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Heathkit AA-1800 Power Amplifier Description: For sale is a lately serviced and thus fully operational Heathkit AA-1800. A full work summary is shown below. Every machine is tested thoroughly and competently for many an hour at our shop after servicing. We do the majority of our business at our storefront in Rhode Island. We encourage you to make an appointment and hear the unit for yourself! Give us a ring at (401)-603-6881 Shipped promptly and competently-see our hundreds of positive feedback on our adept shipping methods. We encourage you to make an appointment and come and hear it through our system at the shop in the Rhode Island! You will fall in love with sound of this thing. We can reached at [phone removed by eBay] should you have any questions at all. See our feedback as regards shipping-we use only first-rate materials and methods. Work Summary:-All failing components, i.e., capacitors, transistors, resistors replaced.-Tested for many an hour for good health. Included: (1) Power Amplifier
This looks like an ambitious ask: at US$1,100, it’s a touch above the US$1,050 75th percentile and clearly over the US$999 median, so it’s not a bargain but still within shouting distance of the current market.
What keeps it interesting is the AA-1800’s reputation as a big, muscular vintage solid-state amp with plenty of headroom and a strong following among Heathkit fans. If the unit is clean, original, and properly sorted, the appeal is real; at this price, though, a buyer should want some proof of health—recent service, stable operation, and no sign of tired output-stage parts or supply work—because the premium only makes sense for a genuinely well-kept example.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
Heathkit traces its origins to 1911 in the United States, when Edward Bayard Heath founded an aircraft company in Chicago after acquiring the Bates Aeroplane Co. Renamed E.B. Heath Aerial Vehicle Co., it pioneered kit-built planes like the 1926 Heath Parasol. Following Heath's death in a 1931 test flight, Howard Anthony acquired the bankrupt firm in 1935, shifting focus to aircraft accessories in Benton Harbor, Michigan. Post-World War II, Anthony pivoted to electronics in 1947 with surplus parts, launching the iconic O-1 oscilloscope kit for $50—a bestseller that birthed the Heathkit brand and its DIY ethos.
In hi-fi audio, Heathkit earned acclaim for tunable amplifiers, integrated receivers, preamplifiers, tuners, and speaker systems, all sold as meticulous assembly kits from the 1950s through the 1970s. Standouts included the AA-151 and A-7E power amps, known for their robust tube and solid-state designs, alongside full stereo systems like the AR-15 receiver. The brand expanded into test gear and amateur radio but prioritized high-fidelity components for home enthusiasts.
Heathkit occupied a mid-tier market niche, delivering exceptional value through user-assembled kits that rivaled factory-built rivals at half the cost. Prized for reliability, customization, and warm sound signatures, these vintage pieces command collector status today among audiophiles restoring "kit-built" icons. Though production ceased in the 1980s after Zenith's acquisition, Heathkit's legacy endures as a cornerstone of DIY hi-fi heritage.
See all Heathkit listings on RADAR.
