Serial Number Question

[L.T.]

Does anyone know if when they were new, were AR speakers sold with sequential numbers, and what was the approximate production date?  My 17's are numbers 28937 and 28938.  Any info would be great. Thanks!

[Aadams]

The AR 17 was manufactured between 1977 -79.  Sequential serial numbered pairs have never been important with ARs and are almost non-existent among the larger systems but did happen in smaller speakers that were shipped and sold as boxed sets.  I think the AR17 was in that category.

Aadams

 

[genek]

ARs were either sold with individual serial numbers or were packaged as pairs, in which case both speakers had the same serial. When you find a pair with sequential numbers it's something that happened purely by chance.

[AR55]

The AR-17 was only sold in pairs with a 1978 list price of $195/pair.

My 17's have sequential serial numbers - 07883 & 07884, as do my AR-8bxi's and AV-570's that were also only sold in pairs.

All my other AR speakers have non-sequential serial numbers with the exception of a pair of 98Lsi's that were made in England.  Their serial numbers are 02234 & 02235.  Perhaps unlike individually sold AR speakers made in the USA, AR England intentionally sold them this way.  It would be interesting to see if others have English made speakers with sequential serial numbers.

[genek]

My AR-1ms speakers from the early 80s both have the same serial. The AR-7s I saw back in the early 70s were numbered the same way. Were all of your sequentially numbed pairs non-US models? If not, it's hard to figure why they'd number them identically in the early 70s and early 80s and sequentially for some period in between.

[Aadams]

50 minutes ago, AR55 said:

Perhaps unlike individually sold AR speakers made in the USA, AR England intentionally sold them this way

You made be look at my 98s and they are sequential; U011016 and U011017.  I know the were purchased new in Keflavik, Iceland  but I don't know if they are UK origin.

[lARrybody]

I have a pair of AR2a's that have sequential serial numbers, but that may be because they are early production examples.

 

I am thinking some of my smaller AR speakers were sold in pairs thus having the same serial number on both.

[AR55]

On 12/11/2020 at 7:38 PM, Aadams said:

I know the were purchased new in Keflavik, Iceland  but I don't know if they are UK origin.

I believe by the time your 98Ls' were made, most if not all AR's sold in Europe were manufactured in England.  The guy that I bought my 98Lsi's from said that his brother bought them in Germany while he was stationed over there.