Where have you found your AR speakers?

[Guest matty g]

After reading that terrific story by Klaus, I started to think about some of the unlikely places where I have found AR speakers and some of the close calls with the dumpster they have had.

I found my AR 3a's in an old record shop in Boston last Thanksgiving. They were being used to hold up the computer that you use to look up album titles. I asked the store owner if he wanted to sell them, and he said "Well, they hold up the computer, so if you can find something to take their place, gimme $25 and they're yours".

Needless to say, I found some old boxes very quickly, gave him the money and got out of there as fast as I could with my 3a's. I refinished the cabs, re-edged them and put new grill fabric on them and now they are performing in my living room daily. Best $25 I ever spent!

About a year before that I was asked to help clean out a storage area at the university where I work. In there amongst all the old lab experiments and "vintage" lab equipment was an unfinished AR3 with a very low serial number, a Dynaco amplifier, an Ampex AG350 professional studio recorder and about 5 cases of brand new Scotch recording tape on 10" reels still sealed in the boxes. None of that made it to the dumpster, of course!

So where have some of the CSP members found their speakers? It's amazing where they turn up sometimes.

Matt

[dingus]

mine werent at risk of being tossed out or discarded, they just seemed to fall into my lap.

having never heard, and knowing next to nothing about AR speakers, i lucked into a pair of AR-9's two years ago when they didnt meet the reserve of $400 on ebay. since the seller was local, i contacted him after the auction ended to arrange for an audition. i let him know that i wasnt interested in buying them, but a few out of state buyers were interested and i was basically scouting for them.

by the time the audition came around, the prospective out of state buyers had all dropped out due to the cost of shipping. that morning i called the seller to let him know i was on the way and he tells me that if i dont take them for $400, then they are already sold to another buyer. i say ok and go to listen to the legends that i've only heard about.

i took a buddy along so that he could hear them as well. as soon the first track began, he turns to me and says "if you dont take them, i will!" i took them.

i got a pair of AR-91's off of craigslist because the seller hadnt used them in several years and decided they were better off with someone else. there was a one buyer ahead of me who passed on them for $60 because the foam was starting to deteriorate. the seller offered them to me for $40. they were the easiest refoam i've ever done.

[dynaco_dan]

Hi there;

A few years ago a customer of mine gave me a pair of AR-14's that he had set outside to go to the dump.

Another gave me two parted Smaller Advents.

Another gave me a pair of AR-4X's.

Another a single Dynaco A-10 less woofer.

Another a Dual 1019 automatic turntable less cartridge shell.

Unable to find a cartridge shell yet, I had serviced lot's of them back in the '70's, high quality build, same as the 1009.

Recently a pair of OW Larger Beveled Walnut Larger Advents were dropped off at my home for $40.00, a very kind past customer.

I've already written about my 2 other good finds, but here goes again.

I was in a second hand store, reaching over top of a real ugly speaker cabinet to see what the rear of an electronic crossover sitting on top looked like.

There, staring me in the face, was the KLH Twelve control console box faceplate looking up at me.

I heard it crying, "take me home with you, please".

This was the very first time I ever saw this model and after a brief listen, about $100.00 later off they go. Hi Ho Hi Ho It's off they Go.

In another second hand store I saw another real pair of real ugly boxes holding up a few old junky pieces of hifi equipment.

These boxes were painted black and the cloths, not much different.

I spotted the brass Dynaco logos and after a brief demo, about $100.00 later, HI HI HO HO It's off they go.

A friend gave me a single orphan AR-2 last year.

This friend also picked me up a super mint Dynaco A-25 for $25.00 recently, mint cloth, mint logo, mint walnut veneer and a real sight for sore eyes.

This A-25 is as close to pristine as I've seen in over 30 years, I smile and stroke it every night it was so well looked after.

I certainly can't top Klaus's find though, only 19 AR-6's, not even close. lol lol

[Guest matty g]

True that nothing can compare with Klaus' historic find. That is one for the record book!

Now I remember one summer day back in 1985 when a good freind of mine asked me if I could help her out with her old Buick Centurion. It just wouldn't start, only belching fire when she tried to turn it over. No problem, I thought, just points, cap, rotor, timing, the usual bit. I brought all of my tools over, started working on the thing and found I had forgotten a wrench. When I opened the garage door to look for one, there in front of me was a pair of AR2a's, a Dynaco Pas 2 preamp, two Dynaco power amps, an AR XA turntable with a Stanton 681EEE cartridge and two crates of really good albums. When I asked her about all that cool stuff in the garage she said "If you get that car running you can have all of it".

When I got done that old Buick ran like new, and I had me a fine stereo. I was using those old 2a's until just recently when I found my 3a's, but I foolishly got rid of the Dynaco's when they started blowing fuses (didn't know then what I know now) and traded the Pas 2 for some other cool stuff years later. I donated the XA to someone who really deserved it but didn't have the pocket change for one. I do still listen to the albums,though. ANALOG LIVES!!!

Matt

[Guest violin]

For many years I looked for a pair of AR 3s or 3As and never did find any. Not far from where I live there is a big swap meet that is open every weekend. One day I stopped in and as I was walking around , I found this guy with a perminent stall with all types of old stereo stuff for sale. He had a pair of AR 3s that were originally sold as unfinished which I had refinished by a cabinet maker. Three weeks later I was in there again and he had another pair of AR 3s finished in Cherry that were in fantastic condition. I paid $30 for each pair and both have all drivers working and are original even with the cloth surround and grill cloth.They sound wonderful.

I am driving them with a Herron VSTP -2 tube pre-amp and a pair of Parasound Halo JC-1 mono amps.You talk about music making,this is great.

[Guest matty g]

A tube preamp and a pair of monoblocks is a GREAT way to drive a pair of 3's or 3a's...and that's an unbeatable price! I'll bet that store owner has a new steady customer. Thrift stores seem to be a good source of vintage equipment also, but I always seem to find more junk than anything else. Just gotta keep looking, I guess.

Matt