JKent

PM sent. That’s my eBay ad but I sell to CSP members directly at a discount.

And PE still has the MB Quart tweeters. I'll bet these could be modified to fit. Worth a try for $25 each. https://www.parts-express.com/MB-Quart-95-7119-1-Titanium-Dome-Tweeter-with-Truncated-Faceplate-6-Ohm-279-466

Thanks Roy. Learn something new every day! So jnolan was right. I was not aware of the difference between AR and KLH cloth surrounds. Kent

A couple of thoughts: Crutchfield and others sell the new KLH Model Five stands. Similar but I don't know about the dimensions. An Etsy seller will make stands to order. Search "Steel stand for speakers. Modern loft style". Also "Steel speaker stand custom set of two made HANDMADE Any size speaker".

Using a small brush, apply a thin coat to the entire cloth surround and the dust cap. Here's a link to the KLH instructions. KLH called the cloth surround a skiver http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/library/klh/other/klh_schematicsservice/klh_service_bulletin_60.pdf

Those do pass the push test but the sealant looks kind of dried up and flaky to me. I re-sealed my own AR-3 woofers. I remember the KLH Service Bulletin in our library that told service centers to always re-dope (KLH) cloth surrounds regardless of the reason for service. Kent

PM sent

Worked for me. Good demo (but I'd still use Roy's goo)

Welcome to CSP Lorne! Great story and great speakers! Please keep us up to date on the refurb. As far as "why?" all I can think of is this. AR-2ax speakers were sold individually, not in pairs. AR changed the design slightly but continued to ship them out in the same cartons so, from the outside, they all looked the same. Those were probably sitting in inventory at Allied and they didn't rotate stock, so when the original owner bought them someone at the store just grabbed 2 speakers from stock. The bigger question, to me, is why didn't the original owner ever play them? Kent

Sorry. It’s a personal message. I sent you one but maybe your account is not set up to notify you. Click on my avatar (Grommit reading “Electronics for Dogs”) and when you get to my page click on the little envelope. You can then send a personal message with your email address and no one will see it but me.

Kindly send a PM. We can then exchange email addresses and I’ll walk you through the whole thing Kent

PM sent

Thanks Giorgio and Jessi I have considered stacking. Just don't seem to have the room to do that. Maybe I need to clarify regarding the cloth. The first 4x resto used "vintage" cloth that was not right. The 1st photo may look OK but the color and texture were not at all authentic. When I did the 4x/Avid mod I changed the grille to the 18 count lambswool by Weichelt. Very authentic but no longer available so when I restored the modded speakers back to AR-4x I kept the 18 count linen on those. Then, when I put the Avid drivers/xo into the "new" 4x cabinets I needed grille cloth. So the "ARvid" speakers got 28 count linen by CharlesCraft. The 5th photo above and the closeups below show 18 count (AR) on the left, 28 count (Avid)on the right. The CharlesCraft stuff is pretty nice. I used it on the Rompicollo speakers shown in this thread: https://community.classicspeakerpages.net/topic/10396-are-these-ar-speakers/#comment-122190 and the AR-7s shown in this thread https://community.classicspeakerpages.net/topic/5172-ar-7-advice/#comment-77561

These AR-4x's were the first speakers I bought, back in 1970. And they were the first I restored, when I joined CSP in 2006. John O'Hanlon walked me through it: New Zen capacitors and new L-pads. I used some "vintage" grille cloth but it wasn't right (see 1st picture). A couple of years later RoyC inspired me to do a mod: New drivers and crossovers from Avid 100s. A simple mod: They are drop-in replacements (see 2nd photo). Woofer is beefy, with a rubber surround. Tweeter is the then-ubiquitous phenolic ring tweeter. Avid used a film cap (10uF I think) and a 3-way switch that fit the AR's pot hole perfectly. The AR-4x cabinets are way better looking than the crappy vinyl-covered boxes the Avids were in. At that time I replaced the "vintage" cloth with Weichelt linen from 123 Stitch. I recently scored a pair of empty AR-4x cabinets and, because of the sentimental value attached to my originals, I transferred the Avid guts to the "new" cabinets and put my original AR drivers back in the original cabinets. Because the Weichelt 18 count Irish linen is no longer available I used 28 count Irish linen from CharlesCraft. It's quite inexpensive and because it's lighter weight than the fabric from 123 Stitch I believe it is very acoustically transparent. Added some nice repro badges from ebay seller audiotagsiowa. I rebuilt the 4x crossovers using the Zen caps I had saved (sadly, those are no longer available). Original #5 inductor and the heavy duty replacement pots I imported from China (shameless commerce dept: I have these for sale in the FS section). New xo in picture 3. The 4x woofer's cloth surrounds were given a light coat of Roy's goo. Some have suggested that may not be necessary because the 4x is not totally sealed, due to the porous dust cap. The 4x and the "AR-vid" speakers are near-twins. The real ARs got the 18 count linen grilles and my reproduction brass logos. The AR-4x/Avid 100 mash-up I'm calling "ARvid400x". Even made my own paper labels for the backs 😃 They sound similar but not the same. The Avids sound very very good to my ears (and Roy's). If it hadn't been for the sentimental value of my ol' 4x's I would have stuck with the Avid transplants.

Welcome Quotyard I've rebuilt Model Five crossovers for several members here. The crossovers are pretty easy to remove and you can mail them to me. Send a PM if interested. Kent

sold

Yeah. For anyone else interested I went on ebay and searched for "synchronous motor". Then there's a place on the left to select Voltage. I chose 110V and 115V. A whole bunch of motors that look like mine (previous post) popped up. A typical listing is "Electric Motor Synchronous 50/60Hz AC 110-127V 4W CCW/CW AC Motor 2.5-3RPM US". The one in Jim's sign is 3W, 4RPM, CCW. I don't think any of those values are critical because the motor is just turning the plastic disc that gives the lettering "sparkle". 4W is fine. I didn't see 4RPM but they do have 2.5 - 3RPM and 5 - 6RPM. I used 5-6RPM in the first sign (shown below, with spacers) and 2.5-3RPM in the second. I'm sure the rotation direction doesn't matter but most are reversible. The only modifications needed are the addition of the correct size metric machine screw (and probably a washer) to attach the plastic disk and I had to use some standoffs or spacers when I mounted the motor but all things considered it was nearly a drop-in replacement. The mounting holes even lined up. Looking forward to seeing how your project is coming along Jim.

I agree with Jessi. KLH used notoriously crappy capacitors and they should ALL be replaced. But you need a qualified tech to check if there was any damage done. Smoke is bad. It would also be a good idea to have the Garrard record changer lubed and adjusted. I don't know any techs in DC. I always use Bristol Electronics here in NJ. Good luck and welcome to CSP. Kent

Veneer good. Vinyl bad. I applaud your work to make some classic speakers look not just classic but classy.

Can it be cleaned? Or is it damaged? AES has some grille cloth that's pretty hideous: https://www.tubesandmore.com/search/node/cloth Or maybe some orange linen from 123 Stitch: https://www.123stitch.com/item/Wichelt-28-Ct-Tropical-Orange-Linen-Needlework-Fabric-18x27/76-275Z

I'm skeptical. First, your speakers are no longer ARs. The SS replacement drivers are not AR drivers. I'm also skeptical that a pair of ported mini speakers + a sub would sound just like the ARs. BUT I didn't listen to them so I may be mistaken. In any case, welcome to CSP. Hope my comments don't put you off. Kent

I'm a little surprised by the Mundorfs. I've found modern caps to be pretty much spot on. +25% on a 5% "premium" capacitor seems unacceptable to me. Am I missing something?

Yeah, essentially the same as the KLH sign. If the motor is toast a 110V microwave stirring motor will work. I was lucky to find 2 with internal threaded shafts so I just needed a metric machine screw to attach that plastic disc. You'll have to figure out how to adapt the disc to whatever motor you use. I also had to use some spacers on the screws that attached the new motor but that's no biggie. I hope the transformer is good! Everything looks a little cruddy. Hope you get it up & running.

Jim, Beyond what I wrote in the first post I don't know what more I can tell you but will help if I can. I don't see the DJS 6V 30W or the DKN 35w 6v on ebay but there are internet sellers with the DKN 35w 6v for about $25. The motor was for a microwave and I see lots of those on ebay for around $12 each or less. Be sure you get one for 110VAC. Some are for 220V. You also have to look at the shaft because you'll need to adapt it. I was lucky to find one that was threaded but many appear to have a D shape plastic shaft. Here are pics of one of the motors I used (this one went in the 2nd sign).