Roger Alan Modjeski (RAM) 1951 - 2019

The San Francisco Audio Society that awarded Roger with their lifetime achievement award recently received a note from Michael Fremer when he heard the news of Roger’s passing:

"I knew Roger for many years, at first only through phone calls and emails. I was fortunate to have met him years later through the San Francisco Audiophile Society and so happy to have shared that time with him. He was always a reluctant manufacturer, as I point out in my review of the RM200 MKII that I own and use as a tube reference, but so generous with his time and knowledge (https://www.stereophile.com/content/music-reference-rm-200-mkii-power-amplifier). Not surprisingly, the amp measures as well as it sounds, or as John Atkinson concluded: ’As did the original version of the Music Reference RM-200 amplifier, the Mk.II edition offers superb measured performance for a tubed design, particularly in terms of midband distortion and the ability to drive low impedances. And I remain impressed by the quality of its output transformers.’ We all knew he had a terminal illness and he talked about it with me when I last visited in the fall. I just didn’t think he’d pass this quickly. He will be missed by all. What a lovely man."

Indeed, we are missing him and the fallen warriors before him.
@clio09 Thanks for the ideas on donations !

Roger was an excellent teacher, researcher, inventor, and designer.  I'm using an RM-10 MkII Class A in a system where few sane people would consider a little 25 Watt stereo amp that weighs 14 pounds.  It has won my heart and a spot in my primary stereo system, beating out 100 Watt solid state and tube monoblocks to power floor standing speakers.  I sure hope Roger got the message I sent to him to that effect on Thanksgiving, about six years after buying the amp.

I guess we all have to let go of Roger, and that's very sad.  The best tribute I can think of to give him is to praise his amp, and not let go of that!

@augwest Roger stopped reading emails a couple months ago. I actually monitor the same email inbox and saw your message and read it to him. He was quite pleased and asked me to share it with all his visitors that day. Thanks for such kind words about the little amp that could. It has always been my favorite Music Reference amp.

Yes the RM1! A great design.
Re the nice comments about the RM10: That would have made him very proud. He told me he wanted the RM10 to be remembered as a gutsy little amp. Job done Roger. Job done.