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AR18s broken tweeter


Guest monster

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Guest monster

Hello,

I have just purchased a pair of AR18s that need a refurb. Both need a refoam and one of the very thin wires on the front of one of the tweeters has broken. I know that refoam kits are available to find, but how simple is it to repair the tweeter or replace it?

Can anybody recommend a refoam kit supplier?

Many thanks for any help you can give me.

Dean

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Dean,

Sorry it took so long for me to notice your note.

Original tweeters aren't possible to buy new. Your best bet is to familiarize yourself with what models shared that tweeter then watch eBay for someone parting a pair out. The next best solution would be to buy two new replacement tweeters from AB Tech services (if available) so that both speakers match.

Refoaming - I don't do my own and won't. I've been very pleased with a place called Millersound in PA, but there are a lot of other places that can do it. The issue isn't whether or not you are capable of glueing foam on the speaker; you are. The issue is whether or not you would even notice other things that might be wrong. For myself, I've decided to just let someone who does that, do it, for the same reason I wouldn't represent myself in court. If they get "into" a driver and find a problem, they have the parts and experience to fix it.

After having four "bad" drivers refoamed beautifully, I'm also going to be very careful that where I send my drivers for refoaming will pay attention to what they are refoaming, not just the foam-job for a quick buck and out-the-door.

A properly refoamed pair of drivers with spider problems is worse than nothing. You've spent time and money to end-up with a bad result and you might not even know why.

By the way - my refoaming preference is exactly that; a preference.

Bret

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Guest dogmeninreno

>Hello,

>

>I have just purchased a pair of AR18s that need a refurb. Both

>need a refoam and one of the very thin wires on the front of

>one of the tweeters has broken. I know that refoam kits are

>available to find, but how simple is it to repair the tweeter

>or replace it?

>Can anybody recommend a refoam kit supplier?

>

>Many thanks for any help you can give me.

>

>Dean

If the tweeter wire is broken and you can see both ends you are in luck. Simply very carefully scrape off the enamel and use your soldering iron very carefully..( I hope your connection is not aluminum!) Miller Sound is a good source for refoaming and repair..Dale

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  • 4 weeks later...
Guest monster

>Original tweeters aren't possible to buy new. Your best bet

>is to familiarize yourself with what models shared that

>tweeter then watch eBay for someone parting a pair out.

Hi

Thank you for your replies.

Could you please tell me which other AR speakers have the same tweeters as the AR18s?

I have soldered the broken wire but the tweeter is still dead :-(

Cheers

Dean

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The following is a quote from Tom Tyson.

"I think only the AR-14, AR-16 and AR-28 used that 1-inch tweeter. The use of the 1-inch vs. 3/4-inch tweeter was dictated by the configuration. For example, the 3/4-inch tweeter has better dispersion than the 1-inch unit, but cannot go as far down in frequency, such as needed in a 2-way speaker. The 3/4-inch domes were almost always used in 3-way systems with crossovers up around 5KHz.

The part number (not serial number) on 1-inch tweeter for a AR-14, is Part# 200024-1.

--Tom"

I believe the modern "classic" AR models from 1992 also used a 1" soft dome tweeter with the similar face plate ( a bit smaller, with the diagonal distance between the scew holes of 3-3/8" rather than the 4" on the original). A part number number for the 1992 version is 1210148-0 (922TND).

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>Original tweeters aren't possible to buy new. Your best bet

>is to familiarize yourself with what models shared that

>tweeter then watch eBay for someone parting a pair out.

Dean:

When looking for the tweeters on eBay or elsewhere, try looking for the AR part number. Then no need to worry about what other units shared the same driver.

The tweets in my AR-18 have pn:

200014-3

The AR price list of 1979 says the following:

1200014-3; 1-1/2" high range, 3 oz. magnet (7x, 17, 18)

The 1982 price list also says this tweet was used in the 25.

The tweets in my AR-18b, have pn:

200034-0

the -18b and-18s, I believe, used the same tweet, but the 18-bx and -bxi are different animals.

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  • 15 years later...

Friend...i just repaired a tweeter on the 18s..if thin wire is broken at middle.and have enough lenght to conect the two ends...take a tweezer and holding firmly on wire one  at a time with your thumb and forefinger,, close the tweezer on the wire and lightly pull over the wirescraping any material off....very gently and use a magnifying mirror..the original wire was connected to the face in an S pattern....dont worry about that just twist the ends carefully 2x (if you have enough lenght) or so and glue  or put a small drop of silver solder with flux inside..Use a good quality solder with a low melting point...melt a drop to the iron tip and just quickly swipe it across the wires at the connection...glue it then, neatly to the face(couple pin drops)...When it cures,what i do is cover the whole lenght of wire end to end with a liguid black insulator in a bottle .or wet look speaker cone treatment and a tiny thin paintbrush making a nice straight cover to the wire  that will cure and look perfect!

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Edited by audioPete
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