Guest bklyn46 Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 Hello,I just completed a restoration on a pair of AR2ax's that I purchased new in 1964. The speakers were identical with all original parts. One unit had the normal 4&6mf caps but the other had a 2&6mf combination. I am curious as to why the difference. Thanks.Mario Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlspeak Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 >Hello,>>I just completed a restoration on a pair of AR2ax's that I>purchased new in 1964. The speakers were identical with all>original parts. One unit had the normal 4&6mf caps but the>other had a 2&6mf combination. I am curious as to why the>difference. Thanks.>>MarioGive us the serial numbers and perhaps one of the CSP historians can help identify the timing of a design change.It's all about the musicCarlCarl's Custom Loudspeakers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bklyn46 Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 The serial#s are as follows:4mf unit is 008482mf unit is 06147Mario Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charger3834 Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 Mario,It's great to have an original owner working on these things ! That takes a lot of unknowns out of the equation. Unfortunatly I don't have the answer. I have been in a few AR-2axs produced between 1965 and 1974. Every one had the 4/6 caps. The AR-2as(1958-1964) that I have seen have also had 4/6 caps. Your 2ax's are very early and there could have been a little design evolution going on. Could you send us some photos of the caps and drivers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bklyn46 Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 Brad,Unfortunately I closed them back up, but here is what I recall. The drivers are the originals for the 2ax and are identical in both units. The caps were made by Industrial Condenser Corp and had the same part# (5203). The only difference in the two units is the cap values and one unit had the single opening for the old mid's uncut and the new drivers attached. While the other had two distinct individual mounting panels in the same opening with the new units attached to them as if the unit had been cut for the old arraignment but then modified for the new drivers. The grill plates follow the same convention. One with one large opening for the mid and tweeter and the other with individual openings cut out. The low serial is the cut one. It looks like mine was a laboratory model.It took me 43 years and a few glasses of wine to finally open them up. The grills came off in 5 minutes (glue was dry) and it took me a few hours to repair the pots, replace the caps (4&6mf) and reseal the the cloth surrounds. Put some duct seal around the woofers and closed them back up. The results were excellent and the rolloffs are now at the same frequency. Well worth the effort once you get past removing the grill.If I have to go in again I will take pictures since I left the caps in the coffin! Mario Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charger3834 Posted August 19, 2007 Report Share Posted August 19, 2007 Hi Mario,If both Capacitors have the same part number, it almost leads me to believe that the "2" was a misprint. In any case, this appears to be an anomaly. There really is not enough evidence to consider this an evolutionary change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bklyn46 Posted August 20, 2007 Report Share Posted August 20, 2007 Brad I sort of agree with you. If I ever go back into the unit I will check the cap value with a tester and try to compare with the other. For a moment I thought it was like a rare stamp with the plane upside down and worth a fortune, but my fifteen minutes of fame have passed!As a sidebar, the units are matched with my PAS3/ST-70 kits built by me in 64 and sound absolutely great. Much better than I have heard for many years out of those walnut boxes. The Dynakits were refreshed by me last year and the combination works quite well. Again thanks Brad for the input, but I now have to go back to the Lottery to secure my future.Mario Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoyC Posted August 20, 2007 Report Share Posted August 20, 2007 ...just wondering what the AR-2a crossover was. The 2a's dual mids were replaced by the single 2ax mid, resulting in the described "cutouts" for the converted 2a/2ax cabinets. Maybe the 2uf/6uf combo was an old AR-2a part?Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bklyn46 Posted August 20, 2007 Report Share Posted August 20, 2007 Roy,I tried to find that info, but it always seems like it comes back to a 4/6 combination. I am sure someone on the board would have that answer.Mario Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest matty g Posted August 20, 2007 Report Share Posted August 20, 2007 Hi - AR2a serial #D26319 and D26321 both have wax boxes with values of 6 and 4 MFD and the boxes are stamped with the #5203. I looked through my parts boxes and all of the 2a cap boxes are the same part number and value. They are all from original unconverted (dual mid) 2a systems, two of which were purchased new in 1963.Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoyC Posted August 20, 2007 Report Share Posted August 20, 2007 Thanks Matt...so much for my theory :-).I once ran across a pair of AR-5's that had dual Industrial Condenser Corp. block caps in each that had printed values blacked out (28uf/78uf) and different values (24uf/72uf) written in. Either way they were probably out of spec, each measuring around 30uf/80uf, but I still wonder what they measured when new.Interesting AR cap mysteries...Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charger3834 Posted August 20, 2007 Report Share Posted August 20, 2007 >>As a sidebar, the units are matched with my PAS3/ST-70 kits>built by me in 64 and sound absolutely great. Much better than>I have heard for many years out of those walnut boxes. The>Dynakits were refreshed by me last year and the combination>works quite well. Again thanks Brad for the input, but I now>have to go back to the Lottery to secure my future.>>MarioGood Job on the Dynacos, do you have one Stereo 70 or two used as monoblocks? It is remarkable that you have had that set up for 43 years! I wish I could hear it, I guess I should buy some Dynaco gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bklyn46 Posted October 5, 2007 Report Share Posted October 5, 2007 Hello,Finally let my curiosity get the best of me and went into the cabinets to check the cap values. What I found was that the cap marked 2UF was actually reading 4.7MF, which measured identical to the other speaker. While I was at it I checked the 6UF and they matched up as well. So it seems like the cap was just marked wrong. Now after 43 years this mystery can be laid to rest. Mario Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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