Giorgio AR

Hi, the foam you used I think was bought in Italy and it's not the same one you find in the USA. On the Italian site Melius you will find a nice discussion on the foam you used for the TNG woofer, in that topic it is written that the new foam was torn after listening to high volumes and later replaced with correct foam! Probably if the speakers are not subjected to high power, this foam should be able to guarantee a listening very similar to the original. I am attaching 2 photos of a pair of my AR3a improved woofers from 1974 refoamed with the foam purchased from AR Vintage. Giorgio.

Hi, nice speakers, I have to add two things to the comment of Kent: the Tonegen woofer should be produced in Japan (I am attaching photos of front and back of my 1990 TNG woofer, next to a '78 200003), second, from the photos it seems to see that the foam on the TNG woofer is glued under the paper cone? Furthermore the 200003 woofer foam is not the correct 5/8" roll and here you will also find the advice on the correct type of foam to use. Giorgio

Thanks David, your answer I think will give a good grade to the Midwest tweeter. My curiosity is to know if it can also be used as a substitute for the AR3a tweeters (since the tweeter is produced in China, my hope is that the paper dome can also be reproduced, as Tonegen did in the 1990s AR3a Limited tweeter). As you know, finding the original AR midranges of the various years is quite easy (apart from the prices that vary on average upwards), but the biggest difficulty is finding AR3a tweeters that sound like new, so the "magic" of the AR sound can come back! Giorgio

Kent and Genek gave you great inputs! I also agree on weighing the amount of insulation on the untouched speaker and replicating with the same amount in the non-full speaker. Regarding Kimpac, my advice is to use hospital caps (excuse the difficulty of translation, but they are used in intensive care and operating room in hospital), I think easy to find by enterprising Chinese for a few cents. They are elasticized in the suburbs, well adherent to the baskets, as you see in the photos, light, of minimal weight and volume and permeable to the air, not to fibbre !! In the photos I have attached, the cap is in the back of a 12" woofer (of my AR LST) and they are perfect as a diameter! Giorgio

Hi David, I don't know the qualities and the differences between the W. and M. sold by Simplyspeakers (in my opinion it is easier that the mid dome is similar to performance and easily interchangeable with the original AR), I think that for the woofer there are many differences with respect to the original (Luigi Fedele and Roy seem to me to have already given a judgment noting many differences between the two types of woofers: coil resistance, type of cone paper and different stiffness of the spider ...). I really care about your judgment on the tweeter: in which AR speaker did it replace the original? Has it been replaced without crossover modifications? was it also tested on AR3 / AR3a and what impressions did you get? I think many passionate ARs are waiting for your feelings !! Good listening Giorgio

Thanks to an Italian living in Berlin, Germany, I came into possession of this 4-page catalog of January 1965, it was a gift from a good person to a fan! . In addition, the price list is also attached. The best thing is also the same 4-page catalog, dedicated to the Italian market and translated into my language in the USA !! So there are small ingenuities and translation errors (like my texts helped in the English translation by Google translate!) Attached first the photos of the catalog in the original language, then in Italian translated and finally the price list. Giorgio

Hi Bill, you have made a good purchase anyway, if the woofer coil is burnt out, I think that even if you can replace it (it is difficult to recover the original spider, this is also important for the final sonic result), it will not be matched with the other woofer. Publish the photos (correctly resized) of the speakers and especially the woofers (both front and back, after at least the non-functioning one). AR4x or later woofers are often found at very different prices: from around $ 20 to even $ 100 and up !! In this case patience, maybe a long waiting time will make you find the woofer closest to the one working by type, paper color, basket and magnet, not least a coil resistance value next to your working woofer. If you want a temporary and faster solution, I recommend the 200001-1 (-2 -3 etc) woofer, called by AR "universal woofer" and destined in addition to AR speakers AR18 - AR17 and other speakers from the 70s and 80s, as a replacement for all the old AR production. There are other possible substitutes with ceramic magnets that can be used with AR4x and by scrolling through the forum pages you will find a lot of information and suggestions for compatibility and types (initials or labels) of possible substitutes. Last but not least the AR4xa woofers, very similar, if not equal to those of the AR4x (if paper type is the same color, probably the only aesthetic difference will be the cloth surround mounted above the cone, not below as in AR4x, but not always!). I am attaching three photos: the first shows a woofer of my 1969 AR4x, the second of my AR4xa from the early '73 and the AR4xa 36/73 with a woofer very similar to the AR4x. Giorgio

I sell rare, single foam grille for AR18, well preserved and with minimal and inevitable defects. These grilles, if exposed to the sun or located in damp environments, had a limited duration due to the deterioration of the foam over time. This grille is excellent despite its 41 years of age (the AR18 speakers to which the grid belongs are from 1978). The last photo shows the difference in size with the grille of a Cizek Model2, and we note that the AR grid is black, while the Cizek is brown (some members had doubts about the true color of the grilles AR, although slightly discolored by time, the grilles AR are black). I request 20 euros plus postage Giorgio

If your friend has only "removed" the white glue arround mid range speaker, and the mid. it worked, it is backed up exactly in its place, the speaker returns intact. Find many tips on how to successfully restore the speakers, although from the photos I've seen, the speakers should be ok. Giorgio.

The cabinets are true, the speakers are original (all 6 speakers), the labels are real, the numbers are serial: if originally there was no number, the AR3 would still be serial (both labels, originally without number!) , the cabinets with 2 different finishes, as Tom T. teaches is also a common thing: both built in the same period, I see nothing but a nice pair of early AR3, almost certainly sequential and matched. I have the same opinion as Genek, in my opinion (he sends two detailed photos of the complete labels) even the numbers on the labels could be made in the factory, beyond the normal numbering. Giorgio

First clue the type of terminal block for tweeter and midrange cables and the type of midrange (study The AR3 restoration guide). Congratulations on the wonderful pair of early AR3 in your hands! Giorgio.

Sold now!

I'm looking for a couple of 200005 / 200005-1 AR tweeters for a friend of mine. There is a pair of late AR7s without tweeters they would thank! I enclose, to give an example the photos of two of my tweeters, of different years (in use on one of my pair of AR speakers), if possible the tweeters required should be matched. I am located in Italy and the cost of tweeters should not be very high if possible. Thanks for your help Giorgio

Thank you ra.ra for the answer and for the very understandable explanation: you dated 3 years of construction, it is likely that the production was Dutch. Apart from my couple, I don't remember seeing AR4x late with low serial numbers, only original early AR4x.

Hi, I illustrate this pair of my AR4x, produced at the end of 1969 (as written on the woofer magnets, dated 46 69 and 47 69). There is a week of age difference between the two woofers, both have a foam ring on the cone (which is very rare, I think I only saw another pair with this ring on the cone). The serial numbers (which should be close to about 300000) are identified with AR4x Hfa 006195 and Hfa 00750 .. (the last two numbers are illegible) Why is the numbering not progressive, as usual? Perhaps this numbering is exclusive for AR4x with ring on the woof The photos illustrate: the speakers with grilles, speakers without grilles, back of the speakers, the two labels with the model and serial number, the woofer magnets

Frank, I forgot: my Lenco cartridge is a common, cheap Excel ES-70s that discreetly plays vinyl.

Frank, here you can hear Acoustic Research AR4xa (in sound conditions as per the Acoustic Research specifications of the time) coupled to a McIntosh Mac1700 receiver and a small portable Scott reader; next to it, the turntable Lenco L70 1962 year! is barely visible, not in use for the movie. It's a vintage pairing, I would say classic: no pretense of a top system, but the Mac1700 is very good (it has a Tuner section even higher than the McIntosh Mr77 tuner which I also own and can therefore compare). As this small system ages, it is contemporary to your double ARLST GREAT sistem! The Mac1700 receiver with AR4xa would look good in a small studio, with the speakers and turntable in a special library. I am attaching two photos of my Lenco L70 , performed long ago, note the Audio Products logo with which he was relabeled at the time by the combo manufacturer with the Lenco turntable on top, the second photo shows the turntable, along with the tube amplifier in the original Audio 100 cabinet!, I hope you appreciate a simple and robust Swiss turntable. Giorgio 20190624_122921.mp4

Hi Johnfalc, from my research I found this pair of 200035-0, 8041 that should be good for you: the price is good, they are in the USA. Here below the link: https://www.ebay.it/itm/Ar-8-Midrange-Made-In-Usa/183852683382?hash=item2ace795076:g:zfIAAOSwqeVdCa2Z They are the same ones that ra.ra showed you,and the price is negotiable. to you the decision, I would have bought them immediately! Giorgio

Hi Martin, the E written on the label of your speakers stands for England, the country where they were assembled (electrical components: speakers USA. Cabinet built by English furniture maker!). Beautiful speakers, once finished they will give you years and years of great music! Giorgio

Kent is a beautiful conservative restoration, even here there will be another twenty years of pleasant listening and pleasure of the sight of a splendid AR3a couple! In my opinion, even without the grids, these speakers have a lot of charm, and this pair is very well finished aesthetically Giorgio.

Kent, I work as a nurse and as such I am used to the observation and to the mental archive of the data collected (Tom Tyson is in my opinion the greatest observer and manages to catch all the details !!!). Thank you for confirming what I saw and asked, I also appreciate your description on the sound of this pair of AR3a, clearly the speakers will need a proper break-in and use period to make a complete sound report and a comparison with your own AR91. I think you could even make the comparison with Hi-Vi tweeters, you have a rare opportunity to test two possible substitutes for the beloved paper dome tweeters! Thank you Giorgio

Sorry David, I forgot to mention the non-original grilles fabric! Giorgio

Hi David, this is a pair of AR2a, n°17 ... and n° 64 ... , not progressive construction, probably the oldest speaker from around 1960 and the most recent of around 1963. Probably the seller confused the type of speakers. The speakers, although different in terms of production, should sound the same with all the speakers in order. In my experience, if tweeters are currently playing they are OK (visually they should not have defects on the dome and on the correct correct positioning and fixing), attention to dual midranges, to control (or be insured by the seller) the functioning of all 4 speakers ( easy to burn the coil), the woofers if functioning, but noisy may have suffered the detachment (easily remediable) of the upper and lower ring of masonite. To ensure sound and correct operation, read the AR3 restoration guide. I have 2 pairs of these speakers (a couple is the Heathkit clone )I listen to them for many years and for many hours a day, and I am very satisfied!

Hi JKent, splendid work of "conservative restoration", from the photos we see that the tweeter is with the fabric dome, this is the solution proposed by Larry of V. AR? What do you think about the sound of these tweeters and you were able to compare them with the original ones, if you can make a report, I think many of us would be interested in your evaluation !! Giorgio.

Tom, with your post you gave a great input ... Luigi your report seems like a great investigator's job, a lot of observation and detail, historical research, good reasoning and finally re-ordering of all the acquired data! I think that little by little, with the contribution of many other competent and passionate people, we will be able to recreate the two most delicate parts and those most subject to deterioration: Spiders and coils (the failure of one of these two particular causes the inactivity of our precious objects) . Being able to recreate these components in accordance with the original will be almost like winning a million dollar lottery for AR fans!