"Modern" suggestions for cost-effective AR4x tweeter replacement/upgrade?

[mhardy6647]

I have a cosmetically nice, "as-found" pair of AR4x loudspeakers I am trying to rehab for my son & daughter-in-law's new house.   I discovered that one of the pair has been hacked -- its tweeter replaced with some generic coax car speaker (?!).  It actually sounds pretty good, but has much more treble output than the original tweeter. 

The two AR4x tweeters need to be "normalized".  I am looking for originals, but I am also keen on the notion of a "cost-effective" (read: inexpensive, at least reasonably!), drop-in replacement tweeter than will meet the AR4x requirements (XO frequency and sensitivity) well enough to yield an audibly pleasant result.   Note that I am aiming low; I am not up for an XO redesign or other extensive modifications. 

Googling hasn't turned up any obvious choices that are still available, so any suggestions are greatly appreciated & gratefully received!
Thanks!
 

[CYNR]

Hello mhardy,

Lots of pictures on the net show phenolic ring tweeters in  the AR4x if this is the correct tweeter you can get them on epay, parts express ,simply speakers, etc,

for around 25$ per. I hope to own a pair of  AR4's some day...

Parts Express has then on sale right now 19.99$

Lonny

[mhardy6647]

Thanks! 

Based on reports such as the following (see below), however, I was (am) still hoping to do a little better.  The "CTS"-like phenolic ring tweeters are the "plan of last resort" and will probably be fine.  It would be nice to do a tad bit better if there were any better options. 

"Your best bet is to use original AR-4x tweeters. Some people (myself included) have reported some success using phenolic ring tweeters like these https://www.parts-express.com/grs-prt-8-phenolic-ring-tweeter-replacement-for-ar-4x-cts-marantz-and-more-8-ohm--270-252  Photo [in the original post]... shows 4x with PRT. This is NOT an "upgrade", it's a "make do" if your original tweeters are shot. IF YOUR ORIGINAL TWEETERS ARE NOT DAMAGED DO NOT REPLACE THEM."

I also don't "know" if the original tweeter in the AR4x is 4 or 8 ohm (although the post link above does specify the 8 ohm morph).  It looks like the 4 ohm morph of the PE phenolic ring tweeter is NLA, which means 8 is the only option in 2021.

 

[Aadams]

The thread below will give you some idea of which 4x you have.  Look at the Johneio post.  The bottom line is it will be difficult to find a non AR replacement tweeter that will crossover at 1200hz or 1400hz and fit in the hole with zero crossover changes. 

[mhardy6647]

Thanks! 
That was my expectation/fear, I must say.  

I am (also) on the hunt for a single replacement driver... although (in full disclosure), I haven't actually pulled off the grille on the presumptive "original" one to see if it is, in fact, original or if it just has another different replacement "tweeter" (driver) grafted into it! 

 

 

[JKent]

mhardy

You said you are aiming low. PartsExpress and others, including Vintage-AR, sell the PRT as a drop-in replacement, even though the 4x tweeter crosses over at 1400Hz and the PRT specs are 2000-20000. The speakers pictured in my post were not mine but were refurbished for a CSP member. To my (admittedly old) ears, the speakers sounded fine with the PRTs.

Your last post says you need a single replacement driver. I assume you mean the woofer? So of the 4 drivers in the pair the only good one is a single woofer? Here's another option (from RoyC): Find a pair of Avid 100 speakers. They have very good drivers but crappy vinyl-clad cabinets. The drivers and crossover are drop-in replacements for the AR4x and the sound is excellent. btw, the Avids use a PRT.

Take a look at this thread. It has my AR/Avid conversion but there is also discussion of tweeter replacements for the AR-4x (start with the 12th post down, by Michigan Pat)

 

[ligs]

Regarding a tweeter capable of crossing over as low as 1200 hz, I want to mention that Carlspeak has identified Dayton RS28F-4 as a candidate. In fact Carspeak used RS28F-4 crossing at 1000 hz to a big 10-inch woofer in Advent Loudspeaker. Carlspeaker even came up the proper crossover for the above system. Therefore, it is very likely this tweeter could be used as a replacement for AR4x tweeter with some adjustments to the crossover. Later, Dayton came up with a replacement for RS28H-4, the new model is called RST28-H4, which retains much of the characteristics of the original tweeter.

 

https://community.classicspeakerpages.net/topic/8427-you-can-now-salvage-un-salvageable-olas/

 

http://www.loudspeakerdatabase.com/Dayton/RST28A-4

[mhardy6647]

I sourced a pair of original AR4x tweeters from a hifi colleague in Western MA.

Thanks, ya'll.