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ar_pro

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Everything posted by ar_pro

  1. I'm not sure if anyone has ever actually removed the stuffing, and weighed it. This old thread talks about the acoustic fill in the AR-9: https://community.classicspeakerpages.net/topic/1433-new-ar-9-project/
  2. You're a very lucky guy - an unmolested AR-1 is quite the find, these days. A pair of these systems went for $5700 on eBay a couple of months ago!
  3. Very clearly explained - thanks, Roy. It's always seemed to me that if one wanted a more modern, slightly less first-generation sound from an AR speaker, the AR-91 and AR-92 are at their disposal.
  4. Here you go: https://www.ebay.ie/itm/142657535525 I want a percentage of the sale, or that Juice Newton 8-Track.
  5. If it's desired, a supertweeter will provide more "air" for an AR system - but in the far-field, I think it's not that noticeable.
  6. If the woofers are OK, and if you can manage to remove the gunk on their surrounds, you'd only need a pair of mids & tweets. This makes it an eminently do-able project!
  7. I've actually seen painted AR-3a tweeters before, Roy - maybe this was a bright idea for awhile.
  8. Yes, I think this is very much true. It's undeniable that the Classic and Vertical AR systems share a commonality of "voicing", for lack of a better term - the same dominant gene that's present in the company's most successful and admirable systems seems to stay true, even when AR's engineering goal pivoted from wide dispersion in the far field to optimal imaging with a more predictable low frequency characteristic. I'm a little old fashioned at this point, having a preference for the LST's approach, as opposed to the more "accurate" one of the AR-9, and it's offspring. Interestingly, my very first pair of AR-9 systems was driven by a brand new Mac MC2205 amplifier, and it seemed a perfect match - at that time, it was the best reproduction that I'd ever heard, and going forward, seemed to be what the kids are now referring to as an "endgame system". But 40 years later, I might be more inclined to have a pair of mint-condition LST systems over the mighty AR-9, if only because of its unmatched dispersion in a good-sized room. And in 2023, the AR-9's awesome low frequency response has finally been equaled - sophisticated powered subwoofers are more than capable, especially with room correction software running, should the LST's own LF output be found lacking (not likely).
  9. That "orangey" hue is the direction that the oiled walnut finish on the Classic-series speakers seemed to want to go with age - it's not uncommon at all.
  10. Roy, the (new) KLH brand is actually fairly popular among young people with a few bucks to spend, and with an interest in quickly becoming "audiophiles". The speakers represent a jump over the cheap "active" speakers that represent the starting point for many in that demographic. Crutchfield and Amazon both carry KLH, they have fairly low-hassle return procedures, and it's impossible to find the product at a discount; it's almost like the old days of "fair trade" audio components, minus the brick & mortar showrooms.
  11. I love New Speaker Day! Those are beauties - you can always tell when the original owner treated them with pride & care. They'll be fantastic with that MC2205 - congratulations!
  12. Those are surprisingly poor readings. Did you happen to check your meter against a capacitor that you know to be in spec?
  13. This sounds exactly right - I can clearly recall circular marks being left in the carpet after AR-9 cabinets were moved. The fiberboard base always seemed like an afterthought, and it did a poor job of protecting the lower cabinet corners from being dinged when trying to "walk" the speaker across a hard surface, or - heaven forbid - a concrete floor. If the four screws are removed, the base should come off easily, or with some gentle persuasion if necessary. I've had very good results from removing the screws, drilling out the holes, and installing threaded inserts for spiked feet - any sort of cabinet wobble just disappears.
  14. You're right, Stimpy - the AR-90 had a black painted finish front & back. For some reason, I thought they were brown, like the AR-9 and AR-91. The flat black is definitely a better look.
  15. Agreed - the AR-90 is a whole lot of speaker for $600. You should be able to strip & sand the paint down to the original walnut veneer, and make any minor repairs to the finish along the way. If I recall correctly, AR painted both the front and rear panels of the AR-90 in a dark brown color. I'd recommend carefully removing all of the drivers before trying to work on the enclosures - you'll be surprised at how easy it is to move those big boxes around when there's nothing in them. Please remember to label the leads as you pull drivers, and to take lots of photos. This is a great project, and I'm sure that others will chime in with tips & suggestions. Congratulations on an excellent pair of speakers!
  16. Sticking with Acoustic Research, I'd strongly suggest the AR-91 - it benefits from using later iterations of the Classic drivers, and it's designed to sit on the floor, unlike the earlier bookshelf models which all need some sort of stand or base.
  17. Whenever this anomoly has come up in discussion, I've always wondered about the "how come?". I once owned a pair of unmolested AR-90 systems, and they were in such good original condition, that there was no need to open them up. This was in the '90s, before this board really got started, and there was very little reliable info available online - that reversed phase issue would have driven me nuts.
  18. Pretty sure that the power amplifier is a solid-state Stereo 120. If the OP doesn't have the manuals, they're available for download at hifiengine: https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/dynaco.shtml One important note: the PAT-4 preamplifier has three phono inputs, but the vast majority of cartridges should be connected to the "Low" input.
  19. The most recent eBay sale for a single AR-1 was in October, apparently for $1,850.
  20. Seconded. Duct tape works really well, but try to use a top-grade tape like 3M, and proceed with care. Sometimes, a hair dryer on low heat setting will help remove or reduce creases after you've pulled the dome back into position.
  21. Ha, ha - yeah! In the final season of The Sopranos, they were dropping bodies left & right. There's a short video on Trainland, in Lynnbrook, Long Island, where they shot the scene.
  22. Fantastic layout - absolutely beautiful! Always loved trains - my father had a great set of Lionel O-Gauge trains that he'd set up in the basement at Christmas time. Some of my earliest & best memories. Sadly, an interest in model railroading does not always work out so well (NSFW):
  23. FWIW, the bi-amp option on the AR-9 seems to sound a bit better when the amplifiers are in vertical-mode; that is, one stereo amplifier per speaker, with the L&R channels handling the upper & lower sections of a single AR-9. I've heard the QUAD 606 with a number of different systems, but never an AR-9; it seems like it would be worth a try, especially if you already have the amps on hand. Maybe play them at a modest level for awhile, just to sample how they get along together. The 606 is a well-designed & highly-regarded amplifier, and I'm guessing it will be fine with the AR-9. Just recollecting, but there were some threads on here regarding the AR-9 and recommended amplifiers. Aside from vintage gear, I seem to remember that there were a few who really liked matching the AR-9 with some of the newer super amps from Crown - they can output crazy power at low impedance.
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