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AR 2 ax 2: no tweeter or midrange


Guest johndrake

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Guest johndrake

Hi guys:

I've been a big AR fan since the early 70's and have run only a number of AR turntables and AR-2s since that time. I currently run 2 pairs of AR-2's (one on a Fisher receiver) and one AR 2ax. The AR2 ax Serial (number AX 85329) is putting out sound only from the woofer - I'm getting nothing out of the tweeter or midrange on either speaker. Needless to say, the sound is pretty muddy........

What are the likely suspects in fixing this? Tweeter wire is connected to the nut at the back.

Thanks. I look forward to learning from this group!

Robert

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>Hi guys:

>

>I've been a big AR fan since the early 70's and have run only

>a number of AR turntables and AR-2s since that time. I

>currently run 2 pairs of AR-2's (one on a Fisher receiver) and

>one AR 2ax. The AR2 ax Serial (number AX 85329) is putting

>out sound only from the woofer - I'm getting nothing out of

>the tweeter or midrange on either speaker. Needless to say,

>the sound is pretty muddy........

>What are the likely suspects in fixing this? Tweeter wire is

>connected to the nut at the back.

>

>Thanks. I look forward to learning from this group!

>

>Robert

Hi Robert;

Is the jumper across the correct two posts?

I assume that they were, but until we really get going I do assume some things.

Did the tweeters and mids function over the years and just quit?

Has this been a gradual decrease?

When you are listening to music, go up to one speaker at a time and rotate the midrange drivers knob in both directions a few times and leave in the high direction.

There again I was assuming that the pots were in the higher position.

It does sound kinda screechie when you are doing that from the pot, but sound from the driver should happen.

The mid should now be working.

Try the same with tweeter.

Now do the same thing with the other speaker.

Good luck and let us know what is happening.

Best of everything to you and yours in 2006.

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Guest johndrake

>>Hi guys:

>>

>>I've been a big AR fan since the early 70's and have run

>only

>>a number of AR turntables and AR-2s since that time. I

>>currently run 2 pairs of AR-2's (one on a Fisher receiver)

>and

>>one AR 2ax. The AR2 ax Serial (number AX 85329) is putting

>>out sound only from the woofer - I'm getting nothing out of

>>the tweeter or midrange on either speaker. Needless to say,

>>the sound is pretty muddy........

>>What are the likely suspects in fixing this? Tweeter wire

>is

>>connected to the nut at the back.

>>

>>Thanks. I look forward to learning from this group!

>>

>>Robert

>

>Hi Robert;

>

>Is the jumper across the correct two posts?

>

>I assume that they were, but until we really get going I do

>assume some things.

>

>Did the tweeters and mids function over the years and just

>quit?

>

>Has this been a gradual decrease?

>

>When you are listening to music, go up to one speaker at a

>time and rotate the midrange drivers knob in both directions a

>few times and leave in the high direction.

>

>There again I was assuming that the pots were in the higher

>position.

>

>It does sound kinda screechie when you are doing that from the

>pot, but sound from the driver should happen.

>

>The mid should now be working.

>

>Try the same with tweeter.

>

>Now do the same thing with the other speaker.

>

>Good luck and let us know what is happening.

>

>Best of everything to you and yours in 2006.

Thanks Dan. Frankly, I just fired these 2 speakers up. I'd had them for a year or two and didn't need them till now. I did work the mirange and tweeter knobs in the back as you suggest, but no sound (except from the woofer). Didn't check them whenI bought them a few years back, so I don't know if this is a gradual or sudden issue. Oddly enogh, when I hooked them up I blew one of the 1 amp speaker fuses on my Bose receiver. To be honest, though, I crossed the wires while it was on and I think that caused it.

A very Happy New Year to you and all.

Robert

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Robert,

Your AR-2ax's are the old versions (pre 1970, pre Serial 125,000). Pots this old really corode badly. You may not even be able to generate sound by wiggling them, however the midrange is usually the best bet. I'm pretty sure you are going to have to remove the woofer and clean those pots. Getting the old cast aluminum woofer out is tricky. Let us know when you are ready to do this.

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Guest johndrake

Thanks, Brad. I might as well try to fix them now. These might have been messed with over the years. The plywood holding the woofer, mid, and tweeter is painted black. The screws holding the woofer in look newer than the 60's. I don't know; I've never had to open up any other AR2 since I first bought them in 1973.

Where do I start?

Bob

"Robert,

Your AR-2ax's are the old versions (pre 1970, pre Serial 125,000). Pots this old really corode badly. You may not even be able to generate sound by wiggling them, however the midrange is usually the best bet. I'm pretty sure you are going to have to remove the woofer and clean those pots. Getting the old cast aluminum woofer out is tricky. Let us know when you are ready to do this.

Brad Evans"

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The plywood

>holding the woofer, mid, and tweeter is painted black. The

>screws holding the woofer in look newer than the 60's.

This speaker was probably made in the 1968 time frame. The plywood was painted black by the factory.

>Where do I start?

Bob your first battle is removing the grill and you have done it !! The other good news is that the woofer surrounds are cloth so you don't have to replace them.

>

Here is the tricky part, you need to pry the cast aluminum woofer out. I found some kind of pulling tool that had a hook on the end to lift the woofer out.

The woofer is sealed in with a rubber calk that you will use again. Once the woofer is out you need to snip the wires.

Remove and bag the fiberglass insulation to expose the pots. Then you can pull apart the pots and clean them. You can even do this without de-soldering them. If you do de-solder them, you have to mark them for orientation so that they are reinstalled the same way they came out.

As for pot cleaning, different forum members will have different ideas. I think you should be able to use a little de-oxit then perhaps a little effort with a Dremel tool. Then you can put the pots back together with a little di-electric grease. This is a protective measure.

Now put everthing back together the way it was.

Good Luck

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Guest johndrake

Excuse the stupid question; I've never taken apart a speaker before. I presume I unscrew the 5 screws on the woofer?

You refer to a "pulling tool". Has anyone ever used a thin screwdriver to try to lift the metal ring around the woofer out? Or is that beyond the pale?

The sealant around the woofer is lifted out with it and then put back in place?

Thanks for your prompt and very helpful advice. I'd never attept this otherwise. As it is, I'm very hesitant to go in there, but go in there I shall......

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>Excuse the stupid question; I've never taken apart a speaker

>before. I presume I unscrew the 5 screws on the woofer?

Yes

>

>You refer to a "pulling tool". Has anyone ever used a thin

>screwdriver to try to lift the metal ring around the woofer

>out? Or is that beyond the pale?

Bob, just give it a shot. There is more than one way to skin a cat.

>

>The sealant around the woofer is lifted out with it and then

>put back in place?

Sure, and some remains on the cabinet. You can work with this stuff over and over again like silly putty.

>

>Thanks for your prompt and very helpful advice. I'd never

>attept this otherwise. As it is, I'm very hesitant to go in

>there, but go in there I shall......

I understand, I am a little nervous sometimes too. This is a good thing it means you are being carefull.

If this really is foreign for you, you can find a repair shop that you are comfortable with to help you.

>

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Guest johndrake

Thank you for the advice. I'll keep you posted. If the pots are really toast, what's the best option for replacement? I saw a discussion about some aftermarket ones not producing the same sound since the settings are different.

Bob

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