Rupert Neve, the audio equipment inventor whose mixing consoles and preamplifiers have shaped the sound of recorded music in the 20th century, has died aged 94. This article is to commemorate his passing and celebrate his life.
With over 80 years of audio design experience, Neve’s story spans the globe; from growing up in Argentina in a time before WWII, to creating the first “modern” recording consoles in England, to elevating analogue circuit design for the digital world in Texas. This British-born audio engineer became widely loved by musicians for his designs which included mixing consoles and preamplifiers, with his most notable invention being the Neve 8028 soundboard.
Early Years
Rupert Neve was born on 31 July, 1926, in Newton Abbot, England. His father was a missionary with the British and Foreign serving in Buenos Aires. Rupert spent the majority of his childhood in Buenos Aires, and he began designing audio amplifiers and radio receivers since he was 13. From his earliest memories, Rupert had a love for music, electronics, and problem solving.
Four years later, he served in World War II, and became a member of the Army's Royal Corps of Signals. He recorded choirs, music festivals, amateur operatic societies, and public events on 78 RPM lacquer disks (before the days of tape) when there were no second recording chances.
Becoming an Industry Icon
After WWII, he began working for electronic firms and manufacturers, including Ferguson Radio. He also supplied public address systems for events involving Princess Elizabeth, now Queen Elizabeth II, and Winston Churchill. After a few years, Neve decided to found his own company in 1961, called Neve Electronics.
During his first years in his company, Neve designed the CQ Reproducer, the Q Flex, the first-ever commercial transistor-based mixing console for the iconic Phillips Studios in London, and home hi-fi amplifiers and loudspeakers. Years later, he designed and manufactured many of the iconic pieces of equipment for which he has since become known for, such as the Neve 80 and 50 series mixing desks. Neve was building consoles that used individual components, which meant that the auditory signal path had more room to travel; basically, the Neve boards were able to pick more auditory information, becoming the ideal mixing consoles of its time.
With the boom of classic rock in the '70s and '80s, Neve's EQ designs became contributed to what became known as the Neve sound. This sonic texture defined and suited rock 'n' roll. Fleetwood Mac, Santana, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Pat Benatar, and many more recorded on the Neve 8028 soundboard at Sound City Studios in Los Angeles; Dave Grohl ended up buying that soundboard from the studios.
It’s no exaggeration to say that millions of people worldwide listen to music every day that was produced using equipment incorporating Rupert’s designs somewhere in the process, from the vocal recording to the final mix, if not from beginning to end. His accomplishments were recognized worldwide when he received a Lifetime Achievement Technical GRAMMY Award in 1997.
Later Years
Rupert and his wife, Evelyn, sold the Neve Companies in 1975, by which time they employed 500 people worldwide with manufacturing locations in England and Scotland and sales offices across North America. In 1985, Rupert and Evelyn now operating as ARN Consultants, established Focusrite Ltd. They produced outboard equipment and provided sound reinforcement and acoustic solutions for difficult environments such as church and cathedrals.
In the new Millennium, Rupert Neve:
Worked with Taylor Guitars, producing the Expression System.
Became a US citizen.
Announced the Portico Series.
Released the Neve 5088.
Released the Shelford Module Series.
Entered the analog-to-digital conversion realm in 2018 with the RMP-D8, an 8-channel Class-A Dante™-connected microphone preamplifier.
He remained in great spirits up to the end of his life at 94 years on February 12, 2021 in Wimberley, Texas, passing away due to non-Covid pneumonia and heart failure. He had five children with his wife Evelyn, whom he lived with for nearly 70 years.
Legacy
Mr. Rupert Neve’s impact on the audio industry as been immense and it keeps rippling across time. His designs and works will keep on serving as the baseline for future engineers. The company Neve Designs, is the culmination of over six decades of Mr. Neve’s legendary design work. With Rupert as their founder and late mentor, this company's team of engineers will preserve the revered elements of his most prized vintage designs, while "thoughtfully advancing and refining their feature sets to meet the needs of the modern recording engineer." All of the company’s recording and playback equipment is crafted with the purpose of upholding the very highest standards of musical quality while providing practical, innovative solutions for the engineers, musicians, and audiophiles from today and beyond. The legendary inventor's will and vision will keep on carrying on through his company, and most importantly, through his children and grandchildren.
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