Search the Community

Hello everyone, I wanted to report on two mods I have made to my new to me AR9's ( I have had them 2 weeks now). 1) I added 1/2 closed cell foam around the upper midrange. I definitely hear a difference; with the foam there is more spaciousness and sounds now not coming directly from the speaker cabinets. I have less inclination now to set the upper midrange switch to -3db. The foam I inserted was from Home Depot used for insulating air conditioner wings. I'm not sure that this material the best to use but it works. It's reversible smooth of corrugated. See picture. 2) I removed the "chromed" edges around the woofer grills. I think the speakers just look better now. I am also experimenting with tip toes. Tighter bass and midrange with tip toes. Though can't move and you loose some of that "fat" bass. Has anyone else here made mods as I have and what's your experience with these and others. The AR9's are just fantastic speakers. Bill

A forum response we typically see. A statement on my belief and conversation starter is the purpose. "The Allison one's were mentioned, are very much cousins of the ar-9, and I put a big *** here, *** if properly restored with original drivers that has e been rebuilt by those who know how, not many... *** the ar-9 would beat 95% of any modern speaker costing less than 5k in a double blind test. I'm very confident of that. Many new England AS speakers would. The acoustic suspension system Vilchur invented and Kloss helped design and build in the mid 50's ar-1, perfecting it further in '57 with the ar-3- brought bass below 80 ha into average homes for the very first time. They started the "golden agecofvthevkoydsoeaker, why btw, was over by '81 and the Ar-9, primarily. Because of their inefficiency, ( AS designs and drivers) ironic they specufically are the impetus for the wattage ways of early SS amps. My Kenny kr-9400 was the highest wattage amp/receiver on the market on 71 when released. That lasted 3 months. Inefficiency of a driver is overrated, by definition, AS woofers, with sloppy loose suspension, are not giving you 94db spec.... However, 200wpc +amps/recievers have been affordable since the mid 70's. Right now, a Crown xli 1500 at 450 wpc into 8 ohms is barely $450 new. Insane. Today, no company of any size makes AS drivers, let alone loudspeakers. The last two AS sets of any import, both designed by the third greatest speaker designer and former AR designer and MIT grad at 18, also a pretty funny genius and designer of the AR MGC "magic speaker " a decade earlier and greatest designer with us still today and working, the yellow ducky loving Ken Kantor, ( Vilchur and Kloss are 1 and and 2, Roy Allison, well ok, tied for 3( with the 1994 Nht 3.3 and the 1995 ar-303a and series) ( 303 series...8 speakers, a center and sub. It has made the best atmos audio setup I've designed and installed period, an advantage in modern audio of AS designs...no rear port affecting placement of, in my case, a 11.4.6 atmos audio setup....out if 30 or so installs specifically for atmos audio. Not HT. While we're at it, Name a innovation since Vilchur and AS since the 50s, and one of those four men, my personal "big four" likely invented it. (Effect of boundaries and room placement, the invention of the dome driver, I could go on. The fact that an average consumer younger than 45, that doesn't truly believe BT speakers and sound bars sound "amazing".... Equates AS as having diminished low end extension and for lack of better word, slow bass and transients. They also have been deluded. "New has to be better" and guess what...new has been ported for 25 years primarily. I restore vintage gear, AR and all related easy coast companies primarily. A properly restored AR-11 for example...1972 I believe...or literally any 10 or 12" three or two way....has the tightest, quickest absolutely best replication of low end and overall replication of live music than any loudspeaker I've heard made in the last 20 years. They on average, are flatter than any west coast or modern design not costing 5k plus, and at 5k is still needed to get into the 20s. The -3db point of an ar-9...28hz. In contrast, the jbl l100 ( owned, hated, restored, sold for enough to buy a set of LST's and ar-9's, with a nice amount left.)h Te century is the most popular vintage set. Period. But it's the least flat, it is inconsistent across the frequency band as you can get and has a low end spec of only 42 hz with a 12" woofer and ported, an xo of 2 caps and 2 pots,- that's it for a three way?! ( no AR 12" set pre 1985, is worse than 38hz, the ar-9lsi../28hz. By the way the non- bass it does have, again sounds like an old man farting. It's poplar to plug the port, I wonder why? Most AR 8" models go lower. And all AS systems make ported bass sound boomy, bloated, kinda fart-ish. Here comes the ringer...ready!...much cheaper to make- as a port is nothing more than an artificial replacement for cabinet volume. Smaller, cheaper cabs including high end are simply cost efficient, I.e. more profitable. Henry Kloss, hecof a thousand patents, sole motivation was to design thevgreatstvsoeaket he could make that an average everyman/woman could afford. I argue, he and vilvhur are not given due credit for the largest cultural phenomena, the 60's and the hippies...who "almost" changed the ways humans live and love. Previously audio replication was...not. Kloss and vilchur made the nascent music form, rock n roll, primed abd needing to be "loud", but also needing room for dynamics. Mom and dads console wasn't going to do it. That the boomers and terns could hear the lyrics and the instrumental interplay, and hear it ckearkyvfir the first-time in a average American home, quite literally, in many respects could gave and so most did change the world, literally. The tall black, ubiquitous modern m tower with 76 5" drivers ( joke):and go down to only 50hz, if your lucky, and the room allows and still needing a sub, have been the standard for 20 years. I haven't had a need for a sub other than for HT, and complementing the great 8" vintage 2 ways like epi 100, dynamo a25, klh 22, ar-4x. And yes those subs are AS and superior... I never ever use a sub for music other than in stereo, ( two subs). 2 channel stereo- if a three way and a 12" woofer goes lower than most 10" modern subs. The big reveal!!!! I'm no older boomer- cranky about that loud hippity hop, (I am a very big hip hip fan, and basshead to boot.. Rock n roll, how ever it comes, is my passion, however.)..... and will tell anyone you might be near about how much better it was "in my day". I just turned 41, and I've restored / repaired vintage and contemporary audio equipment full time for myself successfully for 13 years. I was born the year the single best loudspeaker, of all concerns, the ar-9, was released. I'm very happy to listen to those long timers tell me how much better it was in their day. They were right all along! Scottie

I looked at a pair of all original AR9’s for sale. Of course they need refoaming but the main concern is NO SOUND from either high tweeter. (meaning the high tweeter on each speaker is not sounding) The speakers have had 2 mature owners and reportedly have not been abused (and show no signs of it). Is this more likely to be the tweeter itself or the attenuation switch? The switches for the low mids and the mid range dome function properly. This would not be a result of missing jumpers on the back panel speaker wire connections could it. (the jumpers were in place but possibly may not have been making contact- but I’m thinking since the low mid and the mid dome were working that all circuits were getting a signal) I was unable to do any diagnostics at the sellers house and an agreed price could not be settled on so I passed on them. Looks like used tweeters run about 100.00 each give or take. Did not find any used attenuation switches for sale. I would rate cabinet (1 chip) and grill (some light pilling) condition a 7 or 8 out of 10. Opinions on likely culprit? What is a fair price to pay for these in this state? Thanks!