Heathkit cult

[Don Melcher]

Yep - give me 2 WM5A and a Stereo tube pre-amp (didn't they make a version
of a WA-P2 with concentric shafts?) and I'll be in hog heaven. I just
recently brought a clean AA-100/AJ-41 set - like the ones we built when I
was a kid (actually - that was an AJ30 and the AC-11 mux adapter) for my
aunt to use with the Heath speakers we also built (and I inherited from
her). Despite what some say on the net about it - I think the AA-100 is one
hell of an amp, but would happily replace it with a WM5A set if I could
build one new (I refuse to pay the price they are going for on E-bay when it
is of unknown heritage).

The AA100/AJ41 is destined to be the ham shack stereo at the new QTH with
the Mohawk/Apache/Warrior and my DX20/NC-173 novice stations.

Don
W6ZO

-----Original Message-----
From: Heathkit Owners and Collectors List
[mailto:HEATH at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV]On Behalf Of Jack Crenshaw
Sent: Friday, October 15, 2004 7:50 AM
To: HEATH at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV
Subject: Re: Heathkit cult


Here's a thought:  I know you guys out there are mostly hams, but I
wonder if Heathkit retro kits, like the tube audio amplifiers, would
sell?  Lately there's a _LOT_ of interest in tube audio, and people are
paying as much as $20,000-50,000 for high-end amps.  Can you imagine the
interest if Heathkit announced a new version of, say, the W-5M?

Used W=5M's typically bring around $300 on eBay, but an unbuilt one can
easily bring $1000.

I worked for Heathkit ca. 1977-78.  From my perspective, it seemed like
two factors contributed to their downturn:

1) The switch from tube to transistor/IC technology. Assembling
tube-based stuff is labor-intensive. Wave-soldering PC boards isn't.
In the 50's, Heath could sell kits much cheaper than factory units.  By
the 70's, it was the other way around.

2) The trend to more doo-dads, switches, LED's, etc.  The Japanese
companies like Sanyo, Panasonic, Sony, etc., love to put all kinds of
extra bells and whistles on their products, and to the people to whom
these things appeal, they are the masters.  I think Heath made a huge
mistake to try to out-knob the Japanese.  We couldn't even _BUY_ the
itty-bitty little pots, switches, etc., in this country.

On the other hand, a simple, monobloc amplifier, especially retro, might
have a chance.  Ditto for straightforward, simple ham equipment, I reckon.

Jack

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