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Stimpy

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Posts posted by Stimpy

  2. AR 90 first time listen and amplifier pairing question

    in Acoustic Research

    Posted

    Per the AR schematics, the upper drivers of the 9, are in phase with it's woofers.  The 90s are opposite; the upper drivers are out of phase to their woofers.  I wonder if this is due to the height differences between the 2 speakers?  The taller AR9 presents the upper drivers in a bass peak, so those drivers are in phase to one another.  The upper drivers, of the shorter 90s, fall into a bass null, so they require the out of phase wiring, to match and balance to one another?

  4. AR90 restore project

    in Acoustic Research

    Posted

    My 90s have the factory foam inserts around the tweeters and dome midranges.  It's still very much intact.  No signs of dissolving or crumbling.  I've never had any issues in removing it.  I always take it off, when working on the speakers.

    The black and wood veneer meet along a very sharp edge.  No transition.  Very well done.  One tidbit, the sides of the cabinet are fully veneered, even around the woofers.  AR painted the side areas black, directly onto the veneer.  Front and back are unfinished plywood.  When I refinished my cabinets, I removed the side paint.  I couldn't stand to paint over the veneer.  Too nice to cover up.  With the sides grills on, the speakers still look stock.

    I can't help with the badges.  Mine are just "AR" badges, and not "AR90" badges.  That's direct from the factory, which is how I purchased my 90s.

    It's hard to find custom, premade foam, that would fit our drivers.  Gasket foam can be found at Parts Express, Midwest Speakers, and Simply Speakers.  Most now comes in a roll, and you hand apply it around the woofer cut-out. 

  5. AR90 restore project

    in Acoustic Research

    Posted

    The AR90s used a flat black front and rear finish.  The sides and tops were true veneer.  Mine were veneered in walnut.  Unfortunately, the 90s were plywood under the black; no veneer.   I'm not sure if other finishes were offered for the veneer?

    As to the dark brown ARs, I know the AR92s were brown, and I think the 91s were as well.  If I ever refinish my 92s, I'll probably go with flat black, to match my 90s.

    Good luck with the restore.  Plus, congratulations!

  6. AR 90 first time listen and amplifier pairing question

    in Acoustic Research

    Posted

    8 hours ago, uarnutz said:

    Ok. Back to basics. I got around to checking all the polarity of the speakers that I just reinstalled. Sure enough, one of the 10 inch speakers had its connections reversed. All back together and what a difference!. The tympani and bass drum come through loud and clear now. Maybe I will have to keep these after all. Thanks for all the sound advice. Researching 3rd order crossovers and polarity anomalies, just because.

    Awesome, glad they were miswired...!  ;)

    Also, the tweeter circuit is 3rd order, with 18db slopes.  I believe everything else was 2nd order. Not that that clarifies much.  :)

    I posted a few years back concerning the woofer phasing on the 90s, and why they differed from the 9s.  No one knew why the 2 weren't matched?  Still strikes me as strange.  Maybe I should rewire my 90s and see (hear) what happens?  :huh:

  7. AR 90 first time listen and amplifier pairing question

    in Acoustic Research

    Posted

    13 minutes ago, uarnutz said:

    Thanks. A recap is in the plan but, I tend to follow a step-wise approach in my restorations. I find it is more fruitful to control the variables. When you say that your speakers were wired wrong from the factory, that was based on the DSP test alone, not a trace of the wires against the schematic, right? The DSP reverses phase for you?

    Yes, DSP test tones, from YPAO in my Yamaha RX-A3030 AVR.  Once completed, bass much better. 

    I've never traced the actual wiring, but I do plan to do so.  I've been using AR-58S speakers, and new to me Martin Logan ElectroMotion ESL's, so my 90s haven't been used lately.  A shame too, as they're fine speakers.

    Oh, the Red Dot is positive...!   :D

  9. AR 90 first time listen and amplifier pairing question

    in Acoustic Research

    Posted

    With Yamaha amps, changing the Impedance Selector switch from High to Low, limits current delivery into the low impedance load.  This switch is a protection device for the amp, and does not improve performance, switching to the Low setting.  Sound quality will suffer in the Low setting.  Good judgement, careful use of the volume control, and the Impedance Selector set to High, is your best bet.

  12. AR 90 first time listen and amplifier pairing question

    in Acoustic Research

    Posted

    9 hours ago, briodo said:

    You mention refoaming, but nothing on capacitor replacement.  This issue is what my AR9's had before I replaced the capacitors.  Essentially night and day in sound performance. 

    Amp is not enough to blow the windows out, but should give you reasonable sound at low volumes.  i would check the caps have been replaced and wiring is correct before changing amp.

    I totally agree.  New caps made a world of difference on my 90s.

    Also, to the OP, double-check the wiring.  My woofers were wired wrong, from the factory.  At least I think so?  My AVR reported the speakers as being out of phase, and having it correct phase, restored my bass!

    As to amps, I use an Adcom GFA-5400.  It works great on the speakers.  Warm and spacious.  The 5400 provides over 200wpc into the 90's impedance load.  Plenty for me!

     

  15. The Development of the AR9 Loudspeaker

    in Acoustic Research

    Posted

    15 hours ago, AR surround said:

    We are all bloody sickos, Frank.   Here's how to get (almost) all of one's speakers into one system...and throw in a model railroad to boot:

    AR9 fronts; AR915 Center; AR90 Surrounds; Boston A70 Rears; Boston A60 Front and Rear Heights; Boston A40 Center Top.

     

    1631679463_AVsystemwithAtmosAuro3D2021.thumb.jpg.38c978aa69d9d32e8eeade72956e2a18.jpg

    We really need a "Like" button...!  Well done...!  But, does the train cause Doppler distortion, as it travels around the room, during a movie...?  :D 

  17. Anyone use tube preamp on AR9?

    in Acoustic Research

    Posted

    I use an original generation Schiit Audio Saga tube preamp.  Great features, with multiple inputs and outputs, switchable between tube, SS buffer, or passive outputs.  Relay switched volume control too.  Plus, I swapped the Wima coupling capacitors for Mundorf Evo Oils, bypassed with AudioCap Theta caps.  Oh, it uses a single 6SN7 tube.  Very musical, with a wide and deep soundstage.  All through AR58S speakers.

    Saga+

  19. AR9 Recap or not?

    in Acoustic Research

    Posted

    9 hours ago, AR surround said:

    The 40uF shunt capacitor is a Dayton DMPC 250v 5%.   I don't know if it could have contributed to the problems I experienced.   (As we now know, the Dayton polys are made by............................Solen.)  😲

    Solen or Bennic...?  :huh:

  20. 2 Questions on AR

    in Acoustic Research

    Posted

    4 hours ago, lARrybody said:

    Stimpy I love stories like this. They make me feel good inside. I have a beautiful set of AR5's that I drove 60 miles to get. They have the wrong non AR woofers and I paid more than $75.00.  They will eventually be restored.  I also have two pairs of Euro AR5's in Teak. Both came from Cincinnati from two different sellers two weeks apart. One set had been restored and the second set has Hi-Vi tweeters. That set I got from a guy who's wife said he had to many speakers. He had two sets. The AR5's and some Bose 901's. His wife decided they would keep the 901's. I was in agreement with her. 

     

     

    Thanks!  I was definitely shocked and surprised by the find and purchase!  Now, if a pair of AR-9's would pop up like that too, I'd be in heaven.  Maybe I need to check back in at the antique store...?   :D

  21. 2 Questions on AR

    in Acoustic Research

    Posted

    Last year, a pair of AR-5's popped up on eBay.  Nothing unusual, other than the fact the speakers were just a few blocks from me!  I believe the asking price was $375.  I watched them for a few weeks, then they disappeared.  I figured they had sold outside of eBay.

    Well, a couple of months later I stopped at my local deli for supper.  While waiting for the food, I walked across the street to the local antique store.  Imagine my shock when I saw the eBay AR-5's sitting in the corner of the store.  I asked the clerk about them, and he said he couldn't sell them on eBay.  He'd received nothing but low ball offers.  I asked how much, and he answered $75.  I said sold.  Afterwards, he thanked me for not haggling about the price!  :)

  24. Rebuilding my second set of AR 9's

    in Acoustic Research

    Posted

    Nice.  I'd love to find a pair one day too...!

    Also, just curious.  I believe you used Dayton poly caps on the upper board, except for the UMR.  There, it looks like you used Mundorf E-Caps.  Was that to keep the UMR dome in check?  Not too bright or harsh?  Plus, I like that you rotated inductors as well.  That's supposed to cut down on cross talk distortion.  

    Well done.  :D

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