Rupert Neve has died.
The English designer died Friday, February 12th, aged 94 in Wimberley, Texas, of pneumonia and heart failure.
Neve's products are an essential part of the history of modern recording. Known for developing audio mixing desks and other studio equipment, he founded Neve Electronics in 1961, designing processors like the 1073 preamp/EQ, 2254 compressor limiter and 8048 console, which are still considered pinnacles of studio technology to this day.
While synonymous with analogue equipment, Neve also released the first computer-controlled moving fader system, a tool for assisting mixdowns that became standardised in mixing desks worldwide. Neve and his wife Evelyn also founded the company Focusrite, which grew into a giant in the industry in its own right. He's survived by Evelyn, his wife of 70 years, and children Ann, Mary, David, John and Stephen.