mluong303 Posted December 12, 2007 Report Posted December 12, 2007 Does any one have information, specification or pictures of the AR-3ax speaker. I have heard of the existence of this model but never seen one yet!I know there are many readers from over sea in Hong Kong, Vietnam, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, Japan, Australia and Russia etc visiting the Classic Speaker Pages' AR Forum frequently. There are a lot of information, stereo magazine reviews and advertisement and the like in foreign lauguages. Please step forward and post your speaker pictures, modified ideas and listening experience so we will be able to open our eyes and ears further and not just listening to the same group of people in the US alone. If you need grammatical errors check or pictures touch up and sizing before posting, I will be more than happy to do that. Just email me and let me know. Thank you for your time and consideration.Minh Luongmluong303@aol.com
mluong303 Posted December 14, 2007 Author Report Posted December 14, 2007 from Japan:This is the most complete pictured documentation of a pair of AR-3a speakers being restored in Japan. Started from rotted pots and foam surrounds, torn voice coil former all the way to cabinet finishing and packing up for delivery to a new Home. When it comes to details attention and seriousness of fixing and restoration, Japanese workmanship will be the one to follow through. I found this web site couple of years ago and did posted the info elsewhere but decided to post it again to go with the AR-3a restoration document for reference.http://www.ustation21.com/top.htmhttp://www.onomichi.ne.jp/~ishii/ar3a/index2.htmlhttp://www.onomichi.ne.jp/~ishii/ar3a/index3.htmlhttp://www.onomichi.ne.jp/~ishii/ar3a/index4.htmlhttp://www.onomichi.ne.jp/~ishii/ar3a/index5.htmlhttp://www.onomichi.ne.jp/~ishii/ar3a/index6.htmlhttp://www.onomichi.ne.jp/~ishii/ar3a/index7.htmlhttp://www.onomichi.ne.jp/~ishii/ar3a/index8.htmlMinh Luong
mluong303 Posted December 14, 2007 Author Report Posted December 14, 2007 from Korea:http://www.audiojournal.co.kr/bbs/zboard.p...mpany&no=21Minh Luong
mluong303 Posted December 22, 2007 Author Report Posted December 22, 2007 from Viet Nam:http://vnav.vn/forum/printview.php?t=8802&start=525
mluong303 Posted December 29, 2007 Author Report Posted December 29, 2007 from Taiwan:http://audioart.audionet.com.tw/0Review2002/060/02Famous.htm
mluong303 Posted January 1, 2008 Author Report Posted January 1, 2008 Happy New Year and Have a Wonderful 2008 to All.Cheers,Minh Luong
mluong303 Posted January 22, 2008 Author Report Posted January 22, 2008 I am wondering Who is the lucky owner of this beautiful system?
mluong303 Posted January 26, 2008 Author Report Posted January 26, 2008 If you are reading this Chinese article on AR-3a, be sure to cross check with the AR timeline and other information in the Classic Speaker Pages > AR library to avoid wrong dates and wrong info...!!!from: Taiwanhttp://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/edeere49/articl...8&next=1888
mluong303 Posted February 7, 2008 Author Report Posted February 7, 2008 Gung Hei Fat Choi to All. February 7th, 2008The Mouse(Rat)First sign of the Zodiac.Creative problem solver, Imaginative, Hyperactive worker respected for its resourcefulness. Intuitive with ability in acquiring and holding on to things it values.If you were born in:1900, 1912, 1924,1936, 1948, 1960,1972, 1984, 1996, 2008
mluong303 Posted February 27, 2008 Author Report Posted February 27, 2008 The Best way to utilize a single AR-1W speaker is to sell it to the person who wish to have a pair of mirror imaged AR-3a or AR-3 speakers. The AR-1w cabinet comes in handy for this application.The main reason why people wish to own mirror imaged drivers AR-3a speakers is in Hong Kong or Japan, the living space is so precious that the LR speakers most of the time is only 4 feet apart and 4 to 5 ft away from the listener therefore it does matter and for people who listen carefully will prefer to have mirror imaged AR-3a than the original AR-3a with drivers all shifted to the left direction...My main concern is the person who is going to cut out the tweeter and midrange opening better have high RPM router and very sharp router bids so the opening holes will not look like Frankenstein job after the operation and bastardized a historical AR-1W speaker cabinet...!!!The attached pictures of this modified AR-3 cabinet were done in Hong Kong professionally.Minh Luong
mluong303 Posted October 14, 2008 Author Report Posted October 14, 2008 Greeting from U.S.A. to Hong Kong readers,If any one has the following 2 magazines in your library, please scan me high resolution same size scans for the articles and email me at mluong303@aol.com1). HiFi Review #4 in 1989.2). Chinese version of Japanese Stereo Sound magazine No. 94 for the Amati speakers review article.Thank you in advance for your time and efforts,Minh Luong
mluong303 Posted October 14, 2008 Author Report Posted October 14, 2008 From Taiwan:http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/jw!VqR2uvyaGACcXPRCqK72/http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/jw!VqR2uvya...32&next=992http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/jw!VqR2uvya...11&next=943http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/jw!VqR2uvya...5&next=1011http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/jw!VqR2uvya...1&next=1032
Carlspeak Posted October 14, 2008 Report Posted October 14, 2008 The Best way to utilize a single AR-1W speaker is to sell it to the person who wish to have a pair of mirror imaged AR-3a or AR-3 speakers. The AR-1w cabinet comes in handy for this application.The main reason why people wish to own mirror imaged drivers AR-3a speakers is in Hong Kong or Japan, the living space is so precious that the LR speakers most of the time is only 4 feet apart and 4 to 5 ft away from the listener therefore it does matter and for people who listen carefully will prefer to have mirror imaged AR-3a than the original AR-3a with drivers all shifted to the left direction...My main concern is the person who is going to cut out the tweeter and midrange opening better have high RPM router and very sharp router bids so the opening holes will not look like Frankenstein job after the operation and bastardized a historical AR-1W speaker cabinet...!!!The attached pictures of this modified AR-3 cabinet were done in Hong Kong professionally.Minh LuongAttched are some pictures of two AR1W cabinets that have been modified to my AR3a Super-Mod specifications as a mirror image. In this case I installed Scanspeak tweeters at the customer's request. I was able to offset the smaller Scanspeak 3/4 inch tweeter so it could be mounted closer to the midrange for better imaging (photo also attached). Also be aware, the AR1W cabinet woofer flange hole is quite deep into the very thick front baffle board. I fabricated a 3/4 inch thick spacer shim to move the woofer further out for better time alignment with the mid and tweeter like the later model 3a's.BTW, the links on post #2 above don't work any more.
mluong303 Posted November 8, 2008 Author Report Posted November 8, 2008 More than 500 pairs of AR-3a Limited had been made around 1989. They were made with 3/4" MDF covered with walnut vinyl. Internal bracing was the same as the original AR-3a speakers from 1969. In addition, there are very small numbers of special order with real walnut and golden oak veneer with solid walnut and oak for the thick frames as shown in these pictures from Hong Kong and Japan markets. Hello Hong Kong readers, I am still waiting for someone to scan and email me the Chinese articles on the AR-3a limited (HiFi Review #4) and the Cello Amati reviews (Stereo Sound 1994) if you can dig them out from your personal library... Thank you in advance for your time and efforts! Minh Luong mluong303@aol.com
mluong303 Posted November 17, 2008 Author Report Posted November 17, 2008 Here is a pair of production AR-3a Limited walnut vinyl speakers(the woofer doesn't look like original). They were made in MA and all shipped to Hong Kong(Ming Fat), Taiwan(Proton) and Japan before International Jensen Incorporated moved AR to Benicia, CA to start the AR-303 series...Minh Luong
mluong303 Posted November 21, 2008 Author Report Posted November 21, 2008 Francis Phua's opinion...http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt...ficial%26sa%3DN
mluong303 Posted December 5, 2008 Author Report Posted December 5, 2008 Hi Teacher --- a Top Notch AR collector and restorer in Taiwan I am very impress with your knowledge of Acoustic Research speakers and the restoration projects you had done. Your attention to details and restoration techniques are truly first class. I wish you would join us in the Classic Speaker page/AR Forum to talk about your experience, the modification of crossovers using L-Pads with added green resistors and your listening experience of the differences between polypropylene capacitors in comparison to the use of antique Western Electric oil filled capacitors... we are looking forward for your responses. Thanks.the specification of AR coils are as follow:AR #1 coil is 0.044mH (+/- 0.003mH)AR #4 coil is 0.88mH (+/- 0.060mH)AR #7 coil is 1.88mH (+/- 0.060mH)AR #9 coil is 2.85mH (+/- 0.085mH)There was only one model of AR-3a Limited speakers made in 1989-1991(small amount were made with walnut and golden oak veneers and the majority were made with walnut vinyl over 3/4" MDF cabinets. The AR-3a Improved were made around 1974 which had nothing to do with he AR-3a Limited production. This thin frame model were made with real walnut or teak over high density particle board. MDF material didn't come until the AR9 and there after...Minh Luongmluong303@aol.com
mluong303 Posted December 8, 2008 Author Report Posted December 8, 2008 Links from Taiwan, Korea and Japanhttp://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/jw!VqR2uvya...e?l=f&id=26http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt...ficial%26sa%3DNhttp://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt...ficial%26sa%3DNhttp://www.audio-heritage.jp/AR/speaker/index.html
Carlspeak Posted December 8, 2008 Report Posted December 8, 2008 Mluong, the myblog link has an AR4x with an unusual stuffing with what appear to be bags of something. Could you translate the author's discussion on the box stuffing portion of his blog please?
mluong303 Posted December 9, 2008 Author Report Posted December 9, 2008 Carl,The text mention some kind of stone fiber(rock wool?) but I don't know the exact kind! Chinese technical terminologies are not easy for me to do direct translation to English! That is why I ask "Teacher" to explain the details himself. I know he did visit the AR Forum and copy the AR driver pictures of the AR-3a restoration document to his posting in Taiwan. It seems to me he is using the original stuffing but pack it up into mini pillow packages for neatness and to avoid the broken fiber particles to floating around freely internally?!Another Taiwanese AR-3a Limited speakers owner who upgraded his AR-3a Limited crossovers to become off board components. He also copy whole bunch of my pictures in the AR Forum to his end but somehow confused by which speaker is home made and which one is original! He misspell the Cello Strad Master which stands for Stradivari Master, Not Stand Master! I wish he will at least help out and tell us the serial numbers of his pair of walnut vinyl AR-3a Limited speakers. http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/mr_kai94/articl...60&next=119Minh Luong
mluong303 Posted December 21, 2008 Author Report Posted December 21, 2008 AR-LST and AR-3a speakers restoration from Japan:http://www.audiolab.co.jp/used_restore/AR/...LST_restore.htmhttp://www.onomichi.ne.jp/ishii/ar3a/index2.html...and here are some creative speakers ever made including our own Ken Kantor's AR-MGC1 in 1986.http://www.audiostereo.pl/forum_wpisy.html...=6668&all=1
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