Got the sad news Saturday that Brooks Berdan, of LA-area retailer Brooks Berdan Ltd., had passed away. Brooks was one of the unsung heroes of the high-end audio business and was widely regarded as one of the best turntable set-up guys around.

I visited his store in May to give a presentation to members of the LA&OC Audio Society and Brooks showed me around what will one day be his audio museum. However, he bowed out early from the event, feeling unwell, and I later found out that he was suffering from Crohn's Disease.

The store has been run for the past few years by Brooks' son Brian, but Brooks will be missed, not just by audiphiles in LA but by the audio community everywhere. See http://brooksberdanltd.com/.

John Atkinson

Editor, Stereophile