Thanks for going through your restoration process. My dad built two of these AR-15s on the kitchen table. He kept one that has been in continuous use ever since. I remember opening the front door of our house, cranking the tunes, and playing ball in the street. This receiver could really crank. My dad passed away about a year ago. I am now rebuilding this receiver for my brother. We have many fond memories of our dad and this receiver. Thanks!!
NICE WORK! You did an amazing job on it!!! I have the same exact unit and I love it!. It was dead when I got it, but I rebuilt it and got it working perfect, then I put it away for a few years. Now the radio doesn't work too well! Go figure???
I built an AA-15 in ‘71 (when I was 18) and an AJ-15 tuner in ‘72. They were awesome. I made the mistake of lending them to my sister and after a short time they were stolen. But they were awesome while they had them.
I think that the power amplifier section is similar to a design published in a 1967 Popular Electronics edition covering a "Brute 70" amplifier. It used RCA transistors exclusively.
Yes. A very similar design was published in an RCA transistor manual from 1966. It uses the same RCA transistors for the predivers and power output devices. It’s shown in a mono configuration however one would only need to duplicate the design for stereo. Thanks for the comment.
Man, that's a lot of work cleaning that thing. IPA might not be the best for tobacco tar, I'v used a citrus based cleaner and it desolved the tar verry well. It's tempting to just throw the metal parts in the dishwasher. Hope you do not have a new flood just after you finished restoring this beauty.
Trying to find an original Heath build manual for the one I am restoring is a real scavenger hunt. Still looking. My original manual is held together with duct tape. Anyone know of one let me know.
Anyway to get an assembly manual? The only " free" one on the internet requires giving CC info to some outfit in Cyprus. Not real interested in that one.
This was more of a project for my dad as it was a kit that his dad built years ago. I also purchased and rebuilt a second Heathkit AR15 for myself. I think it’s a nice stereo and it’s my daily listener in my office. I’m partial to it for its “analog” aspects and the fact that it contains almost no (aside from the FM tuner portion) ICs. I think it has a nice sound. But what sounds good is 100% subjective to the listener. Thanks for the comment.
Capacitor coupled output stages for a solid state amp limit the audio performance. I built the FM tuner back in the day, during the brief period when big, clunky crystal IF filters were in vogue. They soon gave way to greatly superior ceramic filters, which a fraction of the size, weight, and cost. That permitted more IF stages with lower distortion and greater selectivity. This is a product of only sentimental interest.
Had to stop watching, your camera movements way to fast...from what I saw, good cleanup, neat that your dad and granddad built it, Ida probably had it in line...sux about the flood, been there! Good luck! ~Jack, VEG
Thanks for going through your restoration process. My dad built two of these AR-15s on the kitchen table. He kept one that has been in continuous use ever since. I remember opening the front door of our house, cranking the tunes, and playing ball in the street. This receiver could really crank. My dad passed away about a year ago. I am now rebuilding this receiver for my brother. We have many fond memories of our dad and this receiver. Thanks!!
NICE WORK! You did an amazing job on it!!!
I have the same exact unit and I love it!. It was dead when I got it, but I rebuilt it and got it working perfect, then I put it away for a few years. Now the radio doesn't work too well! Go figure???
I built an AA-15 in ‘71 (when I was 18) and an AJ-15 tuner in ‘72. They were awesome.
I made the mistake of lending them to my sister and after a short time they were stolen.
But they were awesome while they had them.
I think that the power amplifier section is similar to a design published in a 1967 Popular Electronics edition covering a "Brute 70" amplifier. It used RCA transistors exclusively.
Yes. A very similar design was published in an RCA transistor manual from 1966. It uses the same RCA transistors for the predivers and power output devices. It’s shown in a mono configuration however one would only need to duplicate the design for stereo. Thanks for the comment.
Sorry to hear about the flooding and looking forward to more on this restoration series.
Man, that's a lot of work cleaning that thing.
IPA might not be the best for tobacco tar, I'v used a citrus based cleaner and it desolved the tar verry well.
It's tempting to just throw the metal parts in the dishwasher.
Hope you do not have a new flood just after you finished restoring this beauty.
there were power supply mods later on, heatsinking power resisters to lower panel, etc.
Trying to find an original Heath build manual for the one I am restoring is a real scavenger hunt. Still looking. My original manual is held together with duct tape. Anyone know of one let me know.
Anyway to get an assembly manual? The only " free" one on the internet requires giving CC info to some outfit in Cyprus. Not real interested in that one.
I don’t know. My assembly manuals came with the receiver when purchased. I’d suspect you may be able to find one on eBay.
@@FreeElectron Thanks. My dad built this and I may yet find his manual in his handed down stuff. Apparently Heathkit website will sell one for $45.
Do You think the amp worth all the efforts? Is It a good amp?
This was more of a project for my dad as it was a kit that his dad built years ago. I also purchased and rebuilt a second Heathkit AR15 for myself. I think it’s a nice stereo and it’s my daily listener in my office. I’m partial to it for its “analog” aspects and the fact that it contains almost no (aside from the FM tuner portion) ICs. I think it has a nice sound. But what sounds good is 100% subjective to the listener. Thanks for the comment.
@@FreeElectron Thanks for taking your time
Capacitor coupled output stages for a solid state amp limit the audio performance. I built the FM tuner back in the day, during the brief period when big, clunky crystal IF filters were in vogue. They soon gave way to greatly superior ceramic filters, which a fraction of the size, weight, and cost. That permitted more IF stages with lower distortion and greater selectivity. This is a product of only sentimental interest.
Thought you were building a gun from the title lol
Had to stop watching, your camera movements way to fast...from what I saw, good cleanup, neat that your dad and granddad built it, Ida probably had it in line...sux about the flood, been there! Good luck! ~Jack, VEG
Thanks for the comment Jack. I’ll be trying out a new tri-pod for future videos. We’ll see how that goes.