Ar3a with later woofer from possibly AR TSW-610

[muddfish]

hi just bought ar3a of the Bay.. its a later model with a high serial number 100,XXX everything looks original  for the tweeter and mids for what i believe to be made in the early 70s. But the woofer is a poly cone vs plastic and after researching I believe it is from a ar50  Connoisseur speakers or ar tsw-610.

should i go hunt and find the original ones or are these woofer similar enough too keep ?

[ligs]

If you are satisfied with the bass then they will be ok.

Connoisseur 50 and TSW-610 have much larger cabinets(2.6 ft3 ) then AR3a(1.7 ft3), I would have guessed that your speaker will not reach as deep as the real 3a.

[lARrybody]

A few years ago I picked up a pair of your TNB 1210079-0B poly cone woofers at a swap meet while on vacation in Florida. The seller said they were from some Connoisseur 50 speakers which I believe is correct.You can see the cotton balls I used to keep the cones from banging the voice coils on my way home. I refoamed them and tested them unmounted, but have never installed them in some cabinets. At the same time I also refoamed some TNB 12121003-2A  woofers which I have listened to in AR3a's and AR58s speakers. They sounded excellent with plenty of bass. I wound up reinstalling the refoamed original woofers eventually. 

I would very much like to here some Connoisseur 50 speakers someday. Of what i understand that the differences between the various examples of these woofers is small, I do believe the correct woofers are going to reach lower. The 1210003-2A Tongen replacement woofers are very impressive.     

[frankmarsi]

I guess in a pinch those above mentioned Connoisseur 50 woofers would work however, there's nothing like the 'real' thing.

In my life going back a long distance with AR 12" ownership, for me, there's nothing like the originals, hands down.

AR's reputation was built long ago on that 12" woofer and the acoustic-suspension principal.

If, I for whatever reason, was forced to own other speakers, I don't know what I'd do with-out that famous 12" AR bass quality. And as I've said on this site before that  AR-3a 12" woofer opinion has been with me for 49 years of ownership and I have never changed my reasoning.  I seek no other brand of woofer and have no intentions of ever doing so. How's that for being set in my ways?

To the 'OP'; you have to ask yourself, 'why did I purchase these speakers in the first place?'  One of the main reasons I bought my AR-3a's in late 1971 was because I had prior read so many articles and test reports about how good their bass response actually was. How they challenged and out did speakers many times their size. How uncolored their bass, mid and higher frequency response were so accurate. Happily, I was pleased upon purchasing them and have never thought otherwise.

I say; why challenge greatness?

 

FM