced Hammond organs as well as other musical equipment. Heil's experience repairing organs at concert venues gave him a practical understanding of the limitations of contemporary public-address systems. Many systems were too small, lacked full-range reproduction, or could not project clearly to large audiences. He therefore began designing substantially larger sound systems and managing audio for venues in and around St. Louis, including auditoriums and bowling alleys. A major early turning point came on February 2, 1970, when Heil and his team built a new sound system for the Grateful Dead at the Fox Theater in St. Louis. The group had lost access to its previous sound engineer, Augustus Owsley Stanley III, and Heil's system helped meet the demands of the performance. Heil Sound subsequently supported the Grateful Dead on tour and provided sound-related work for a range of prominent acts, including The Who, The James Gang, Jeff Beck, ZZ Top, Humble Pie, Seals and Crofts, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Leslie West, J. Geils, Ike and Tina Turner, and Chuck Berry. In 1973, Heil invented the Heil Talk Box, described as the first high-powered talk box offered commercially. The initial unit was developed for Joe Walsh's Barnstorm tour. Its vocal-and-instrument effect later became strongly associated with performers such as Joe Walsh, Peter Frampton, and Richie Sambora. Heil Sound eventually sold the rights to Dunlop Manufacturing, which continued producing the product. As large touring acts became less central to the company's work around 1980, Heil returned his attention to amateur radio. He believed that many radio systems produced audio that lacked clarity and articulation, and he began developing microphone elements, headsets, and related components for radio operators. Heil Sound introduced its HC Series elements in 1982, including the HC-4 and HC-5, enabling users of non-DSP transmitters to alter the tonal character of transmitted audio. The HC-6 later became the company's most recent element in that line and was used in a number of Heil microphone models. The company also became involved in large satellite-dish installations and entered the home-theater market in the late 1980s. Its amateur-radio and professional-audio activities later converged. In 2006, Joe Walsh, who was also an amateur-radio operator and a friend of Bob Heil, encouraged the company to develop microphones for concert applications. Heil Sound subsequently emphasized dynamic microphone design for professional performance as well as communications use. In February 2022, ownership transferred from Bob and Sarah Heil to Ash Levitt and Steve Warford. Levitt became president and chief executive officer, while Warford became director of operations. Sarah Heil retired, and Bob Heil retained an involvement in outreach and amateur-radio product design as founder and CEO emeritus. Heil Sound remains an active specialist manufacturer serving professional audio, live sound, and amateur-radio users.

Heil Sound was established in 1966 by Bob Heil, an inventor, organist, and amateur-radio enthusiast from southern Illinois. Its early roots were in Ye Olde Music Shop in Marissa, Illinois, a music store that sold Hammond organs and provided repair services. Heil's work extended beyond retail: he regularly repaired organs at venues before performances and became familiar with the practical shortcomings of the public-address systems used by touring musicians. At the time, many systems were unable to reproduce a sufficiently broad range of frequencies or project sound evenly and clearly across large venues. Heil responded by designing much larger and more capable sound systems. The company began managing sound at venues in the St. Louis area, ranging from auditoriums to bowling alleys. This combination of musical knowledge, repair experience, and custom engineering became the basis of Heil Sound's early reputation. The company's first major breakthrough occurred on February 2, 1970, at the Fox Theater in St. Louis. Heil and his crew created a new sound system for the Grateful Dead after the band no longer had its previous sound engineer, Augustus Owsley Stanley III. The system was successful enough that Heil Sound subsequently accompanied the band on tour. The company also worked with The Who, The James Gang, Jeff Beck, ZZ Top, Humble Pie, Seals and Crofts, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Leslie West, J. Geils, Ike and Tina Turner, and Chuck Berry. These engagements established Heil Sound as a live-sound engineering business as well as a product manufacturer. In 1973, Bob Heil invented the Heil Talk Box, a high-powered talk box designed for commercial availability. Heil Sound made the first unit for Joe Walsh's Barnstorm tour. The device generated an effect in which an instrument's sound could be shaped through the performer's vocal tract, and it became associated with Joe Walsh, Peter Frampton, and Richie Sambora. Heil Sound later transferred the product rights to Dunlop Manufacturing, which continued to offer the talk box. By approximately 1980, the business was moving away from touring sound work. Heil cited changes in the musical environment and a reduced challenge in the direction of punk rock as reasons for leaving touring. He renewed his interest in amateur radio and became dissatisfied with what he regarded as indistinct, poorly articulated transmitted and received audio. Heil Sound consequently began developing microphones, microphone elements, headsets, and related components for amateur-radio users. The HC Series was introduced in 1982. The HC-4 and HC-5 elements allowed operators using transmitters without digital signal processing to change the character of their transmitted audio by selecting different microphone elements. The later HC-6 became an important element used in several Heil microphone models. The company also became an early installer of large satellite dishes and entered the home-theater market during the late 1980s, when dedicated home-theater systems were gaining popularity in the United States. The company's two principal areas—amateur radio and professional audio—came together again in 2006. Joe Walsh, a friend of Bob Heil and an active amateur-radio operator, encouraged Heil Sound to create microphones for concert use. The company then renewed its focus on professional dynamic microphones while continuing to serve radio operators. This dual-market orientation remains central to the brand's identity. Heil Sound's ownership changed in February 2022. Bob and Sarah Heil transferred ownership to Ash Levitt and Steve Warford. Levitt became president and chief executive officer, and Warford became director of operations. Both had begun working with Heil Sound as teenagers, building and packaging products. Levitt later spent time in academia while continuing to consult with the business, returned full-time in 2017, and became president in 2020. Warford progressed through the company and had already been responsible for day-to-day operations for several years. Sarah Heil retired, while Bob Heil continued outreach and amateur-radio product-design work as founder and CEO emeritus. The company has received recognition for its technical and cultural contribution to audio. Heil Sound was named USA Satellite Dealer of the Year in 1989 by the Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association, and Bob Heil was named Innovator of the Year at the 2007 Parnelli Awards. Heil Sound has also been invited to exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, an honor associated with its role in the development of live sound and performance audio.

• 2022

  Ownership transfers to Ash Levitt and Steve Warford

  [1]Heil Sounden.wikipedia.org

  The Heil family transfers ownership to Ash Levitt and Steve Warford, with Levitt serving as president and CEO and Warford as director of operations.

• 2007

  Bob Heil receives Parnelli innovation award

  [1]Heil Sounden.wikipedia.org

  Bob Heil is named Innovator of the Year at the Parnelli Awards.

• 2006

  Return to concert microphone development

  [1]Heil Sounden.wikipedia.org

  At Joe Walsh's suggestion, Heil Sound begins developing microphones for professional concert use, reconnecting its amateur-radio and live-audio activities.

• 1989

  USA Satellite Dealer of the Year

  [1]Heil Sounden.wikipedia.org

  Heil Sound is recognized by the Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association as USA Satellite Dealer of the Year.

• 1982

  HC Series microphone elements launch

  [1]Heil Sounden.wikipedia.org

  The HC-4 and HC-5 elements are introduced for radio transmitters without digital signal processing.

• 1980

  Focus shifts toward amateur radio

  [1]Heil Sounden.wikipedia.org

  As touring work declines, Heil Sound concentrates more heavily on amateur-radio audio products and microphone development.

• 1973

  Heil Talk Box is introduced

  [1]Heil Sounden.wikipedia.org

  Bob Heil develops a high-powered commercial talk box, initially for Joe Walsh's Barnstorm tour.

• 1970

  Grateful Dead Fox Theater sound-system breakthrough

  [1]Heil Sounden.wikipedia.org

  On February 2, Heil and his team create a new sound system for the Grateful Dead at the Fox Theater in St. Louis, leading to touring work with the band.

• 1966

  Heil Sound is founded

  [1]Heil Sounden.wikipedia.org

  Bob Heil establishes Heil Sound and begins building a business around music retail, organ servicing, custom sound systems, and live-event audio.

A specialist audio-engineering brand positioned around clear, high-quality sound reproduction for live performance, professional audio, and amateur radio. Its identity is closely tied to Bob Heil's innovations in large-scale sound reinforcement, the Heil Talk Box, dynamic microphones, and radio-audio articulation.

• Effects equipment · 1973

  Heil Talk Box

  Introduced in 1973, the Heil Talk Box was a high-powered talk box developed by Bob Heil and first produced for Joe Walsh's Barnstorm tour. It became closely associated with the distinctive vocalized-instrument effects used by Joe Walsh, Peter Frampton, and Richie Sambora. Heil Sound later sold the product rights to Dunlop Manufacturing, which continued producing the talk box.

• Amateur-radio components · 1982

  HC Series microphone elements

  The HC Series was introduced in 1982 to improve the tonal character and articulation of amateur-radio transmissions. The HC-4 and HC-5 were designed for use with transmitters that lacked digital signal processing, allowing users to change transmitted audio characteristics through microphone-element selection. The later HC-6 was used in multiple Heil microphone models.

• Professional audio · 2006

  Professional dynamic microphones

  Heil Sound's professional microphone line developed from the company's long experience in live sound and its later return to concert-audio product development. These dynamic microphones are intended for professional performance and recording applications, while the brand also maintains a connection to communications microphones developed for amateur radio.

• Amateur radio

  Amateur-radio microphones and headsets

  Heil Sound produces microphone and headset equipment for amateur-radio operators. The products reflect Bob Heil's effort to address what he considered inadequate clarity and articulation in radio audio, and form one of the company's two principal product and market areas.

• Home audio

  Home-theater audio equipment

  Heil Sound entered the home-theater market in the late 1980s as dedicated home-theater systems became more popular in the United States. The available reference material identifies this as a business area but does not provide a detailed model history.

• 2022

  Transfer ownership to company executivesM&A

  Background

  Bob and Sarah Heil transferred ownership after decades of family leadership. Ash Levitt and Steve Warford had longstanding operational relationships with the company.

  Action taken

  Ownership passed to Ash Levitt and Steve Warford, with Levitt becoming president and CEO and Warford becoming director of operations.

  Aftermath

  Sarah Heil retired, while Bob Heil remained involved as founder and CEO emeritus in outreach and amateur-radio product design.

  Source

• 2006

  Develop microphones for concert applicationsProduct launch

  Background

  Joe Walsh, a friend of Bob Heil and an amateur-radio operator, encouraged Heil Sound to apply its microphone expertise to concert use.

  Action taken

  Heil Sound expanded its product-development work into professional dynamic microphones for live performance.

  Aftermath

  Professional audio and amateur radio became complementary markets within the company's business.

  Source

• 1980

  Shift from touring sound to amateur-radio equipmentStrategy

  Background

  Many of the large acts previously served by Heil Sound were no longer touring, and Bob Heil returned his attention to amateur radio.

  Action taken

  The company curtailed its touring activities and concentrated on microphones, headsets, and other amateur-radio audio components.

  Aftermath

  This strategic shift created the foundation for Heil Sound's long-term presence in amateur-radio audio and later supported its return to professional microphone development.

  Source

• 1973

  Commercialize the Heil Talk BoxProduct launch

  Background

  Bob Heil developed a high-powered talk box during the company's live-sound period and was asked to create the first unit for Joe Walsh's Barnstorm tour.

  Action taken

  Heil Sound manufactured and placed the talk box on the market, establishing one of the brand's best-known products.

  Aftermath

  The effect became associated with several major guitarists, and Heil Sound later transferred the product rights to Dunlop Manufacturing.

  Source

1. 1Heil Sounden.wikipedia.org