I inherited a pair of LS9's from my dad who had a relationship with AR through his job at Columbia Masterworks, he was given also one of the very first quadrophonic systems by the company, a tall cabinet with AR turntable, the 2nd Advent cassette player and a reel-to-reel deck and 4 AR3a speakers. I also have 2 pairs of the little AR Powered Partner speakers of which I am inordinately fond, used hard, put away wet and still going strong 40 years later!
I found a set of foam surrounds specifically for the LS9 online (all these years later!) and replaced the rotted ones, I also found the instructions for the mod to go from LS9 to LS9i (the i stands for improved) on the wonderful internet, bought some rather expensive non-inductive 1 Ohm power resistors and did the mod. In my 20X25 high-ceiling living/dining room these speakers breath life, excitement and soul-stirring drama into the listening experience! With my PS Audio 200C power amp (also an antique but awesome!) grabbing the ARs by the cojones, listening is a visceral, emotional experience of the first order. I have heard many fine and much more modern speakers - acoustic suspension has fallen into disfavor - but I connect with the deep effortless sonority of these beauties like no other - never giving them up!
