Heathkit AS-102 (1968)

The Heathkit AS-102 was a three-way bass reflex speaker system introduced in 1968. It was big for its day: roughly 23½ inches high, 16 inches wide and 12½ inches deep, and about 55 pounds. The cabinet wore a walnut veneer. The drivers were a 12-inch bass driver, an 8-inch midrange and a 3-inch tweeter, crossed over at 1,000 Hz and 5,000 Hz. Impedance was rated at 8 ohms, frequency response at 25 Hz to 20 kHz, and power handling at 40 watts continuous program material.

Beyond that pairing, the documentary record is thin. No original price, sensitivity rating or production run length has surfaced, and period reviews of this specific model are scarce. The AS-102 sits in Heathkit's catalog as a conventional floor design: a large three-way in a bass reflex enclosure, finished in real walnut, built to be assembled by the kit builder.

What survives in period advertising is mostly the broader Heathkit speaker lineup of the early 1970s. The AS-103 (which used AR-3a drivers in kit form) and the AS-38 (a JBL-equipped design) were heavily promoted in High Fidelity (April 1971, p.119) and elsewhere. The AS-102 itself appears to have been a quieter entry, overshadowed by those more famous collaborations.

Known specifications:

- Three-way bass reflex speaker system

- 12″ bass driver, 8″ midrange, 3″ tweeter

- Crossover: 1,000 Hz and 5,000 Hz

- Frequency response: 25 Hz - 20 kHz

- Impedance: 8 ohms

- Power handling: 40 watts continuous program material

- 23½″ H × 16″ W × 12½″ D; approx. 55 lbs.

- Walnut veneer cabinet

- Designed for use with the Heathkit AR-1500 receiver