What AR Speakers Do I have?

[jspencer]

I have owned 2 AR speakers for at least 30 years. I have no recollection of where I bought them but I'm trying to identify them so I can sell them for a fair price. My problem is that the total information I have for them is on the speakers and it consists of:

1. A metal label on the bottom right of the grill that says AR Inc. with no reference to model.

2. A guarantee sheet that says they have a 5 year guarantee. It is signed by 2 inspectors, but no model number and no date.

3. An "identification" page that provides a serial number but again no model number.

Other possibly useful information:

There is a connection panel on the back with three terminals and MID and HI potentiometers.

The cabinets appear to be made of plywood (3/4"?).

I'm sure they are not in "mint" condition since they have been sitting in a living room (actually 2 living rooms) for those thirty years with no maintenance, but also no abuse other than the usual bumping provided by adults, children, and cats (the grills have somehow escaped being pulled by the cats...), and also whatever bumping occurred during the single move they were subjected to about 13 years ago. I hope some of you experts can help identify them and, if possible, give me a rough price range.

Thanks in advance.  -Jon

[ra.ra]

36 minutes ago, jspencer said:

An "identification" page that provides a serial number but again no model number.

Hello jspencer, and welcome to the CSP forum.

The very best method is to remove the grilles to see what drivers are being employed, but short of that, there are other methods that can provide some lesser degree of authentication.

Often the serial number will have a single or double letter prefix that can be used to confirm the speaker model, so perhaps you can provide that info here. Also, the cabinet dimensions (h x w x d) and a full frontal pic (and maybe rear, too?) will go a long way toward providing a reasonable ID for your mystery speakers. With two pot controls, it is most definitely a three-way speaker; and with thin cabinet front moulding, definitely not from the "3" series. 

With the off-white linen grille cloth, plywood back panel, and a square badge, my best guess at this point would be early-version AR2ax. Cabinet wood species is difficult to determine from the limited pics - - - perhaps it could be walnut, or maybe you have unfinished pine cabinets with birch front moulding that has been stained.

[frankmarsi]

As far as I can tell it's a later AR-2a as the AR-2ax would've had the full badge.

Then again, could've been a replaced/throw-on in a pinch badge by some one also.

In any event, once it's opened and or a successful attempt of the 'ole-flash-lite probing' will be the key and easiest way.

[lARrybody]

I would say it is either a AR2, AR2a 0r early AR2ax. One way may be to look at the grill cut outs. A AR2 will have a rectangular dual mid cut out in the center at the top. A AR 2a will have the same cut out but it will be located on the right hand side. A AR2ax will have two large rectangular cutouts, one for the woofer on the bottom and the tweeter and midrange sharing the other on the top.  Hike RaRa mentioned the best way is to remove the grill and look at the drivers. Hope this helps.

 

[frankmarsi]

Well, this is like horse betting to 'win, place, show'.

Larry, you are correct about the cut-outs or if the OP could see the tweeter dome color with a flash-lite.Though the grill cut-out would be the quickest way. It could also be a '5', with a badge simply placed there complicating matters further.

 

[lARrybody]

Your right Frank about the possibility of the speaker being a AR5. One way to eliminate that possibility is if the cabinet front has a 3/4 in. solid hardwood piece around the face. I don't think the AR5 had that feature. I was wrong about the 2ax cutouts. The woofer is a round cutout. Here is a 2a grill on the left and a 2ax grill on the right. i don't have a  2 grill but it would be like  the 2a without the tweeter and the dual mid/tweeter cutout in the middle.

[ra.ra]

1 hour ago, frankmarsi said:

Well, this is like horse betting to 'win, place, show'.

I'm putting 5 bucks on Skinny Legs to win in the fifth at Aqueduct.

You guys are right about the grille cutout shapes - - exactly why I suggested the OP might want to provide a full frontal view. It is possible that the badge is an impostor infiltrating enemy territory, but the AR-5 typically used a rectangular badge with the incised red/brown lettering. Similar for the badge found on late-version AR-2ax, but I think the early-version 2ax used a square black badge. I still think AR-2a or 2ax - - not sure if this off-white grille cloth was ever used on AR-2. 

1 hour ago, lARrybody said:

...a 3/4 in. solid hardwood piece ... I don't think the AR5 had that feature.

I think you're right - - later Classic models seem to be all veneer, no solid stock.

[jspencer]

First of all thanks to all who responded. Next, here are at least some answers to the questions asked:

The serial numbers may be the most useful information. They are: AX-1730 and AX-17896.

Dimensions: H x W x D=23.75" x 13.5" x 11.5"

I've attached images of front and rear. They have two cutouts on the front, a top rectangular cutout with rounded corners, and a bottom circular cutout.

From earlier comments I would deduce these are early AR-2ax speakers. If I'm looking to sell them,  is there a site you would recommend? I'm in the Boston area and am not interested in shipping them.

As for their acoustic condition, while I have acoustics experience in my past (worked at Bolt. Beranek, & Newman a  long time ago), I have no way of testing them, and my upper-range hearing is no longer what it used to be. There's no obvious distortion at normal volume levels but I admit I haven't tried pushing them hard in quite a while. So I don't know what condition to list them as, other than old but apparently working normally.

[lARrybody]

Yes They are early 2ax's. No way they are 2's, not with two control pots. There is the slight possibility they may be 2a's with factory conversion of the dual mids with the 2ax single mid driver. I have a pair of these and they sported the 2ax grills instead of the 2a grills. Early 2ax's with the cloth surround woofers are very collectable and sought after. Check the auction site for what they have been  going for and factor in  the option for local pickup.  You can list them here or if you are a member over at Audiokarma you can list them on bartertown. Many other options too.

[JKent]

3 hours ago, lARrybody said:

You can list them here or if you are a member over at Audiokarma you can list them on bartertown.

Agree. Put them in the For Sale section on this site and specify local p/u in the Boston area. It's free, so nothing to lose. http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/IP.Board/index.php?/forum/10-for-sale-wanted/

[jspencer]

Thank you!

[drumplex]

I have an early 2a with cloth surrounds and it has two separate openings for the tweeter and the mid-range.  I have had this it was brand new so I am certain of its history.

Edited April 20, 2019 by drumplex
I originally said it was a 2ax