AR-3 Grilles

[Guest speedracer]

Hey guys, i have a set of 3's, with "aftermarket" grilles and frames, somehow he manage to get them under the moldings. Is this how they came out of the factory, so you couldn't get to the components ? I have other AR speakers, and have managed to remove the grilles. I checked the library, only picture there was more of a "cartoon" looking image without the grille attached, but I can't clearly see how to attach/re-attach the grille. Thanks.

[roundhome]

>Hey guys, i have a set of 3's, with "aftermarket"

>grilles and frames, somehow he manage to get them under the

>moldings. Is this how they came out of the factory, so you

>couldn't get to the components ? I have other AR speakers, and

>have managed to remove the grilles. I checked the library,

>only picture there was more of a "cartoon" looking

>image without the grille attached, but I can't clearly see how

>to attach/re-attach the grille. Thanks.

Slide them up first and you should be able to get under the bottom of them and carfully pull the bottom out first then slide it down and remove the grill

[Guest speedracer]

that worked on one of them, it's a wood frame, the other is hanging tough, and it's plastic. seems like someone "expanded" the 4 sides with something to keep in there. On the first one I see on the tweeter one of the little orange dots is separated, blown tweeter ?

[roundhome]

>that worked on one of them, it's a wood frame, the other is

>hanging tough, and it's plastic. seems like someone

>"expanded" the 4 sides with something to keep in

>there. On the first one I see on the tweeter one of the little

>orange dots is separated, blown tweeter ?

You might have to cafully lift then work it to one side.

As far as the tweeter you will have to listen to it to tell if its blown they are geting old and the three orange foam spots are falling apart

also the pots could need work . you don't want to mess with the wires they will break vary easy I would never remove a AR3 tweet or mid unless you are sure its bad. then there is a trick if you find someone that whants to part with one have them cut the tab off dont unsolder it then solder the tab to you tab this is the easyest way to make them stick together but try the pots and crossover parts fisrt if you think you have a bad driver. I just went through 4 mids untill i got one that worked to replace a friends mid .

and they can be spendy also. but when i was done with the new caps and pots cleaned I wanted to keep them they sound great.

take your time with threes they have been the hardest for me to restore but worth the year i put into them. part time of cores. there is lots of reading here on AR3 and restoring including some on resealing the cloth on the woofer pros and cons

good luck and take your time

[Guest speedracer]

got the other grille off. the tweeter works, should try spot glue to keep it flush or let it be ?

[roundhome]

>got the other grille off. the tweeter works, should try spot

>glue to keep it flush or let it be ?

That would be a Tom Tyson ?

[Guest speedracer]

>>got the other grille off. the tweeter works, should try

>spot

>>glue to keep it flush or let it be ?

>That would be a Tom Tyson ?

I don't understand

[roundhome]

>>>got the other grille off. the tweeter works, should

>try

>>spot

>>>glue to keep it flush or let it be ?

>>That would be a Tom Tyson ?

>I don't understand

That would be a Tom Tyson (?) question

other wise a question for Tom Tyson

[Guest speedracer]

>>>>got the other grille off. the tweeter works,

>should

>>try

>>>spot

>>>>glue to keep it flush or let it be ?

>>>That would be a Tom Tyson ?

>>I don't understand

>That would be a Tom Tyson (?) question

>other wise a question for Tom Tyson

Oh, OK. Thanks. Hello Tom !

[tysontom]

>>>>got the other grille off. the tweeter works,

>should

>>try

>>>spot

>>>>glue to keep it flush or let it be ?

>>>That would be a Tom Tyson ?

>>I don't understand

>That would be a Tom Tyson (?) question

>other wise a question for Tom Tyson

Oh, OK. Thanks. Hello Tom !

I don't completely understand the question. Are you trying to re-install an original seran-nylon grill panel on an AR-3? I'm having some slight troubles getting accustomed to the new CSP format (which otherwise appears to be vastly superior to the old one), so I might not be catching all of the thread. Rephrase your question.

Thanks,

--Tom Tyson

[Guest speedracer]

I don't completely understand the question. Are you trying to re-install an original seran-nylon grill panel on an AR-3? I'm having some slight troubles getting accustomed to the new CSP format (which otherwise appears to be vastly superior to the old one), so I might not be catching all of the thread. Rephrase your question.

Thanks,

--Tom Tyson

Hi Tom, grilles are off, on one tweeter cone, one orange "dot" has broken loose, trying to re-attach so others would break also, what should I re-glue with ? Thanks.

[tysontom]

Speedracer,

There is really no good way to re-attach the dome suspensions, to my knowledge. The orange "dot" was a poured-in liquid foam that formed-in-place, creating the "suspension" for the dome. You might try some epoxy around the outer, underside edge of the foam piece, and perhaps it would re-attach, but that would be difficult. Covering the foam suspension piece is butyl-rubber to keep foreign objects out of the gap, so that part would be compromised as well. The foam material needs to stay compliant, however, and this is sometime hard to do. Once the domes "pop," there is not a great deal one can do to save them, unfortunately. The voice coil probably would not have the correct centering and suspension to work properly after that event, and you may need to ultimately find another tweeter.

To answer your question about the grills and the factory attachment method: AR did all the repair work on the early AR speakers, as it was far beyond most service centers of the time, especially regarding the AR-3. Besides, AR ran each repaired speaker through the testing lab, anechoic chambers and so forth to certify the performance of each repaired speaker, and most service shops lacked both the skill and facilities to provide such a service. Because of this, the grills were glued in place. But even the AR-3 is a breeze to repair compared with the early, epoxied-woofer KLH Fours, Sixes and Sevens. There was no way to field-repair them without completely damaging the cabinet.

--Tom Tyson

[Guest speedracer]

Speedracer,

There is really no good way to re-attach the dome suspensions, to my knowledge. The orange "dot" was a poured-in liquid foam that formed-in-place, creating the "suspension" for the dome. You might try some epoxy around the outer, underside edge of the foam piece, and perhaps it would re-attach, but that would be difficult. Covering the foam suspension piece is butyl-rubber to keep foreign objects out of the gap, so that part would be compromised as well. The foam material needs to stay compliant, however, and this is sometime hard to do. Once the domes "pop," there is not a great deal one can do to save them, unfortunately. The voice coil probably would not have the correct centering and suspension to work properly after that event, and you may need to ultimately find another tweeter.

To answer your question about the grills and the factory attachment method: AR did all the repair work on the early AR speakers, as it was far beyond most service centers of the time, especially regarding the AR-3. Besides, AR ran each repaired speaker through the testing lab, anechoic chambers and so forth to certify the performance of each repaired speaker, and most service shops lacked both the skill and facilities to provide such a service. Because of this, the grills were glued in place. But even the AR-3 is a breeze to repair compared with the early, epoxied-woofer KLH Fours, Sixes and Sevens. There was no way to field-repair them without completely damaging the cabinet.

--Tom Tyson

Well that is unhappy news, I will try something (glue) to keep the whole dome from breaking/popping loose. Thanks for your help ! M.......