powerglide

Whoops, I could go over my notes from last time, but for the coils which would be best an 18 or 21 AWG?

Great stuff Roy. It will be an interesting exercise to reinstate the original tweeters back into the ax2’s as I’ve been listening to the HI-VI’s 8-10 hrs a day in my workshop for the last year and should be able to get a good gauge on the difference (I find it hard to distinguish unless I can A-B test) Probably re mod the HI-VI’s leaving the XO as is for the future, do I need the resistor? It was my understanding they were for the L-pads to function correctly (remember the improved has toggles) If I were able to get the original A3 tweeters to you, what would be the cost of a rebuild? PM me

Thanks Roy, but I think you misunderstood my question, could I put these tweeters into the AR3a improved as is or would I need to change the modification made for the ax2’s ? I have been running these in my ax2’s for the past couple of years.

thanks guys, I have some Hi Vi tweeters that I modded for the ax2’s, what would I need to do to them to make them perform in the A3 improved? https://community.classicspeakerpages.net/topic/11274-ar-2-ax/

Bit tough from this side of the planet. @RoyC is this true that the ax2 tweeter is ‘’quite unsuitable’’ for the AR3 improved? They look identical and bolt straight in. I thought the ohms could be the only difference? My ax2’s were also built in Europe, if that helps to identify the tweeter. I just found your post from Tuesday re tweeter polarity, I’ll have a look at mine and see if I can work it out, thanks for that.

Hi been a while since I visited the site. I purchased a pair of AR3a improved today with the intent of restoring them. The boxes seem solid enough but somebody, in all their wisdom, has re-veneered them with a pre glued heat activated product with terrible results. I’ll remove it and see what they were trying to cover. I’ve been told the tweeters are blown but I have not tested anything yet. The tweeters are original and have spades on the back, I have a pair in working condition out of a pair of AR ax2’s which were wired externally. The oval connecting piece is just a blank plate with no terminals. I’m sure I can extend the filaments and run them into the cabinet if the existing ones are blown. Were the ax2’s tweeter the same ohm as the 3a improved? My other problem is there are no phase markings on my old tweeters, how do you determine +/- ? Reading other posts, nobody seems 100% sure on the woofer phasing, I’ll check out my crossovers but still wouldn’t be conclusive and somebody has recapped. thanks PG

Hi Tom, Great speakers, the majority of those scratches will be just in the lacquer and will sand out easily. What ever finish you decide the best result starts with sanding them back to bare timber. I wouldn’t be temped in just disguising the damage. If the lacquer job seems a bit daunting you could (once they are sanded bare) use a sanding sealant as a first coat, sand smooth, clean with mentholated sprits and then wax, they can be buffed to any gloss level you want. Very hard to stuff it up.

The surrounds are in pretty good shape but think I need some of you new goo @RoyC I’ve spoken to some others down here that are keen on trying your product so might order a few together. Sydney is in full Lockdown with the Delta strain for the month, still nothing compared to you guys, Arkansas is twenty times worse off. Lucky I’m not locked out of my workshop …………. Yet

Sanded up well I applied a light teak, non grain raising stain. This evened out the sun damage and the water marks, also disguised the repairs and variation between the new solid walnut and the old veneer. The colour is not that dark in real life, the close up of the caps shows colour shade closer to the true finish. First coat of two pack sanding between coats 3rd finish coat replaced the caps Fired them up - massive improvement with the tweeters, huge lift and separation from the woofer. What is the consensus with the fibreglass wool over the tweeter? Should I reinstate?

I had some American Walnut on hand and made beads for the leading edges I sanded back the baffles and filled the holes where the staples and grille tacks were clamped the new beads in position should be able to get some clear coats on tomorrow

Sydney has gone into full lockdown in the west and fairly tight restrictions where we are, upshot is the KHL’s have seen some love The leading edges were roached so I sliced them off flush with the baffles I removed the swollen material behind the veneer filled the cavities with glue and clamped the boxes back straight

This may be of interest, is that S/N sticker how the American one’s are stamped?

Little bit of work on these today, Sydney has gone into lockdown till the end of the month! Popped out the woofers and ordered some Jantzen cross caps. Worst of the damage Hate seeing pot plants on speakers sanded up well, had one tiny sand through trying to get out the pot plant water damage

Yes have the grilles, there’s a few water marks but the cloth and badge are in good shape. any tips on cleaning these without damaging the backing

Thanks Kent, nice to talk with you again. As you can see cabinets are a little tired, however the woofer is in outstanding condition, fibreglass covered tweeter. No time to open them up so I hooked these up for a little test run. Everything functioning as they should, nice lows, highs are a little muddy but sure they will sharpen up with some crossover work. Great little speaker.