crumpets

Thanks Roy, that makes a lot of sense. I did "test" the pots before I took the speakers apart, but obviously not very thoroughly. I will take them out and see if I can clean them up. I have a few pots in varying conditions, so I should be able to get 2 more in shape. I'm trying to avoid replacing them with Lpads at this stage, but have some on standby, just in case. I am replacing the tweeters with HiVi's. I've included the 6uf cap in series and the 0.05 coil. Roy, I have a couple of pairs of tweeters that I would like to have rebuilt. I have a pair of 200011's and a pair of 200013-2's from my AR5's that were replaced with HiVi. Are you still doing this type of work?

One other thing, regarding the midrange drivers...The image of the speakers at the top of this thread shows one speaker has the A.11 midrange driver(from the guide), whilst the other is a replacement A.13. I have two A.13 midrange drivers in a pair of AR3a Improved. I'd rather do the best I can to get these AR3a's I'm working on sounding good, so I don't mind sacrificing the Improved. Would it be better if I put matching A.13 drivers into these speakers, or isn't it even an issue having one A.11 and one A.13?

Just reviving an old thread as I continue the restoration of these AR3a's. I removed the pots from one speaker to try to resurrect them, so I'm now trying to wire them back in using the other speaker as a guide. The question I have is regarding the orange wire going from 1 to B on the midrange pot. I can't see it in the AR3a guide, but I do struggle with schematics. I don't recall it being on the crossover I have already dissected, but maybe it has something to do with a replacement driver that one speaker has. Should it be there? If so, can I just use any gauge wire?

Thanks ReliaBill, not sure if I'd trust myself getting a suitable product. Will probably go for the tried and tested.

Ok, good one. Has anyone had success with any alternatives to the cloth surround sealing product offered by vintage_ar on the bay, or is this still considered the best option? Being an ar enthusiast in the southern hemisphere sure has its disadvantages, and postage is one!

Thanks for the visuals. Very helpful. Does sealing the cloth surround on those woofers have an effect on the performance, or is it more to keep them from cracking/further deteriorating?

Good pickup genek. I peeled back the sticker and it looks like 200011 - ?. Going by the ar3 resto doc, that would put them at 4ohm and 1975 I think. I tried to measure them. I'm not exactly sure if I'm doing it correctly, but got a measurement of 3.5 for one and 3.2 for the other. When I measure the new hivi tweeters I get about 5. Just to throw another element into the picture. I also have a pair of 200013-2 tweeters that I took out of the ar5's and replaced with hivi, because one was not working. The working one measures 5.9, the other fails to get a reading. Maybe, if @RoyC is up for it, I could send both the 200011's and the 200013-2's on an overseas trip for a bit of tlc. I do have a very rugged pair of ar3a's that are in the early stages of restoration. They came with some dodgy tweeters and I was intending on going the hivi route with them also. If I could install original tweeters, that would be amazing.

Here is a photo of the tweeter. 1200013-2. It came as it is. I have only recapped and replaced the pots. I'll try and test the resistance tomorrow. JKent, I would have had the tweeters from the AR5's repaired, but I'm in Australia, so not sure if it's too costly an exercise. I'm happy with the result with the hivi's in them. Yes, the surrounds will be replaced. Not a great job at all. I'm not worried about the look of the larger dustcaps, so I'm still thinking I'll go with the glue. Sorry for the quick reply, but it's very late here

Porous! That's the word I was looking for. Ok, thanks. I think sealing with glue might be the way to go. Very neat work btw. I wonder why the porous dustcaps were used. Mind you, even with the porous dustcap, the performance was better than the speaker with the 1210040-2A. The other cabinet wasn't that well sealed though, so probably an unfair comparison. After sealing the dustcaps and making sure the cabinets are sealed, I'll have to make a decision about whether to replace the tweeters with hivi's. They made a huge difference to my previously restored AR5's, so I guess it's the way to go with these as well.

Hi everyone, I was given a pair of 2ax speakers a month or so ago. They had issues with the pots, so I replaced them and recapped with Dayton caps. They sound ok. At least all drivers are working. But, the main issue, from what I can tell, is the woofers. They appear to be the late 2ax 4hole woofers which have had the surrounds and dustcaps replaced. The surround job looks a bit rough, but it is the dustcaps that have me puzzled. They are a very fine mesh and appear to be larger than those on pics I've seen of the same drivers. The closeup shows you can see right through them. I imagine they should be sealed dustcaps for this model. Is that correct? Also, would the larger dustcaps be an indication the woofers have been modified? I have a pair of 1210040-2A woofers that I could put in them, but from what I gather these wouldn't be the best option. I'm thinking of removing the dustcaps from the correct drivers and replacing them with sealed ones. I'm pretty nervous about doing it without damaging them though. Pictures show the woofers in question and the 2ax's sporting the two different woofers. Any suggestions would be welcome.

Oh, i got that ar3 mid image from google. Comes from this thread

Thanks fellas. Yes, the cabs look like black felt and not great. I'm thinking you may bee right JKent, A.11 mid that is now backwired. That is my main concern really. I can't listen to themand I'm just worried that mid may be an ar5 mid that had been thrown in at some stage. I guess it's unlikely, but it's be nice to be sure. Would almost certainly need hivi tweeters to get anything close to original sounding.

Hi all, just wondering if anyone might have a chance to comment on whether these mids and woofers look like what I think they are before I throw my hard earned at these speakers. From what I can tell, the mid on the left looks to be the most common 3a mid(70-76). Not sure if the mid on the right is an ar3a or an ar5 mid. Any opinions would be appreciated. Also, do the woofers appear to be ones with alnico drivers? And, would they originally have had cloth surrounds? I have used the hivi tweeters before in my ar5's, so would look at doing this again if the tweeters didn't stack up. Appreciate any thoughts.

Thanks for the tips. Re. the 440ml, do you know if the vm540, which has replaced it still do as good a job? The Ortofon 2M red is about a third the price of the AT over here. Maybe that's the best option. Do you think I'd notice a significant improvement over my current AT95E?

Yes, great track, eh! I walked into the local charity shop just after someone dropped off a stack of vinyl including that album. Good day. Thanks for the feedback. I'm very happy with the 5's post resto and now with the correct woofers.

Thanks Kent, I think I'll look into that recap. There is definitely a difference in sound when the 5's are connected to my father's Perreaux amps. Not massive, but enough to be really pleasing. A recap of the 555a might close the gap. The old Perreaux's were bought for a few hundred dollars 10 years ago. Now, they cost a fortune, so out of my range. The amp below the 555is a Sansui 101. It has been recapped and sounds great with the 18's.

OK, I said I'd give it a go. I have very little experience with videos, and the file seems huge, but here goes. My system is probably as basic as it gets around these pages. The AR5's are powered by a Sansui 555a that is a little rough around the edges, and a XB77 tt. I have tried using the Sansui as a pre to the crown you can see in the vid, but seem to get better results from the 555a alone. I'm sure there are amps that would get better results, but I can't could afford any of the top gear. Used Adcom/McIntosh etc rarely come up here in Aus and fetch prices way out of my league. I don't believe the 555a has been recapped, so maybe that would be a step in the right direction. I've never worked on an amp, but would give it a go if recommended. These 5's had shot tweeters and replacement woofers when I got them. After recapping and installing HiVi tweeters, I then managed to score some original woofers which have really helped. The speakers are 7' apart and 8" from wall, not toed-in. I usually just listen to spotify prem. via bluetooth, but I am thinking about upgrading the AT95 cartridge. I only caught the AR bug fairly recently and find myself enjoying vinyl again. Any suggestions in the $100-300 range would be appreciated. TinPanSams6s.mp4

Another big thanks to Roy. His advice helped give me the confidence to start tinkering with upgrades/restos. Prior to that, my new soldering iron was simply a paperweight. Much appreciated Roy.

I'm happy to post a vid if I can work out how. I'll give it a go. I can't actually see your video though. It just says "No video with supported format and MIME found" Does the video have to be converted to a particular format before attaching?

Thank you for the kind words. I can honestly say I would never have attempted this without all of your help and encouragement. I will take your advice and leave well enough alone.They sound fantastic. Time to just kick back and enjoy them.

Completed the recap today and all went well. I removed the old cap boxes. There was a fair bit of black tar-like stuff around, so all that is clean now. The recap hasn't had quite the impact of the ar6 recap, but there is a significant improvement. Livelier, and the bass is snappier. The HiVi drivers have really done the job. I think I'll replace the gasket that came with it with the cork gasket I've used on the woofer. Will probably do the same with the mids. But that will do, I think. Thanks again to everyone that chipped in with advice, much appreciated.

Thanks, sarals. Appreciate you sharing your impressions. I am part of the way through this ar5 recovery. Tonight, I completed the HiVi mod and installed the new tweeters. I still have the recap to do, maybe tomorrow. First impressions, without the recap, absolutely rapt with the new tweeters. They have really brought these speakers back to life. I'll post a pic, so happy for any feedback as to whether it looks ok, or not. RoyC, you really nailed it. The old tweeters, even prior to one completely failing, were clearly as you say "compromised". The sparkle is back, and if the recap makes half the difference it did in the ar6's, well I'll be over the moon. Will report back when the remainder of the work is done. Btw, ra.ra, the bass seems to be right now that the speakers are more balanced. It seems that the 040-2a woofers will be fine. What a relief! That ar5 mid really is something special.

Ooops, sorry! I just took another look at your impressions in that thread. Glad to see it worked out for you. I thought I"d get the new tweeters in and have a listen before I tackle the recap. I have some 6's to work on first which should be an easier proposition for a first project.

Ok, thanks. I'll use short wood screws and keep well clear of original holes. I am replacing replacements that are rear wired, so will stick with that. Sarals, how have you found the HiVi's in your ar5's? Have you experimented with reversing polarity to the new tweeters with any success?

Well, my order from PE arrived. I have decided to fit the HiVi tweeter/inductor first to try out in these 5's. Just a quick question re. securing the HiVi tweeter. I hadn't thought about the holes not aligning. When drilling new holes to suit the HiVi tweeter, should I use the same kind of threaded insert to screw into to ensure a firm seal, or would self-tapping wood screws suffice?