Ed Dell

[Nelson Pass]

Although already noted under "Everything Else", the passing of Ed Dell needs
to be observed here as well.

I never met Ed face to face, but we had a great relationship over 40 years,
and it would be difficult to overestimate his contribution to DIY audio through
Audio Amateur and his other other publications. If you look at the articles I
wrote over the years you will see that Ed published most of them.

We did not often talk, although once every couple of years he would call up
late at night and make up for it with several hours of chat about audio.

I treasure the association with such a fine person.

This morning I received the email:

Friends,

I'm sorry to have to tell you that my father, Ed Dell, died this week. His
passing was quiet and quick, and was something of a blessing given his
health status and the hard road that was ahead. We celebrated his 90th
birthday three weeks ago, which was a joy.

We will be holding a Memorial Service at All Saints’ Church in Peterborough,
NH on Saturday, March 9th at 11:00 am, with lunch to follow. In lieu of
flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Community Supper
program at All Saints’ Church, 51 Concord St., Peterborough, NH 03458.

Thank you,

Chad Dell, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Chair
Department of Communication
Monmouth University
400 Cedar Avenue
W. Long Branch, NJ 07764
cdell@monmouth.edu

[Zen Mod]

Originally Posted by Nelson Pass

....... such a fine person.

kudos .

[merlin el mago]

RIP

[vdi_nenna]

I remember the days before the Internet was readily available, being thankful that someone would go through the effort to publish a monthly magazine dedicated to DIY audio. It was a bit like Christmas when that odd sized magazine in plastic wrap would arrive in my mailbox. Always looked forward to Audio Amatuer, then AudioXpress.

Thanks for the joy, Ed.

Vince

[Russellc]

Originally Posted by vdi_nenna

I remember the days before the Internet was readily available, being thankful that someone would go through the effort to publish a monthly magazine dedicated to DIY audio. It was a bit like Christmas when that odd sized magazine in plastic wrap would arrive in my mailbox. Always looked forward to Audio Amatuer, then AudioXpress.

Thanks for the joy, Ed.

Vince

Similar sentiment on the arrival of Audio Amatuer, then Glass Audio, and of course Audioexpress. I also remember DIY life before the internet. Man, what a great innovation to DIY, allowing pictures, schematics and all sorts of projects to be done all over the world by so many different people.

Thank you ED Dell for being such a large part of all this coming about. My audio listening would be far less interesting without you. Thanks ED.....RIP

Russellc

[6L6]

It's quite safe to say that this community on DIYaudio would not exist without his work. He planted the tree and made it grow for many, many years. We are all in his debt.

[rickmcinnis]

The pursuit of high fidelity started out as DIY.

Then some enterprising folk saw a market and made "music in the home" as Voight coined the phrase available to those not so inclined to the smell of solder rosin.

Mr. Dell opened the door to a new generation of tinkerers. Most of us were motivated by economics but at the same time there were those whose desire was to make something better than what was available.

Not that AUDIO AMATEUR often published edge of the art projects but they certainly inspired many to try things and that is when the chance of a brilliant mistake presents itself.

I see DIY, especially with the information the internet provides, becoming more important to this hobby. And with the prices of good gear steadily rising it could well become dominant for the so-called high-end. The exception being when certain gifted individuals bring us products that no DIY'er could make for themselves and we all know who this esteemed individual is!

Would there have been a SOUND PRACTICES without Ed Dell's pioneering magazines? I think not. It helps to have a market that exists when wanting to take the next step.

He is important to our, as I like to say, noble but absurd, hobby and his influence has been so pervasive as to be invisible to many of us. His love of the hobby will continue to influence us whether most realize it or not.

[flocchini]

Completely agree with all that has been said before me

Without Ed's magazines and all those who contributed, my early days at UCD would have been without those projects in audio that broke the monotony of classical mechanics, quantum physics, etc. Little did I realize that all that information now helps me to scratch the surface of what is being said in the DIY forums. The circle continues - now the projects in audio are one of the things that help break the monotony of retirement.

Thanks Ed for getting me started.

[Russellc]

The very beginings of my DIY audio was born with Old Colony stuff....I began reading about "pooging" components, replacing op amps, adding regulators, modifiying Dyna tube stuff, Magnavox CD player modifying and so forth.

This led to discovery of Audio Amatuer. I subscribed and ordered all the back issues. I discovered the other mags as they came along, speaker Builder, Glass Audio, etc. I built my 6550 P-P tube amp from an article by Bruce Rosenblitz, "Build 70 watts of Mcintosh Power" that was in Glass Audio, 1990.

Once the internet fired up, info began pouring in. More mags, Sound Practices, and others many others came, Forums and all this we have here now, which has led to the Pass DIY items.

Ed, thanks for the memories, and the education. Thanks for lighting that spark!


Russellc

[ra7]

I have a stack of audioexpress magazines bought secondhand off diyaudio. It has all the early NP Zen articles. I will always treasure them.

We are grateful for your hard work, Ed. Thanks! RIP.