samberger0357

Assuming you're directing this primarily at me, I no longer own the 2300. Had too many problems so unfortunately I had to let it go. I'm currently using a MC2105 to drive my AR3's. But I'll also piss you off by saying that I've enjoyed them in the recent past with both an MC240 and MC30's. Cause yeah, in a smaller room, at reasonable levels, I find that they sound incredibly sweet with mid power tube amps of a certain vintage. Hope that addresses your concerns, Frank.

Just got a pair of CR8's locally today myself. I agree, they do sound stunning. I'm really surprised. I had a pair of CR9's years ago, but different place and time and gear and life and so probably didn't give them a fair tryout. In any event, it's nice to finally have a small pair of speakers to rotate with some of the big boys in the collection.

I've done various videos in the past. Here's a couple with the 302's, and the AR3's. https://youtu.be/ObxvnL2jqtw https://youtu.be/g6DsOlf8b94

The 302's have been getting a lot of play since I got them last week. They don't do anything wrong. I suppose at this second I had to choose one pair to live with it would be them. But I'm a huge fan of AR3's and have been for a long time. They match up beautifully with the MC240. Having the mids and tweets rebuilt really turned them into fabulous speakers. The La Scala's are completely stock, where the other two are restored. But they sound wonderful with MC30's, and obviously they don't take much to get very loud, if that's the mood I'm in so they tend to be my kick out the jams pair. They all bring something different to the party. I also own a pair of Allison One's, which are terrific(and probably as close as I'll ever come to owning AR LST's) as well as Klipsch Cornwall's and a very early pair of KLH Model Six's. The Cornwall's are presently seeing duty in a second bedroom system. The other two are bench warmers for the time being.

Certainly is a lot of fun.

Yeah, I'm a lucky guy. And certainly very grateful. Oh, and they're blocked by the 302's, but there's a pair of 1977 La Scala's that the AR3's are sitting on top of. The 3's have since been put on stands on the floor. The LS's are driven by McIntosh MC30's and the 3's by the MC240 in the picture. I rotate between the 3 sets of speakers and the 3 amps, pretty much daily.

Just acquired a pair of restored, Tobinfied 302A's and they are as good a speaker that I think I've ever owned. I originally placed them in corners, but found the bass to be a little much, so moved them out into the room and they're perfect. It's really all about moving them about to what sounds best. They're not picky, it just depends on what sounds best to the listener. I rotate them with AR3's, and Klipsch La Scala's, and drive them with a McIntosh MC225. I also tried them with a McIntosh MC2120 and they sound incredible with that. It turned them into true rock'n'roll speakers. But I have a bias to my Mac tube gear, so...

Yes.

Not looking to debate the subject and I won’t since I’ve been there/done that. I’ll just say that while I have found using larger solid state amps used with a modicum of caution sound terrific with 2AX and 3 and 3a, my most enjoyable coupling to date has been using a pair of McIntosh MC30’s with my 3’s. They tested at just over 40 watts, and in my smaller space, with how loud I like to listen and what I listen to, it’s the most musical pairing I’ve ever had in the decades of music listening I’ve experienced. So I’d suggest it’s a very personal choice and if you can to try both types of amps and decide for yourself. The 2AX’s are easier to drive then 3/3a so you do have more flexibility.

Probably everything warming up helps flesh things out.

Just wanted to add to the thread that I recently acquired a McIntosh MC225. I have been using it with a pair of Klipsch La Scala's and Cornwalls. Great sound, obviously. But yesterday I hooked it up to a completely stock, sealed pair of Six's. These are quite early, with serial numbers in the high teens. They have always sounded excellent with pretty much any amp I've run with them. No lack of highs, great bass, etc. But the combination of the 225 with them might be the best I've ever heard them. While the 225 is an old tube amp(yes, it's been completely restored) I find it to be quicker and less heavy then other tube amps of the same era. I also own McIntosh MC30 mono blocks, and they definitely have more of that traditional, warm, slightly thicker presentation. Tube rectification I presume has something to do with that. They sound perfect teamed up with the La Scala's. But the 225 is solid state rectification, and while officially rated at 25 watts, is closer to 35. Whatever. The point is that at least in this case, tube gear teamed up with unrestored Six's worked out extremely well. I don't plan on putting the 225 on any other speaker at this point.

Enjoy! I had a pair of restored 3's that I traded to a local dealer not long ago for some other stuff. He put a high price tag on them, and I started missing them, so the other day we worked out another trade and I'll be getting them back. I'll be running them in a small room second system driven by a MC240. 50 watts is low for them in a main system, but for this second system they'll be used for quiet time listening mostly to opera and classical. Preamp is a McIntosh C11 so it will be like 1963 again in that room.

Congrats! Your handle being what it is are you going to drive them with a Mac?

Great story. Thanks.

I've been very pleased with them in this opposite wall placement. Room filling sound(granted, it's a small room) and excellent imaging. However today decided to experiment with them on same wall on either side of door. I looked again at the placement guidelines regarding proper distance from sidewalls and found that it was more then 2 feet. For some reason I had 3 feet as the proper distance. So now I have them both about 26” from their closest sidewall and again they sound good. I will leave them like this for awhile and see which I prefer.

Happy New Year all… My days of rowdy celebrations are long gone so I decided to move my A1’s into the spare room that I have set up a second system in. And for experimentation and practical purposes I have placed them on opposite long walls, more then a few feet from the front wall, facing each other, about 12 feet apart. And as I have read from others, they do indeed sound great this way. In fact even though this room is considerably smaller then my living room where they were, they are perhaps better suited for this room from a distance from walls perspective. Feline Chelsea enjoys the new set up as well.

Nice! Time to open your museum.

Back is good. I don't lift the Allison's, and the 3's(not 3a's) are heavy but I'm in pretty good shape. But ultimately, I've decided to use my 3's in a second bedroom system, so the A1's are back by themselves. I know somebody who'll be happy to hear that.

I assume your Six's are early enough so that getting into them would be difficult, although I'm guessing that the caps might be getting a bit tired by now. But if you are able to remove the grilles it would certainly be worthwhile redoping the woofer. Details on how to do that and with what are easy to find on this site if you do a search but suffice to say it's extremely easy to accomplish and will help improve the bottom end of the speaker. As to what to drive them with a good quality amp with at least 35-40 watts would be my suggestion. Either the Onkyo or Kenwood should make those speakers sing(especially the Kenwood) assuming they are in relatively good shape. Yes they are old, and may very well be somewhat out of spec, but how much that is going to affect what you're actually hearing is debatable IMO. If you decide to find a vintage amp(which I concur with) for solid state some examples might be the Harman Kardon HK430 or 730, or Sony STR 6060/6120, Sherwood S7900/8900, Marantz 2230/2245 and up(also the 1060 integrated. As for tube, Dynaco ST70, Fisher 400 or 500C, and other examples from Eico/Heathkit/Pilot/Sherwood. Of course there are many more examples. All of these would need to have at least basic restoration done to them by a trusted tech, assuming you are not going to do it yourself.

Ah yes the feline problem. Very real in my house. I'll keep it mind but I will still do a quick experiment to see if I notice any difference. If I'm correct RA didn't produce any speakers after he left AR that were designed for stands. Either directly on floor, or on shelves(Allison Four). Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Just moved the AR3's to a secondary bedroom system using the classic stands. Guess I'll experiment with floor placement now.

Roy and Ed seemed liked pretty cool, laid back guys. Ed worked 3 days a week in Cambridge, and then headed home to Woodstock. I like this from an interview with Roy in Stereophile: " Allison: Almost every day that he was in Cambridge, after the workday was over, we went into Eddie's office and had a conference, which consisted mainly of eating macadamia nuts and drinking Johnnie Walker scotch. Lander: Red or Black label? [laughter] Allison: Black. There was a liquor locker with all kinds of alcoholic beverages available for the senior executives, including fine wines like Chteau Lafite. We all had company cars—Chevrolets. We didn't even have to buy gasoline; we had a caretaker who checked the cars and filled them with gas. Lander: A manager could justify all that by saying it kept you at work longer. Allison: Actually, some useful discussions occurred over the little jiggers of Johnnie Walker Black." https://www.stereophile.com/content/glorious-time-ars-edgar-villchur-and-roy-allison-allison-part-1

☺️

"Two absolute classic loudspeaker systems! Both speakers were the best of their times and still superb! It is fortunate that you drive them with a transformer-coupled McIntosh amplifier—capable of easily handling any load. Paralleling the AR-3 (whose impedance drops below 3 ohms over part of the range) and the A:1 would pose some difficulty for most amplifiers. Very nice, Sam! "- Tom Tyson comments made in the Allison Speakers Google group.

That's not the goal Frank. The goal is to use what I have and make it sound great. Which it does. You seem to be the antithesis of a happy human being. Wonder why?