Heathkit AJ-32

Eighty-four ninety-five bought you AM, FM, and FM stereo in one chassis - and a front panel that told you which one you were hearing.

Overview

The AJ-32 was Heathkit's low-cost all-mode tuner, sold as a kit for the listener who wanted AM for the ballgame and FM stereo for the records without buying two boxes. Heathkit's own catalog copy said it plainly: all-mode listening at the flick of a switch, the latest news, sports and music on AM, the quiet beauty of FM or FM stereo on the other side. The catalog price was $84.95, with no money down and $9 a month, and the kit shipped at 23 lbs. That is a lot of tuner. It reflects a full steel chassis with a proper power supply.

The record gets messy here, and collectors should know it before they bid. The documentation disagrees about what this tuner is. One line of research describes the AJ-32 as an all-solid-state design with a FET front end and integrated circuits, introduced in 1968 at $99.95 kit and $139.95 assembled. The period Heathkit catalog says otherwise. The AJ-32 spec block lists a cathode-follower output stage with variable impedance to 4000 ohms per channel, and that is tube language. eBay sellers and specialist dealers describe it as a tube tuner, and one dealer dates the run from 1962 to 1967. The catalog price of $84.95 also contradicts the $99.95 figure. Treat the solid-state attribution with skepticism until the unit in front of you settles it. Circuit topology is the first thing to verify on any example.

The feature set is not in dispute, because the catalog lays it out in detail. It is a well-equipped tuner for the money: built-in multiplex converter, a stereo indicator light that comes on automatically when a stereo broadcast is received, variable AFC for drift-free reception, and separate bar-type "eye" tuning indicators for AM and FM. Two glowing tuning eyes, one per band, make the front panel look like an instrument instead of a black rectangle.

Key Features

Two Bar-Type "Eye" Tuning Indicators

Heathkit fitted the AJ-32 with individual bar-type eye tubes, one for AM and one for FM, rather than a single shared indicator. You tune each band on its own terms. The FM eye closes on signal strength while the AM eye does the same job on the broadcast band. The catalog made a point of the pair, and it is the most distinctive thing about the front panel.

Built-In Multiplex Converter with Automatic Stereo Indicator

The stereo decoder is inside the chassis, not an outboard add-on, which is why the AJ-32 could be sold as a one-box solution. A stereo indicator lamp lights automatically when a multiplex signal is present, so there is no guessing whether the station is actually broadcasting in stereo or whether the decoder has simply been switched in. The catalog also specifies a stereo phase control on the front panel for maximum separation with minimum distortion.

Variable AFC and Flywheel Tuning

The automatic frequency control is variable rather than a simple on/off switch, so the user can dial in as much station-capturing correction as the signal needs. Heathkit's copy promised crisp, drift-free reception, and the flywheel tuning mechanism gives the knob enough inertia to make fine tuning feel deliberate rather than twitchy. The tuner front end was preassembled and prealigned at the factory. That is a real convenience in a kit, since alignment is the job that separates a tuner that works from one that works well.

AM Fidelity Switch

An AM fidelity switch selects the desired bandwidth, trading selectivity for fidelity or the reverse. Most tuners of the period omitted it entirely. It helps on a crowded AM band, where adjacent-channel splatter makes listening hard.

Filtered Stereo Outputs and Cathode-Follower Stages

The outputs are specially filtered so stereo broadcasts can be taped without beatnote interference. The output stage is a cathode follower, rated variable to 4000 ohms per channel, with hum and noise at -55 dB relative to 1 volt of output. Cathode followers keep cable losses and high-frequency rolloff under control, which is why Heathkit used them here and across the rest of the line.

Squelch, Level Controls, and Antenna Provision

A squelch circuit eliminates between-station noise while tuning, and level controls adjust the output to suit the amplifier downstream. Built-in AM and FM antennas are provided, along with separate terminals for outside antennas. The catalog is explicit that both are there, so nobody has to open the case to add a proper aerial.

Historical Context

The AJ-32 sits at a point when Heathkit was still selling tube-type separates at the top of the line while pushing lower-cost all-mode tuners underneath them. Heathkit's 1965 advertising was still promoting the tube-type AJ-41 at $119.95, and the features that ad led with - built-in stereo circuitry, automatic stereo indicator light, adjustable AFC - are the features the AJ-32 carried forward in cheaper form. High Fidelity (February 1965, p.37) ran that AJ-41 copy with the same list of selling points. The AJ-32's job was the deluxe tuner's feature set at a price the budget builder could reach.

Styling was part of the package. The cabinet is tan vinyl-clad steel with a charcoal gray front panel and anodized aluminum trim, and Heathkit designed it to match the AA-151 amplifier. The catalog names the AJ-32 as the tuner companion for that amp, and the two were meant to sit together as a matched pair. Dealers note the styling also sits comfortably alongside other Heathkit components of the period.

Collectibility & Value

Documentation on this one is thin. No third-party reviews, owner testimonials, or forum discussions have surfaced in the research, and there is no confirmed production end date. Market data exists but is scattered: an eBay listing asking $360 for an example described as a tube AM/FM stereo tuner, and a HifiShark record of a parts-or-repair unit at $175 in September 2024. The spread between a working example and a project is wide, as it usually is with kit gear.

The one recurring fault is the AM antenna, which is frequently found broken at the rear of the chassis. At least one tested, working example was sold with exactly that caveat. It is repairable, but check it before money changes hands. Collectors should also confirm the circuit type on any example they are considering, because the solid-state and tube descriptions in circulation cannot both be right, and the answer changes what the unit is worth to a buyer.