Guest ldone Posted June 29, 2005 Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 Is the tweeter on this classic unique to this model or is it used on other models, such as the AR-2, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve F Posted June 29, 2005 Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 The AR-6 was the first model to use this tweeter, but it found its way into several more. The AR-7, 8, and MST/1 all used this tweeter. After it was upgraded with ferro-fluid cooling, it was used in many subsequent 2-way models, including the very successful 18 series of models.It was, in the opinion of many, the best cone tweeter ever developed for a 2-way loudspeaker in terms of smooth FR, wide dispersion and power handling.Another "very famous and well-known" NE speaker company wanted to manufacture this tweeter under licence from AR for use in their speakers, but the two companies never reached an agreement. There were some technical issues and, quite possibly, some corporate ego issues as well.Steve F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tysontom Posted June 30, 2005 Report Share Posted June 30, 2005 >The AR-6 was the first model to use this tweeter, but it>found its way into several more. The AR-7, 8, and MST/1 all>used this tweeter. After it was upgraded with ferro-fluid>cooling, it was used in many subsequent 2-way models,>including the very successful 18 series of models.>>It was, in the opinion of many, the best cone tweeter ever>developed for a 2-way loudspeaker in terms of smooth FR, wide>dispersion and power handling.>>Another "very famous and well-known" NE speaker company wanted>to manufacture this tweeter under licence from AR for use in>their speakers, but the two companies never reached an>agreement. There were some technical issues and, quite>possibly, some corporate ego issues as well.>>Steve F.This is a great point made by Steve F. It is interesting to see how the later Allison Acoustics "nipple" tweeter (so-named because of the tiny nipple-shaped dust cap at the apex of the small cone tweeter) used in all the Allison speakers, somewhat evolved from this 1-1/4-inch AR-6 tweeter design -- both the work of Roy Allison. In the Allison tweeter, the cone was allowed to flex in a controlled, asymmetrical manner from the apex to the rim, and thus the tweeter had an extraordinarily wide dispersion pattern -- easily the widest dispersion of any conventional tweeter ever made.--Tom Tyson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnieo Posted June 30, 2005 Report Share Posted June 30, 2005 > After it was upgraded with ferro-fluid>cooling, it was used in many subsequent 2-way models,>including the very successful 18 series of models.Steve: Do I assume you mean the AR-18, -18s and -18b ? I presume you are not including the 18bx and 18bxi. I thought they used an inexpensive 1" tweeter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve F Posted July 1, 2005 Report Share Posted July 1, 2005 Yes, the x and xi models were a different animals altogether--much larger cabinet than previous 18's and the cheap 1" tweeter instead of the excellent 1 1/4" cone. The x and xi series were not exactly high water marks in AR's history.The company redeemed themselves somewhat with the TSW's, but then hit the skids again with the M Series and the Spirit Series.Steve F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoyC Posted July 1, 2005 Report Share Posted July 1, 2005 Is a version of this tweeter used in AR-94's? I seem to recall that the 94's tweeters looked similar to those residing in a pair of AR-6's I have awaiting restoration. Roy C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve F Posted July 1, 2005 Report Share Posted July 1, 2005 Yes, the 93 and 94 used this tweeter also, the ferro-fluid cooled version. Also some other models, like the Rock Partners, and I'm sure a few more if we go back and look at every model.The 93 and 94 were very nice-sounding speakers.Steve F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ldone Posted July 1, 2005 Report Share Posted July 1, 2005 Are the two styles of this tweeter interchangeable;eg. ferrofluid vs. air cooled Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leemichaelb Posted July 7, 2005 Report Share Posted July 7, 2005 Interesting.... I've read here about the compromises that went intothose BX and BXi series speakers, but my impression was that theodd looking M-series holographic imaging speakers was fairly wellregarded (if a blatant departure from traditional AR engineering philosophy). WAsn't the little M1 one of those "budget sleepers" made famous by some ultra-high-end demo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve F Posted July 7, 2005 Report Share Posted July 7, 2005 "...but my impression was that the odd looking M-series holographic imaging speakers was fairly well regarded (if a blatant departure from traditional AR engineering philosophy). WAsn't the little M1 one of those "budget sleepers" made famous by some ultra-high-end demo?"Yes, the M1 did receive some very good reviews and the M6 won a tower speaker shootout in the now-defunct CD Review magazine. I think my negative feelings towards them stems from the fact that their gimmicky, call-attention-to-themselves styling and design approach seemed so arbitrary and disingenuous--the very antithesis of the classic AR speakers.They were also such forgettable, abysmal sales/marketing failures. It would be like extolling the engineering virtues of the Ford Edsel to regard the Holographic Imaging series as anything but an embarrassment--at least in my view.Steve F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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