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AR 3a-improved blowing tweeters


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Hope there is some wizz on AR products out there! First of all I

am in Sweden! I am writing because I have a pair of AR 3a-improved

speakers (owned since new) which regularly blows the tweeter! I have changed the tweeter four

times, on all occasions I have had the speakes checked but none of the

companies who have carried out the examinations have been able to detect

anything wrong with the speaker! I have on all four accasions changed to AR

tweeters. ANY help/advice is appreciated! If anyone could forward this mail to

someone who might be able to help me I would appreciate that as well!

Jan

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Jan;

The most common cause for blown tweeters is clipping. What are you using for an amplifier? How much power can it put into 4 ohms? And have you had checked out recently?

Nigel

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Thanks for the reply Nigel!

Well, at the moment I am using the smallest NAD amp, 3020i, but I have blown the tweeters using larger amps too... Since I am not using the speakers for rave parties, I don't think I ever use more volume than 40% of max of what I can crank it up to, I have figured that it would be OK to use the small amp that I have. I guess investing in a more suitable amp does sound the right thing to do. I can use the NAD as a pre-amplifier and buy a good power amplifier. Any suggestions?

Jan

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Hi Jan;

In the USA, I suggest Adcom GFA 545, 545 II or 5400 as a good price/performance match for classic AR speakers. They are available for very reasonable prices on eBay. They are rated for 150 to 200W into 4ohms. Others on this forum have been pleased with one of these with thier classic ARs. The Adcoms have no problem with the low resistance and complex impedance that the AR speakers present to the amplifier.

Keep your present pre-amp.

There are many amplifiers out there better than Adcom, but for the price/performance ratio, driving classic AR speakers, they are very close, if not the best.

I am strictly guessing, no data to support this, but I think that the low resistance of the ARs, combined with thier healthy kick-back to the amplfier may be causing some high frequency ringing - above the audiable range, which is blowing your tweeters.

See Nelson Pass's website for more info on this subject.

Nigel

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  • 7 months later...

Hi Jan.Ibought AR3a improved 2 days ago.Iam testing 1AR3a on left ch.other AR3a(older version)on right ch.I Would prefer the older Ar3a.But i have only 1 AR3a speaker.I am using Tandberg Receiver TR280 awesome sound.I also run Ar3a with NAD 71oo(receiver)Iam using NAD because Iam lazy toget up from the bed!!(remote control)I hate FM on NAD.I am using Marantz tuner.I did try Marantz Receiver 2265(65w per side) sound exelent.Few times i hearc cracling sound from AR3a improved(maybe tweeter?)using Tandberg.I will let you know if anything happen to Tweeter.I am just using piece of vire for antena, maybe interfirenc,Good luck.RUDY. I would choose Marantz or Tandberg (Older)with AR3a impr.

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  • 2 weeks later...

If you keep losing tweeters even when playing the speakers at a moderate volume, its either a defective amp or bad caps in the crossover.

Even a smallish quality amp from NAD should have no problem driving the 3a's, and unless the amp itself is not more than 20 years old it should still be in decent shape electrically. The 30 year old electrolytic caps in the AR crossover, however, you can pretty much bank on needing replacement. Old caps can check "OK" to a simple meter test, but pass far too much low frequency power in actual use.

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;) hi jan from new zealand i have a pair of ar 3a's

ive owned them for the last twenty five years . about

five years ago i replaced the woofer rubber edges

due to rot i have all so cleaned the pots i think

they are a great speaker. now about amps im using a

sixty watt yamaha which drives them with ease i think

your nad might be a bit small depending how loud you

play your music i hope this has been some help to you

take care ockey

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

I forgot to say to control if the tweeters are connected with their crossover cell (6 microfarad cap) and not with midrange ones.

In the Ar 3a improved there was a common switch to regulate tweeter and midrange level, control if it is connected correctly and if it works well

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  • 2 months later...

Hi Jan:

Years ago I had the same problem with a pair of AR's 5 driven by a Dynaco 40 Wpc integrated. On AR's low-power-amplifier advice I tried JBL integrated at 60 Wpc and McIntosh tube 40 Wpc amp but to no avail. After getting tired of replacing expensive (to me) original AR's tweeters I installed a tweeter fuse (1A) and after that the replacement cost for no-tweeter sound was $0.05.

Best wishes!

Jotam

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