Heathkit AS-48 (1969)
The Heathkit AS-48 was a full-range bookshelf speaker system sold in kit form. It came out in 1969 at $169.95. It used a 14-inch woofer and a 2-inch direct-radiator tweeter, both custom-designed for Heath by JBL. The tweeter was specified to reach 20,000 Hz. The cabinet came factory-assembled and finished, and the owner installed the drivers and crossover network. It measured 23⅓ by 14 by 12 inches. A smaller sibling, the AS-38, was also offered at $144.95.
High Fidelity (June 1969, p.72) noted that Heath kept showing kit-built products could deliver solid performance. It described the AS-48 as a compact system that could produce the sort of bass normally associated with floor-standing speakers. Audio (July 1969, p.17) also singled out the 14-inch woofer in a bookshelf enclosure as the system's distinctive feature.
- Type: Two-way bookshelf speaker system, kit form
- Drivers: 14″ woofer (JBL), 2″ direct-radiator tweeter (JBL)
- Frequency response: To 20,000 Hz (claimed)
- Dimensions: 23⅓ × 14 × 12 inches
- Price (1969): $169.95
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