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Hi, I know i'm not the first one having a problem about 2ax sounding "muddy" or "muffled" but i'm wondering what would be the best option about replacing the original tweeters? So far I have already changed the caps, refoamed the woofers and changed the pots, thanks jkent. I also tested the tweeters connecting one tweeter straight to the amp and there was sound but it was really quiet. The tweeter rebuild service is in USA and also Vintage Ar replacement tweeters are there and i'm living in Finland so I think it would be too expensive with all the shipping costs and taxes. How about that HiVi Q1R Dome tweeter, some people have used it I think? It would be at least a lot cheaper option, does it need any changes to the frame or any changes to the crossover? Heres couple of photos:

New member here, and while I collect and restore vintage audio – mostly late 70’s and early 80’s Japanese receivers and turntables. I’ve never been a vintage speaker person, until now. My friend Jeff, who picks a lot of old stereo gear, let me know he had two AR-2ax still in original boxes that had never been played. He got them ten years ago from a friend, who found them at a swap meet/flea market in the Detroit area. I’ve always loved AR speakers but never had the chance to own them. That’s the extent of the backstory that I have, but when I heard about the pair, I snapped them up. Here is the condition – both boxes had been opened and one speaker was taken out of its box, unwrapped and then returned to the box, some of the wrapping remains. The other was still wrapped in brown wax paper and sealed with cellophane tape that showed its age, and appears to have never left the box. I’ve unpacked both and was able to get good sound at very low volume on both. Pots are all crunchy and impact the output of the high and mid. Both woofers produce good sound. Cabinets and grills are 10/10, and on the back warranty cards are still present; however, one detached probably do to repacking which damaged the papers on the back. They are both gorgeous, and it was amazing to hear them finally perform for the first time in their lives. Here is the mystery, and maybe this forum can help me investigate. These are two different AR-2ax – one is an early model and the other a late. Serial numbers are AX114837 and the other is AX127844. I’m thinking 1969 production on the early, and 1970 or ’71 for the late? Serials all match on boxes, warranty cards and documentation on the back. Both were delivered to Allied Radio in Pontiac Michigan. The most obvious tell on the differences are the badging, but shining a flashlight through the grills show the different tweeters and woofers one foam, while the other looks like a cloth surround. So how could these two have ended up together on a 50-year journey just waiting to sing? Here is what I know so far. Allied Radio was acquired by Radio Shack in 1970, and all Allied storefronts shifted to carrying only Realistic products. The Justice Dept. ordered Tandy to divest most of the Allied Radio stores in late 1971. Richard Schaak bought 36 Allied stores from Tandy, as part of the settlement, including all six Michigan stores. In early 1975, he closed 11 stores including all Michigan stores. I have no information on the Pontiac store? So how did these two get put on this journey together – inventory mix up; the shift to Realistic that caused them to get misplaced; warranty returns that were never re-delivered? I do intend to fully refurbish both speakers back to their original states and run them together. I will never sell these. After this long journey together, they deserve to get the chance to perform as they were meant to but not apart. I realize these are two completely different speakers – tweeters, woofers and different cross-over frequencies, but I have to let them play together. Any ideas on how this mix-up happened?