Jump to content

Replacing the tweeter in AR-3a (alternatives)


Guest loudsubz

Recommended Posts

Guest loudsubz

Hello All.

Great forum you have here.

My dad has a set of Ar-3a's he bought when he was a teenager, they have been with us a long time and are still in great shape and sound great except for the tweeters. A couple of years ago the tweets went south so we replaced them with some generic Radioshack ones (not knowing about the beauty of the ar-3a's) after that episode, they sound very harsh now and I want to replace them.

I was looking at Layne audio about replacing the tweeters with the same ones, but the price is pretty steep for myself, so i was wondering if there is some other tweeters out there that are not that expesnive at all but would at least bring back the beautiful sound from these beasts, or maybe even improve them.

thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What you might want to do is locate (on eBay) a pair of the original-style 3/4-inch hard-dome tweeters that were originally installed in the speakers. They show up on that auction frequently, but you need to be sure that you are getting the AR-3a 4-ohm version and not an AR-5/AR-2ax 8-ohm version. The tweeters are otherwise identical, and are mechanically interchangeable. One of the (many) reasons that AR-3as are so loved by audiophiles is the accuracy and naturalness of the dome tweeter used in that speaker. The frequency response and dispersion of it is so good that few tweeters have ever equalled it, and only one, to my knowledge, has surpassed it: the Allison tweeter. Improvements to newer-generation AR speakers came along that greatly improved power handling and efficiency, and those changes gave newer speakers better acoustic balance. But if you can take the "reticence" of the AR-3a tweeter, the experience is still great.

--Tom Tyson

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest dogmeninreno

>Hello All.

>

>Great forum you have here.

>

>My dad has a set of Ar-3a's he bought when he was a teenager,

>they have been with us a long time and are still in great

>shape and sound great except for the tweeters. A couple of

>years ago the tweets went south so we replaced them with some

>generic Radioshack ones (not knowing about the beauty of the

>ar-3a's) after that episode, they sound very harsh now and I

>want to replace them.

>

>I was looking at Layne audio about replacing the tweeters with

>the same ones, but the price is pretty steep for myself, so i

>was wondering if there is some other tweeters out there that

>are not that expesnive at all but would at least bring back

>the beautiful sound from these beasts, or maybe even improve

>them.

>

>thanks.

>

>I have several AR3a 4 ohm original tweeters listed on eBay. I also have several more that are not listed. Is your application for front wired or backwired? Dale in Reno Nv.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's actually quite interesting. To what do you attribute the superior dispersion of the AR tweeter, cone geometry and size? AR was a pioneer in discovering that the total energy radiation as a function of frequency was as important as on axis response. Most tweeters even today, including very expesive ones seem to show considerable tendency to beam energy on axis as frequency increases. It seems to me that an effort to overcome this was exhibited in at least two designs. LST (and of course LST/2 and MST) used three tweeters and three midranges on angled panels to improve lateral dispersion and AR9 uses an acoustic blanket which absorbs some off axis radiation by virtue of the tweeter being relatively recessed to the front edge of the blanket, thereby reducing the difference between total power radiated into the room by the tweeter at the extremes of its range. The falloff of the more "reticent" tweeters can of course be compensated for to a degree with equalization. The AR amplifier of 1967 seemed uniquely suited for this task prior to the days of available low cost equalizers for consumers by virtue of the sliding inflection point design of its tone controls.

That being said, my own experience is that even the best front firing tweeters are inadequate to the task of flat total power radiation due to far superior dispersion at mid and low frequencies and consequent reflections within the listening room from nearby walls and other surfaces. For me, even AR9 requires supplemental off axis high frequency radiation to make it sound flat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I looked at the Layne Audio AR3a tweeters. They are $60.00 each.

These are also on EBay but the seller offering 8 of them together. He starts at $120.00 opening bid and has a buy it now for $160.00.

I don't need 8 of these things but I would be willing to bid on them if there are any folks here that would be willing to buy a pair. I will sell them for eaxactly what I paid for them.

No bids yet and I can't guarentee a win at $120.00 but that would make them $15.00 each if we won as opposed to $60 each.

Anyone interested?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi there

Quick grab the "Buy it Now" before they are gone!

Sorry fellas, but I believe that open bidding would go up to in excess of $325.00 for 8.

Watch during the auctions last 5 minutes for the bidding frenzy.

A dealer or a LST wanabe will have matching tweeters that aren't manufactured anymore.

Individually in the US I believe each tweeter would cost about $5.00

- $8.00 s & h and insurance.

I believe Yahoo has an ebay type auction which may also be of help.

Good luck.

The originals are worth it, for sure.

>I looked at the Layne Audio AR3a tweeters. They are $60.00

>each.

>

>These are also on EBay but the seller offering 8 of them

>together. He starts at $120.00 opening bid and has a buy it

>now for $160.00.

>

>I don't need 8 of these things but I would be willing to bid

>on them if there are any folks here that would be willing to

>buy a pair. I will sell them for eaxactly what I paid for

>them.

>

>No bids yet and I can't guarentee a win at $120.00 but that

>would make them $15.00 each if we won as opposed to $60 each.

>

>

>Anyone interested?

>

>

>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My apologies fellas

Those are not original AR tweeters if they are the ones laying in a box.

A chap had bought them from Layne as a replacement for the AR tweeter.

They don't show any details but they may be made by Seas or Scan, possibly.

My suggestion would be to shop around for the original AR tweeter on Ebay or Yahoo auction.

You only need two, buy the one and only.

Good luck again.

>Hi there

>

>Quick grab the "Buy it Now" before they are gone!

>

>Sorry fellas, but I believe that open bidding would go up to

>in excess of $325.00 for 8.

>

>Watch during the auctions last 5 minutes for the bidding

>frenzy.

>

>A dealer or a LST wanabe will have matching tweeters that

>aren't manufactured anymore.

>

>Individually in the US I believe each tweeter would cost about

>$5.00

>- $8.00 s & h and insurance.

>

>I believe Yahoo has an ebay type auction which may also be of

>help.

>

>Good luck.

>

>The originals are worth it, for sure.

>

>

>

>>I looked at the Layne Audio AR3a tweeters. They are $60.00

>>each.

>>

>>These are also on EBay but the seller offering 8 of them

>>together. He starts at $120.00 opening bid and has a buy it

>>now for $160.00.

>>

>>I don't need 8 of these things but I would be willing to bid

>>on them if there are any folks here that would be willing to

>>buy a pair. I will sell them for eaxactly what I paid for

>>them.

>>

>>No bids yet and I can't guarentee a win at $120.00 but that

>>would make them $15.00 each if we won as opposed to $60 each.

>

>>

>>

>>Anyone interested?

>>

>>

>>

>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...