Old Ad - AR-3's Used As Recording Monitors

[Guest linedrive]

Apparently, the Connoisseur Society (they made some pretty fine recordings in the 1960s) used the AR-3 as their location monitor:

http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/dc/user_files/1435.jpg

[ninohernes]

I am a recording engineer.

All of the recordings that I have mixed or mastered have been monitored on AR-3's (or in some cases, my AR-2's). The AR-3 makes a very fine studio monitor. However, I do not use them as near field monitors (I use the AR-4x for that) but as midfield monitors. I find that they image best placed vertically if you are about 10 feet away from them, and you have them 6-10 feet apart. I find their response very flat. I love the original AR-3 alnico mids and tweeters. There is something about them that I just love. They sound magical. They reproduce everything with stunning reality. Voices are really outstanding. They sound so real its almost creapy! I also find that strings are reproduced with outstanding reality. You can hear the harmonic richness of the instrument. Transient response is also superb. There is a delicacy to the super tweeter that I have yet to hear in any other tweeter. It is so detailed and responsive, yet it does not seem to have a sound of its own. It seems that affordable hifi speakers today seem to always be in the way of the music, espeically in the high frequency range. Regardless of the record you play, they are in your face all of the time with exagerated high end and false harmonics. The AR-3 reproduces what is on the record. If it is in your face, the AR-3 reproduces it as such. If it is dull and lifeless, the AR-3 reproduces it as such. When playing the ideal recording, the AR-3 sings with an unparalleled level of reality.

[dynaco_dan]

Hi Joe;

What a beautiful written description of the classic AR_3, AR_2 series and the AR_4 series speaker systems, particularly the AR_3's upper sound qualities.

Only 40+ years old.

[ar_pro]

Well said.

Here's another vote for the old AR-3. Along with those magnets, I'm not unconvinced that the plywood cabinet could be a factor in their great sound, either.

[dynaco_dan]

>Well said.

>Here's another vote for the old AR-3. Along with those

>magnets, I'm not unconvinced that the plywood cabinet could be

>a factor in their great sound, either.

Hi there;

Sorry, I don't know you first name.

The earliest AR speaker cabinets, I do not know if that was all of the speaker models, used a 13 ply marine grade plywood, much stronger than typical plywood, I do believe.

Good solid bracing as well.

TomT is a wealth of this type of information and he may wish to comment on this.

Comments about speaker problems, complaints or criticism's used to be published in reviews, after a model was superceded, and the new model was being reviewed.

If I remember correctly, depending on program material and settings as to whether you would prefer the sound of an AR-3 or AR-3A speaker system.

I seem to remember a mention of the AR-3 being, "honky".

This may have been because of it's higher woofer crossover point into the male voice region.

Irregardless of those comments or reviews, we see the desirability of those AR-3's today, 30+ years later, for the standard that they set, which was copied by many later, but not as successfully.

[dynaco_dan]

Hi again;

I really appreciated seeing that sales ad, and I printed it out.

I have been thinking and not writing my thoughts, so here goes again.

Notice that almost all, if not all, of AR ads show musical demonstrations.

Were there any vocal demonstrations?

I understand that the male voice is the most difficult to reproduce accurately.