Jump to content

Steve B

Members
  • Posts

    11
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by Steve B

  1. I now attach 2 pdf documents that describe how I have refurbished my AR-16 speakers - Part 3 will follow after I replaced the capacitors. Part 1 a) Over view of speakers b) Description of Front Cover c) Removing Woofer d) Cleaning the rear frame and magnet of the Woofer e) Removing glue from front frame of Woofer f) Removing glue from paper cone Part 2 g) Removing Tweeter h) Taking Tweeter apart i) Cleaning and painting the Tweeter j) Painting Woofer frame k) Attaching new foam to Woofer Part 3 l) Remove stuffing / filling m) The crossover n) Crossover diagram o) Replace Capacitors p) Box construction / materials q) Re-assembly r) Testing AR-16 Refurbishment part 2.pdf AR-16_Refurbishment_part_1.pdf
  2. Hi Kent After looking at all the options I went with the first and cheapest option the 22uF and 33uF NPEs at: https://speakerbug.com.au/index.php?route=product/category&path=25_29. Ive ordered these on line so should have in a few days. Thanks again Steve
  3. Hi Kent Thank you for answering all my questions and for the recommendations. I'll let you know what I get in a few days. Steve
  4. Hi Jeffs Thanks for the thanks and comments. I must admit I found most adds a bit dry. (Especially after looking at hundreds of them). But a few stood out visually. I liked the Big Horm add and add 72 and add 127 with Tim Hall (this is just before the feet in your face add 128 so probably same add agency). I liked the difference between adds 141 and 142. It also appealed to me the way the AR - Dyna System (Add 48) with AR-4 became the AR- Dyna - Shure System (add 55) Then named Dyna - Shure - AR System (Add 56) with AR-4x which later was called the AR- Dyna - Shure System (Add 59) Im sure there must be a story behind these changes eg contractual arguments or an add agency got Add 56 wrong (who puts the advertiser last!). Regarding AR-1W the last reference to this speaker I found was in January 1973 in an add that was not by AR but rather one for a Dixie HiFi Catelogue. https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-High-Fidelity/70s/High-Fidelity-1973-01.pdf#page=93. Thanks again for your comments and time taken looking at this.Regards Steve
  5. Again thank you every one with information on the AR-16's and restoring in general. Ive now added information about old AR adverts and AR Reviews and Tests for the first 30 years as my way of giving back to this site that has a lot of information. Ive added this information to the History of AR speakers. Ive now restored the AR-16 tweeters and Woofers and will supply information on how I did this but I now want to replace the caps and want helps on how to do this. I can see: - Some people have replaced one capacitor with two; - Some people recommend using a higher capacity capacitor - there also seems to be different types of capacitors - is one better or just different. - Also different brands I really have no idea what Im doing - I do know how to use a soldering iron and really want some to say just do this........ First here are some pictures of my AR-16 cross overs: My diagram with the 20mfd and 30mfd shown Now the pictures: Right speaker: Cross Over (right speaker ) The yellow and blue cables go to the Tweeter The red and Black cables go to the woofer There are three copper coil numbered 19, 18 and 20. In the center with Green and yellow wires attached (and connection to coil 18) this is the “HF Level” switch. Encased in resin / Araldite? Here is the switch as it appears on the back of the speaker (Looking from the back) To the right of the switch is a 20mfd capacitor. Below this switch and the white oblong thing are two screw heads which are the terminal post for connecting the amplifier. The left screw head is the positive terminal. Below the screw heads / terminals there is a 30mfd capacitor The Left Cross over is the same except for a green and yellow wire instead of a green one. As PS what are the white oblong things do they need to be changed?? Regards Steve
  6. Hi as a new kid on the block Im not sure if this is the right place but..... AR Speaker adverts the 1st 30 years After being given a link to an AR-16 advertisement, I decided to create a list of links to other AR Speaker adds. (While this site has a lot of information I thought this might help with general information about older AR speakers. Because Google does not have all the answers!) Some Adverts will have technical information, while those that do not still provide a historical background to a particular speaker especially by looking at other information in the magazines. All magazines reviewed were on the American Radio History Web Site: https://www.americanradiohistory.com. This was bigger job than I thought, but I looked at every issue of the Magazines listed below (about 700 issues) for references to “Acoustic Research” and “Acoustic R”. However not all PDF’s could be successfully searched so I also checked: · The Advertisers Index · The Products being tested / reviewed · The “News” section By doing this I am happy that references to AR were not missed. The magazines reviewed were: From To Period in Years Magazine 1955 1987 33 High Fidelity Magazine 1958 1958 1 HIFi & Music Review* 1958 1960 3 HIFI Review 1960 1968 9 HiFi / Stereo Review 1968 1984 17 Stereo Review NOTE: “HiFi & Music Review” changed its name three times. Having looked at hundreds of pages of adds here is a summary of AR advertising: In general terms AR speaker adverts were relatively conservative and technical, with these main themes: · - Information was supplied by AR about a specific or family of speakers · - Information about a speaker was quoted from a review, test or award · - Celebrity usage e.g. Person X, famous for Y, uses AR speaker AR-NN, because …. · - AR Speakers being used in Music related locations e.g. opera houses, performances · - AR Speakers being used: Commercially; Professionally; Technically and Scientifically · - AR speakers have: Accurate; un-coloured; low distortion; and /or clean sound · - AR speakers are Best / Good value for money I did not include adds about: guarantee; workmanship; quality / quality control or reliability as these were not speaker specific. Also no adds for other AR products eg Turntables, Amplifiers etc. I then created a document with 152 different AR Speaker Adverts from 1955 to 1985 (1st 30 years) with a separate Index containing links to the magazines. I have attached these documents as PDF's. I hope this is of some interest to some one. Regards Steve As an off shoot of this project, I’ve also created a separate list of: AR speaker Reviews and Test Reports: Year Speaker Link 1955 AR-1 High Fidelity Magazine 1955 / 10 1957 AR-2 High Fidelity Magazine 1957 / 10 1959 AR-3 High Fidelity Magazine 1959 / 09 1960 AR-3 High Fidelity Magazine 1960 / 10 1965 AR-4 HiFI / Stereo Review 1965 / 01 1965 AR-4 High Fidelity Magazine 1965 / 01 1965 AR-2ax HiFI / Stereo Review 1965 / 10 1966 AR-2ax High Fidelity Magazine 1966 / 02 1970 AR-2ax High Fidelity Magazine 1970 / 09 1966 AR-4x High Fidelity Magazine 1966 / 02 1966 AR-4x HiFI / Stereo Review 1966 / 05 1968 AR-3a High Fidelity Magazine 1968 / 01 1968 AR-3a HiFI / Stereo Review 1968 / 06 1968 AR-5 Stereo Review 1968 / 12 1969 AR-5 High Fidelity Magazine 1969 / 01 1970 AR-6 Stereo Review 1970 / 12 1971 AR-6 High Fidelity Magazine 1971 / 03 1972 AR-LST High Fidelity Magazine 1972 / 01 1972 AR-LST Stereo Review 1972 / 10 1973 AR-7 Stereo Review 1973 / 03 1973 AR-7 High Fidelity Magazine 1973 / 08 1974 AR-8 High Fidelity Magazine 1974 / 01 1977 AR-10 π High Fidelity Magazine 1977 / 07 1978 AR-15 High Fidelity Magazine 1978 / 01 1978 AR-18 HiFI Stereo Buyers guide 1978 / 07 1978 AR-9 Stereo Review 1978 / 07 1978 AR-9 High Fidelity Magazine 1978 / 10 1980 AR-25 High Fidelity Magazine 1980 / 03 1980 AR-93 Stereo Review 1980 / 11 1980 AR-94 High Fidelity Magazine 1980 / 10 1980 AR-94 Stereo Review 1980 / 11 1981 AR-28S High Fidelity Magazine 1981 / 07 1982 AR-48S High Fidelity Magazine 1982 / 05 1982 AR-9LS High Fidelity Magazine 1982 / 12 1983 AR-1ms High Fidelity Magazine 1983 / 11 1983 AR-8B Stereo Review 1983 / 07 1984 AR-78LS High Fidelity Magazine 1984 / 04 1985 AR-20 High Fidelity Magazine 1985 / 07 Index 2.pdf AR_main_speaker_Adds_1st_30_years.pdf
  7. Jeffs I know this reply is rather late but first thank you for that link to americanradiohistory.com. It was really the only "print" information I could find on the AR-16's which in this day of everything being on google made me wonder if it was the same for any other AR speakers. Whilst I can see there are pictures and lots of information in the archives of this site I thought it might help others if there was a table of speakers and links to the appropriate magazine / page on the americanradiohistory.com site. In the next week I'll add a post that may assist others in the same way you helped me. Thanks again Steve
  8. I was about to start re-foaming my AR-16 Woofers so knew I had to get the old glue off. So I read all the posts on this site and a few others. The glue on the speaker metal I removed using a sharp craft knife and then "sanded" it with coarse emery paper. This was probably some sort of rubber adhesive. I then had to get the glue off the paper cone. I was worried about tearing the paper but didn't want to try lots of different chemicals so decided to try shaving off the glue using a disposable knife. I stress the word shave rather than cut as I only took off a very thin layer of this hard black glue at a time. Doing this slowly I got a lot glue off but it was still very uneven. So I carefully sanded the remaining glue down using coarse (P60 grit) then fine (P400) emery paper just a small piece about 2" X 2". You have to support the cone under where you are sanding it, I just used my fingers under the cone or rolled up paper towel where my fingers would not fit. When I had finished it looked like this: Which I considered good enough to attach the new foam without damaging the paper. Hope this information helps some one else. I'll post more photos of the AR-16 speaker refurbishment in an other post. Thanks Steve
  9. Thank you all for your comments. I have yet to look at the links on how to repair the woofers (or cabinets) but will give repairing the woofers a go and will keep you informed. I'll also post pics of the back of the AR16 speakers and cross overs when I open them up. RA Ra regarding the veneer on the AR16's it looks and also feels like wood veneer rather than vinyl so the "simulated walnut wood finish" in the sales material could well be teak (or some other wood) veneer with a light walnut stain as you suggest rather than vinyl. Eg its "simulated Walnut" but but still a real wood finish. Thanks again. It wont be until mid November before I start any thing on the AR16 and although Ive not looked at the links on AR 18s I am scepticale about repairing the cases but will investigate. Regards Steve
  10. Ra Ra Thank you for your fast response. I'll add pictures so you can see what i have. FYI both speakers are made in Australia ( I live in Sydney). The AR 18 speakers are in fact 18S speakers painted in Yellow rather than White! I haven't had a good look at the AR 16 speakers but they appear to be wood veneer rather than vinyl. Hope photos help. Regards Steve
  11. Not sure if this is the correct place to post this as Im new to this. I have a pair or AR18 speakers that I picked up at a market a few years ago. Sound wise Im very happy with them. The woofers are perfect. The bad part is the cases were on their last legs. They had been painted white and were falling apart. I did a down and dirty repair job using wood glue the sort builders use. So I now have good sounding speaks that look awful. Today I bought a pair of AR16 speakers that have cases that are like new with woofers that are stuffed. I could get them refoamed or rather I'll try it my self. But mty question is can I simply swap the woofers from the AR18 into the AR16 boxes and get speakers that sound as good as the AR18 pair? Any comments appreciated. Regards Steve
×
×
  • Create New...