AR Classic 30- My first AR speaker!!!!!!! A layman's impressions

[Guest ben101]

I have seen many posts on this site regarding the last of the AR (New England) speakers. I have little experience to speak of with AR speakers, I live in N.California, out here hi-end gets a lot of blank stares. Audiophile out here means call the Doctor...I however am somewhat obsessed, and worse of all on a budget!!!

After selling my Paradigm100v2 speakers, and buying a pair of beautiful sounding Aurum Cantus Music Goddessll speakers just a couple of months ago, I was not looking for new speakers. But the ad on e-bay intrigued me.They are in mint condition, they still have the serial # on stickers on the back of the speaker! So I took a chance, based upon 1 quick favorable review on these pages, and one former hi-fi shop owner, who wrote they were his favorite speakers of all time.....So, I took a chance.....

You have a convert.... What an amazing pair of speakers! The bass is rated at 38HZ on the manual, on the speaker itself the plate says 35HZ, and I measured it (hard to do with 2 woofers) at 33HZ. however,the bass is coherent for the first time ever, no low farting sounds that ports seem to specialize in. Natural sounding, big and percussive, the best loudspeaker I have heard since the old Carver Amazing Series. And like the Carvers, they do love power! The sound is so different, unlike anything I have ever heard before...So smooth, like an electrostatic, punchy like a bass reflex, but (in my opinion) better than either for my musical tastes.I have never heard music sound so natural. I go from Sonny Rollins to Henry Rollins, so I need a speaker that does everything well. To say these are better than my old speakers is a huge understatement, and to think I was worried about the bass! My amp is running (hot) about 400 watts per channel, it seems powerful enough... I am concerned that one of my Aussies will take out the bottom woofer, so I am hoping I can find this rare woofer on the market somewhere. I truly believe (hell I know!) it would take me many thousands of dollars to buy anything close to this speaker, and I sure as hell would not get an acoustic suspension speaker....I just wish they were not so rare....:-) I am running an old modified Forte 6-converted to a Forte 4 (re-biased to class A and 124,000 capacitors 400 + watts into 4 ohms per channel./-Van Alstine T7ECR pre-amp- Siemens 12AT7 /Bat Vk-D5 cd-Amperex 6922 PQ/-yada, yada....

[Guest Bear]

Congratulations. They are a beautiful pair of speakers as well. Look great as placed. I am awaiting my pristine 303's for playing vinyl. Back in the day, I owned a pair of 302's many years ago and have really missed them. I have gone through countless speakers for vinyl listening and finally decided to seek out AR again. I can't wait till tuesday when they arrive.

[Guest ben101]

Thanks for your response, I looked up the 303 speaker, it seems to be getting a lot of press lately. I would like to hear more AR speakers, I spent my 70's and 80's with a Klipsch La Scala, 435.oo new in 1972. My Dad bought them and lived to regret it! My Mom said later that I ruined music for her I played them so much! Since she listened to Barry Manilow and top 40, I thought I was doing her a favor....

I am curious now.... I had a nice Sony turntable (belt drive) for years, the BAT cd player convinced me to go digital. It was used, and recently serviced. I purchased my entire(audio) system for the price of a new BAT cd player! The older BAT with NOS tubes is still my favorite source, I love the sound of NOS Tubes.

I am planning on restoring a pair of AR speakers and giving it to my daughter, I want to spend 2-3 hundred dollars (so they will probably be older models) If anyone can help, I would appreciate it. I feel so left out of all the fun, so I want to build a pair....

[Guest stingerxt]

I must have just missed these on E-Bay. You have a great set of speakers. I had a set 8 years ago and have been looking since to pick up another set. You ever want to sell contact me.

Good listening.:-)