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Those AR-6's look really nice, Larry. I've never seen that grille cloth before but kinda like it - - do you think it might be original? I'm curious about their history - - the paper labels do not show either of the Euro addresses, but the serial number has a two-letter prefix which often shows up on Euro speakers, plus there is that "international guarantee" stamp". Also, you've got those great early-issue woofers with the massive Alnico magnet with the long throw (see below).

Not quite sure how to respond to this question yet. Maybe you can show us a pic of your woofer after it has been cleaned and ready for re-foam, and after you've received your repair kit. YouTube tutorials can be very helpful to give you added confidence, but feel free to ask questions as they arise. The biggest issue that is forever debated with a typical re-foam project was first penned by William Shakespeare: "To shim, or not to shim, that is the question." Pic attached shows an AR-6 woofer with a new foam being loose-fit to the speaker cone after the dust cap has been cut (and removed) and is sitting atop the clear plastic shims that have been installed. When possible, I like to re-use the original dust caps after the shims are removed. "First, foam and cone, and secondly, foam and metallic circle." Yes, this is the correct sequence. ".....the sound design require a tight seal." Yes, this is also correct, and your woofers may require new material to seal them properly, but this is an easy step. "I hope that will balance the tweeter." Airtight assembly is important, but this should not have significant effect on tweeter output. Are you planning to replace the original blue capacitors?

Hello Gabriel. I am still a little confused about exactly what you are trying to do, so here are a few more comments and questions. Actually, there are three versions of AR-6 crossovers, but we do not need to discuss version C which was used in Europe for later models (it had no coil and employed a two-position switch). It is not entirely clear yet how best to advise - - can you post pics of the actual woofers that you are intending to use? Exactly why do you wish to do this?

Are you saying you need some assistance with your first re-foam project? Regarding glue type, I would agree with JKent that a good quality water-based white hobby glue should work best - - - it sets up slowly and gives the installer some necessary time to ensure that parts are properly aligned and bonded. Just one other thought - - I would expect that your woofers have these two rings shown in this first pic. If so, be sure to leave in place the outer "basket ring" when you begin to re-foam the woofers - - you need to glue the new surround to this surface. Also attached are 'before' and 'after' pics of my restored pair which is the same version of AR-6 that you have.

Thanks for those pics - - - the grilles and badges look terrific, and.... WOW... those cabinets have huge potential. I have never seen a veneer like that on AR speakers and it definitely does not resemble the Ponderosa pine found on U.S. "blondies". Thinking about the Euro market, to my eye the grain looks too tight and linear to be birch, but also too light to be teak ..... could it possibly be beech? Very nice speakers you've got there - - after clean-up, they just might look best with an oil finish. Check out the falcon acoustics link - - just trying to save you from unnecessary international shipping charges.

Bonjour and bienvenue, Grish. All of the components in your AR-6's appear totally original, and included here is the schematic of your speaker circuitry. I will suggest that those speakers are fully restorable, but do go slowly with the project and don't try to overwork any step of the process. The tweeter you have provided in the link is not a good idea for this speaker. Although it is a decent tweeter and it has often been used as a replacement in the AR-4x, it will not fit the cabinet holes and prep of your current tweeter. Your tweeters are originals, and if they are both functional, should be re-used in your re-build project. Your comment about them being "shy" is curious, however, because this is normally a tweeter that has a pretty substantial personality, or presence, in my opinion. The other components in the tweeter circuit are also original and normally stable. I cannot read the resistor values, but they appear identical to 3 ohm resistors I've found in a similar AR-6, and the blue can 10uF cap is also very familiar. Typically, these caps are often very stable even 45 years later, but it is possible that this cap value has drifted and might benefit from replacement. The three-position switch is also usually trouble-free, but perhaps some electronic circuit cleaner can be sprayed into the switch from the backside. You should hear some difference in tweeter output between the various switch settings. I am unfamiliar with parts suppliers in Europe, but these might be good places to begin shopping. http://www.falconacoustics.co.uk/alcap-claritycap-solen-audio-capacitors.html http://www.mundorf.com/english 1.1/handelliste/fachhandel/Revendeurs.pdf Regarding the woofers, you will obviously need to locate, order, and install new foam suspension surrounds. The green component attached should be a 10 ohm resistor and should not require replacement. The larger silver can is a 24uF capacitor and probably should be replaced, although this value is often difficult to locate. And the cabinets, which you have mentioned are "blonde". Please provide some pics of these (grilles, too!). If your cabinets are unfinished pine, as I suspect, an oiled finish might not be your best choice, so my advice is to proceed slowly.

Thanks for sending those documents - - - I understand a little better now. And yes, I finally do see the pic of the wood enclosure. That's a rather unique device, and with that unusual 4-wire connecting cable. The Hirsch review was a little difficult to read, but it was interesting that both the review and the product instructions discussed making initial control settings while listening to FM inter-station hiss, and later making subsequent adjustments listening to familiar musical sources.

Interesting thread here, and I may be splitting hairs, but this raises the debatable question of exactly where is this line of demarcation: restoration or mod? ** If you replace original pots with L-pads: restoration or mod? ** If you replace original electrolytic caps with film caps: restoration or mod? ** If you replace original half-round foams with filled fillet replacements: restoration or mod? For the record, I'm good with any and all of these approaches, but each of these decisions may indeed impact future resale value of collectible "vintage" merchandise, and of course, there are performance issues at stake as well. My philosophy is somewhat of a mongrel hybrid, since a modicum of affordable practicality normally needs to factor into the equation. With my own projects, I tend to try my best to understand and respect the original intent of the speaker design; understand any "market value" of my modest collection; and then make restoration or modification decisions based on keeping these speakers alive in sync with the limited realities of my wallet. I find this statement rather perplexing.... 50 years after the fact. In some of my AR speaker 'rescue' projects, I have taken measures to eliminate this particularly vulnerable aspect of the original assembly by making replacements with rear-wired drivers of similar or same characteristics. Please do illuminate: once the wires have been securely located inside the protective and robust cabinets, why would anyone wish to relocate these delicate tinsels outboard again and expose them to unnecessary exposure to damage?

Nice work by JKent, as always. Despite the fact that this multi-level contour crossover concept did not particularly catch fire in the 60's-70's hi-fi era, I find myself somewhat enamored with this squarish floor-standing speaker model and its separate control device. My understanding of the KLH Twelve is that it is a three-way speaker product (including two mids, totaling four drivers), with crossover frequencies at 500Hz and 4000Hz. I am curious about a few things. Regarding the control box casing, is this a thin metal shell that is covered in faux vinyl or is it a thin walnut veneered plywood? And the control dials: do they just rotate about 90 degrees between + and -, with the dot representing a hypothetical "flat" response? And the rear screw terminals: I assume the two-screw terminal is the amplifier connection, but how is the four screw terminal connected to the driver cabinet? The circuitry of this device sort of bewilders me, and my questions are based on the labeled frequencies at each dial on the front panel. With KLH literature stated x-o frequencies at 500 and 4000, is this an accurate understanding of the four dials: left dial controls woofer and very lowest Hz of the mids; second dial controls lower Hz of mid; third dial controls higher Hz of mid and lowest Hz of tweeter; and right dial controls the highest squeaks and brushes of strings and cymbals? Great pics from ReeferDude, too, and welcome aboard to CSP. But....what exactly is a reefer? Is it like a capacitor?...or a resistor?....or an inductor?...or a potentiometer?

Hi Noah, I may be assuming too much here, but after re-reading this thread, it is not entirely apparent to me that you are aware that the cracked and disintegrating foam surrounds on your woofers are fairly easily replaceable, and their deterioration (which is normal) is no reason for discarding the original woofers. Some might challenge the methods used in this video, but at least it will give you a basic understanding of the process of replacing the rotted foams to make your woofers "new" again. Locate yourself a reliable source in the UK for foam replacements, and members here will walk you though the repair process. Once you remove one of the woofers, and before you order any new foam surrounds, post a pic of the crossover and you will get advice about components which may also require attention. Close-up pic of my 10" AR-2ax woofer (same as AR-5 woofer) with new foam is also attached. Looking closely, you can see that I preserved the original flat dust cap after cutting it during the re-foam process.

I suspect this is what you should expect to find - - the pics shown are both AR-6 tweeters. The front-wired tweeter on the left is dated 1971 and appears identical to your original tweeters - - it has the smaller magnet. The rear-wired tweeter on the right is dated 1979 and appears identical to the first link you posted - - this one has the larger magnet.

These comments here are only about the woofers. I want to look closely at some AR-6 speakers I have before commenting further on the tweeter issue, but will try to get back to you soon. Pics shown here are the two versions of woofer I've encountered in AR-6's - - both of these used foam surrounds. The first three-part image shows the Alnico woofer, with large slug magnet, ribbed cone, and flat dust cap. These do not show up very often, and were only used in early manufacturing runs. The second two-part image shows the more common woofer (p/n 200001) with square magnet, smooth cone, and flat dust cap. The woofers you posted in the link (shown here also, third pic) are excellent 8" woofers, and they will "fit" in your cabinets. However that particular woofer (cloth surround, alnico slug magnet, fine mesh dust cap) was developed for and used in the AR-4x and AR-4xa. It was typically used with a #5 coil (1.18 mh) whereas the AR-6 used a #4 coil (0.88 mh) on the woofer, so I would suspect this woofer used as a replacement in an AR-6 would deliver different characteristics.

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Well, it's now clear that you have a Euro model (Holland), but the handwritten serial number offers no further clues as to this speaker's provenance. I am unable to comment at all about the Peerless woofer, and that includes anything about its general quality or its impact on your "muffled highs". Now I understand the problem with your tweeters - - - one of those tiny tinsel wires has become a problem (underneath the grey tape), and your first attempt at a fix was unsuccessful. Your tweeters are fully original, and it might be worth a second try to repair and patch the broken wire before thinking about purchasing new ones, because your primary issue really is finding the correct woofers. Two more thoughts about the tweeters - - - actually, one rant and one caution. My rant (as stated previously in this forum) is that as much as I like the performance of these early 1-1/4" tweeters, I really find these exposed tinsel wires found on several AR drivers to be a serious flaw in the mechanical engineering or industrial design of these drivers - - - it is simply a bad, bad, bad idea to have the wires inside the cabinet, then bring them outboard, and then poke them under the cones while trying to hide behind flimsy electrical tape. My caution is this: the tweeters in the link you provided look excellent - - great condition, correct part number, spot-on DCR readings - - but these appear to have the larger magnet, and you need to first be sure that they will fit in the holes that have been cut in your speaker's baffle board. Particularly if the cabinets and grilles are in good shape, but these speakers are worth restoring, yet it may require some patience and some expense.

I don't know anything about those Peerless woofers, but it's really too bad that the originals are lost and have been replaced. Regarding the blue 10uF Sprague cap, genek is correct that these very well might still be good, but the only way to confirm this is to measure them when out-of-circuit. I have a different version of AR-6 that uses the identical cap, and mine recently measured within spec so I left them alone and the restored speakers are performing extremely well. Your speakers show a few other curiosities, and it would be of interest to see the speaker backside and label - - it is unclear if you have US or European assembled models, and these seem to reveal elements of a hybrid that has perhaps not been identified yet. On the exterior, your speakers exhibit the thin reveal edge that is consistent with the Euro profile. On the inside, the stuffing is yellow fiberglass - - - this was always used in the US, but Euro production typically used a multi-color poly stuffing. If these are in fact Euro models, they are probably relatively early issues, as exemplified by FG stuffing, pot control, and front-wired tweeter - - all more normally associated with US production. But the real unique curiosity is this particular combination of crossover components. The inside of your cabinet clearly shows what we've referred to as Schematic A, which was typically associated with the early Alnico magnet woofer. However, even though the woofers have been replaced with non-AR drivers, that attached cap and resistor shown appears to be consistent with Schematic B, which used the square ceramic magnet woofer. I have never seen these two features together in the same cabinet. I would assume this cap (24uF) and resistor (10 ohm) were removed from the original woofers and simply moved to the Peerless woofers, regardless of performance parameters. Also attached is a pic of this similar assembly from an original AR-6 woofer. I was also unable to find suitable drivers in current ebay UK listings, but be patient (or send a personal message to jurgen 59). Others may know more about this, but I think either woofer should work for your replacements - - - but the added resistor and cap on the woofer should only be used with the square magnet woofer. I will try to post other pics of the Alnico woofer a bit later....

Hi Gabriel - - welcome to the forum - - and congrats on getting your grandpa's speakers. The AR-6 is a terrific bookshelf speaker and I'm sure you will get these performing up to snuff, but they weren't helped by the humid basement conditions, which may have accelerated corrosion of the pots. There were a few variations of AR-6 throughout its production - - different woofers, different crossovers, different tweeters. Since you mention that yours have a potentiometer, I suspect yours are the earliest version, and these most likely have a wax block cap (see pic attached). If so, probably a good idea to replace the 10uF cap, which is not a useless expense if you wish to restore these properly. Also, there is a good chance that the woofers may need new foam surrounds. Please include some pics (cabinets, grilles, drivers and crossover, etc.) and I'm sure you'll receive further explicit assistance on all matters. Two new caps for these could be purchased for between $2 and $15, and a couple new foams should be under $20, too.

Yeah, this seems to work fine for keeping these tinsel wires "protected" along the surface of the baffle board, but the tape wouldn't be practical on the cone surface. I may just try something that I have on hand that can be applied with precision - - maybe simple water-based white glue (Aleene's) that dries clear will be sufficient here.

Just wanted to include these images along with this thread - - these online pics show the AR-18LS, which I believe is Euro version identical to AR-18B, except for exterior cosmetics: cabinet styling, grille detail, rear terminals, etc. What I would expect to see is shown in first pic: square edge cabinet, vinyl wrapper, tweeter 034 with screen cover (shown next to little AR-8LS). Second pic shows a mild variation, with what appears to be the uncovered 038 tweeter and possibly a curious black stained pine cabinet? But I wanted to ask about the close-up tweeter pic that was part of this web link. It appears that the tiny tinsel wire leads are still connected to provide continuity, but clearly they have been dislodged from their original positions, as shown by the S-shape glue shadows. It is not at all uncommon to find these wires askew in an unintended position, but they are so fragile that they really should be affixed to the paper cone. Original documents show this adhesive named as Hapco 549-D - - - what would be a suitable type of glue to re-attach any loose wires on this type of tweeter?

I like that wax, too, and the revenue from that popular product enabled the founder's grandson to commission this masterpiece of corporate headquarters in Racine, WI in the late 1930's.

Wax on a cutting board? Wow....who knew? Very interesting, thanks.

Thx, this is good to know - - I guess I was fortunate with this pair, and I had anticipated that I would probably need at least a little heat application, but no. Perhaps I should temper my newfound enthusiasm for the potential of other vinyl clad transformation projects that have been getting some sneaky looks from me lately (Yoo-hoo, AR-XB turntable and AR-28B speakers). Agreed, and thanks for that great image which shows off the natural honey color of better-quality MDF. And yep, paste wax is fun and easy to use - - I have tended to use Butcher's wax, available in clear and amber (and now brown, by popular demand!), but I also like Johnson paste wax. I think it may have been CSP member Roger from Reno who once stripped the vinyl off of his AR-7's, but I cannot recall if he ever used his favorite beeswax as a finish in that project. Ever since seeing the quality of work in several of your projects, I've begun to pay much more attention to this. Well, I hope you noticed who I quoted in the first post of this thread, and I have to say that the humor and attention to detail displayed in your AR turntable tutorials has stayed with me to try to develop a similar "tone" for an online voice. It takes a little digging, but I've found that the AR Drawings section (provided by Ken Kantor, I think) in the CSP Library contains a trove of information which is very useful in trying to better understand the history of the many speaker models and their various iterations. The labeling of documents is somewhat inconsistent, and for me accessing these drawings works better with certain web browsers than with others, but it's pretty cool to evaluate the original production documents as a starting point in a restoration project or as a confirmation of authenticity for collectors....or both.

Very good point - - if the sound is the only thing that matters and the visuals don't at all, this solution works very well. Surround vinyl with more vinyl. And definitely, the dimension of the albums or coffee table books will help to conceal the ugly beasts. ...or strip them for no cost as I have tried to point out. Uh-oh.... please, not those AR-93's and 94's again! Very well engineered speakers indeed, but well, shall we say, not among the most attractive products? Don't like the looks?....put a sock over it! This reminds me so much of Claes Oldenburg's idea for the 1976 bicentennial in Boston - his proposal was to place an enormous paper bag over the 52-story Prudential Tower, considered then (and now) by some to be an unavoidable eyesore on the cityscape. Not only did AR cut costs with the cheap cabinet construction and finish for the 93 and 94 models, but they failed to employ a qualified industrial designer to address the visual aesthetics that some potential owners (me, maybe?) desire in a product to be placed in their daily living environment. The spare, bare, and pared-down nature of my 'new' 18s speakers, with vinyl-stripped cabs, exposed MDF, cheap fresh caps, and retro screw terminals, is admittedly not suitable for everyone and their personal predilections, as was predicted at the very onset of this thread. That is perfectly OK with me, while still respectful of the tastes of others - - this project is just one set of thoughts about a rescue mission of one particular sad puppy with a huge, untapped personality that has found an appreciative and loving home. Mongrels only, no AKC pure breeds need apply.

Understood, and I mostly agree, but I am not trying to particularly advocate this vinyl painting process, just merely stating that it does remain a viable option under certain circumstances and with limited resources or expectations. In my case, the vinyl removal was so easy that it did not even require any heat or chemical assistance. Simply peel, grip and rip. Done and discard. Reminder: this thread is mostly about a wonderful low-end speaker model procured with spare change and a sharp eye. With not that much effort, these have been transformed from an ugly duckling (my opinion) into a beloved keepsake (again, just my opinion). My central point, which may be falling on deaf ears here, is that not every restoration or reclamation project requires the agonizing pain of the perfect capacitor selection, close scrutiny of veneer patterns and miter joint tightness, or the hiring of an auto body shop to accomplish some very modest goals. With reference back to the very first line in this thread, this message is simply about the possibility of having a great deal of fun, spending very little cash, and reaping the satisfying rewards that come from experiencing the performance of a very well-engineered audio product. Not everyone will ever be able to own stacked LST's or AR-9's, and I merely want to encourage the newbies and the lurking small budget wannabes to jump in and get involved with modest, affordable vintage audio.

That's pretty funny, but he's probably right, and I had my own coincidence regarding this earlier today. I was reading an article from Sunday's 9.10.17 NYT Style section about an Italian architect who renovated a small industrial compound in Milan, and one of the photo captions reads, "....the bedraggled brown vinyl wall covering in a room.....has been painted over in soft shades." And Kent, I have seen your cosmetic solutions with these projects before and again applaud the creativity. I think they all adhere pretty much to the early AR-KLH-Advent minimalist aesthetic without becoming austere and certainly not flashy. I guess my central point here is that there is more than one way to possibly jazz up your bedraggled vinyl cabinets for very short money if they might require a facelift. Just because they are ugly doesn't mean you have to leave them curbside or at the transfer station (i.e. town dump) or thrift store. The drivers alone in some of these castaways are really excellent, but at the same time I am very reluctant to become the poster boy for the "paint your vinyl" movement. It all sort of reminds me of a story an old friend relayed to me once when he told me about observing some guy in front of his house painting his old Studebaker with a roller. Sometimes there are ideas that just don't feel right, ya know? In concept, this is pretty much what I've had in mind with my someday pursuit of the "soft black" look, and maybe similar to what genek has implied, and nearly identical to ar-pro's restoration project of his AR-91's (I hope I have CSP member and AR model correct here from memory). My first alternative to larry's suggestion here would be a purely subjective one - - I would never want a high gloss finish - - only satin for me. And while many of us enjoy the creative process of re-habbing a pair of long-neglected vintage speakers, pocketbook practicality always needs to be a central factor in my project equations. For this AR-18s project, with nearly all parts on-hand and an attractive initial purchase price (proceeds to a charitable organization), total subsequent investment tallies less that five bucks, which sort of sums up the principal point of this thread , along with extolling the virtues of the AR-18s.

Oops, one more item to mention. I know people with faded aluminum house siding often had reasonable success re-painting the lapped "clapboards", but I don't know if it's ever been tried with vinyl house siding. Nonetheless, after thinking about the soft black that genek mentioned, I decided to conduct this silly imprecise experiment before I toss the cabinet vinyl. It is nearly impossible to successfully photograph black, but this pic does communicate some differences. I used four different black paints applied directly to the vinyl: the top two were thinned out brush applied eggshell and blackboard (ultra-matte) finishes; and the lower two were spray applied satin and gloss finishes. The spray finishes definitely allow the "grain" of the faux vinyl to read thru the paint in a more realistic fashion, but none of these finishes are quite right - - maybe a semi-gloss would be a better compromise for someone wanting to achieve a poor man's "ebonized" walnut finish.