tysontom Posted October 28, 2002 Report Share Posted October 28, 2002 In a response to another topic, "The best possible replacement tweeter," writer Anthony made this interesting statement below:"...I had the opportunity of speaking to an elderly gentleman named Louis Gerring this morning who once was part owner of a "hifi shop" in NYC in the 1950s and 1960s. He told me that he delivered a pair of early original ARs from his shop on a hand-truck to a musician about seven blocks away - "A skinny kid who I thought was Dave Brubeck at first... He lived on the fourth floor over at the Brevoort over by Washington Square...This was right before Christmas 1958." As it turned out, this "skinny kid" was the late Buddy Holly (he didn't know who Buddy Holly was until he died a few months later, but he said the singer gave him a $20 tip which was quite a bit of money back in 1958 and thought he still had the AR delivery receipt somewhere in his files). Back to the point of AR4x speakers: He did mention (after I told him I was trying to restore an old pair odf AR4x models and trying to ocate some original tweeters) that the AR4 and 4x were pretty controversial because of its size, sound, and speaker choices even when it was in its introductory years. He said that the AR4 and AR4x were 'the speaker of choice to own for college kids in their dorm rooms in the 1960s...Most of the people we sold them to were college kids here in the city and over at Columbia...Couldn't stock enough of those little bastards back then.'"This brings up an interesting topic: the famous people who, and the places and recording studios that, used AR speakers during the 50s, 60s, 70s and on into the 80s. Please add to this list going forward if you have accurate information. Examples below are only a small sampling of the well-known places and people who used AR speakers through the years.Places:Civic Ballet, Greenville, SC (AR-3's in 1960s)WHDC FM, Boston (AR-3's in 60s)San Diego Symphony Orchestra (AR-3's in 60s and 70s)WTFM FM, New York (AR-3's in 50s and 60s)Lincoln Center, NY (Various AR's in 60s and 70s)New York's Town Hall, NYC (60s)Eastman School of Music (60s, 70s Various AR's)Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC (various)Museum of Modern Art, NYC (AR-5's used as sound reinforcement)Covent Garden - England (LST's)Royal Opera House - Copenhagen (LST's, AR-6's)etc.Recording Studios:DGGAngel RecordsElectraConnoisseur Society RecordsPhilipsArchivLondonVanguardSun Recording Studiosetc.Recording Artists and Musicians:Jerry MulliganE. Powers BiggsUriah HeepSejy Ozawa (BSO)Jay Murphy and Lindsay Harris (Harp and Bard)Rudolph Serkin (pianist)Jim Robinson, Ernie Cognolitti, Louis Cottrell (New Orleans Jazz)Virgil Thompson (music critic and composer)Phil Ochs (guitarist)Manitas de Plata (classical guitarist)Fine Arts QuartetGustavo LopezBuddy Holly (above?)David IrenzonNeville Merriner (conductor)Herbert von Karajan (conductor)Don Ellis (Jazz)Miles Davis (jazz)Arthur Fiedler (conductor)Judy Collins etc."Famous" Users:Nelson RockefellerRichard NixonSteve McQueenetc.Add to this list if you know other examples--Tom Tyson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charger3834 Posted October 28, 2002 Report Share Posted October 28, 2002 Tom,The New York Museum of Modern Art used AR-2ax's before they had AR-5's.What equipment did Steve McQueen and Nixon own ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve F Posted October 28, 2002 Report Share Posted October 28, 2002 Add these to the list:Woody Herman (Jazz big-band leader)Boston University (Lecture halls and music rooms)Syracuse University (Music rooms)Steve F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
administrator Posted October 29, 2002 Report Share Posted October 29, 2002 And .. Westfield State College! I could have cared less about the music class I was forced to take, but I was always checking out the AR's mounted on the wall.Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rickcee Posted October 29, 2002 Report Share Posted October 29, 2002 and -- MEWell, somebody had to say it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charger3834 Posted October 29, 2002 Report Share Posted October 29, 2002 Louis Armstrong had an AR-2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tysontom Posted October 29, 2002 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2002 >Tom, >>The New York Museum of Modern Art used AR-2ax's before they >had AR-5's. >Yes, I think you are right. They apparently owned both. I know that they used them for concerts outdoors.>What equipment did Steve McQueen and Nixon own ? I don't know precisely, but I think McQueen had AR-3a's and I'm pretty sure that Nixon had AR-3's. --Tom Tyson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tysontom Posted October 29, 2002 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2002 >Louis Armstrong had an AR-2 This is exactly right. I forgot to mention his name in the list. I was told that Charles Graham, the hi-fi expert of *Downbeat* magazine several years ago, helped many jazz musicians with the selection of their hi-fi equipment. He got the AR-2 for Louis Armstrong. Acoustic Research provided AR products at wholesale to professional musicians and research people as a professional courtesy. There was no quid pro quo, per se, but AR did get some useful photos and quotes -- out of genuine appreciation from the users of this equipment. At least up to 1967, AR did not pay musicians or other professionals for their pictures or testimonials in AR ads.Edgar Villchur got a short reel-to-reel tape (long gone) from Armstrong thanking him "...for that AR speaker you laid on me."--Tom Tyson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tysontom Posted October 29, 2002 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2002 The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, used six or eight AR-3a's, each channel-pair driven by a Crown DC-150 amplfier (I think), in the ceiling-dome of the Morehead Planetarium for their sound system. It worked quite well, but I recall that there were a few burned-out tweeters along the way. You could really "feel" the bass, as you might imagine, on Also sprach Zarathustra. There was also a well-known restaurant in downtown Chapel Hill, The Carolina Coffee Shop, that used AR-2a's in the ceiling four corners (no pun intended) of the large, dark main dining hall, and classical and jazz music was played continuously. It was a great place to dine! Somewhere in the late 70s or so, they were removed and replaced with Infinity or Bose or something, reason being that after several years, the tweeters would "drop out," due to the level controls, and it was too much trouble to get up there and wiggle the knobs back and forth. As you can imagine, the sound was never the same after that.--Tom Tyson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve F Posted October 29, 2002 Report Share Posted October 29, 2002 >>The New York Museum of Modern Art used AR-2ax's before they had AR-5's. >>Yes, I think you are right. They apparently owned both. I >know that they used them for concerts outdoors. >Without digging out my 1969 catalog, I believe that was the one that showed the (first generation) 2ax's in the NY MMA. The 1971 catalog showed the 5's.Steve F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tysontom Posted November 9, 2002 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2002 From my friend at *Downbeat* magazine, I have found that I left off some other prominent jazz artists with AR speakers:Dizzie Gillespie (he heard AR speakers at Louis Armstrong's house)Gerry MulliganTheolonious MonkBuddy RichColeman HawkinsRay Eldridge--Tom Tyson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charger3834 Posted November 10, 2002 Report Share Posted November 10, 2002 I did a little digging and found a few that went unmentioned.-Columbia University used AR-3a's and the AR amp for hearing research.-Laval University somewhere in Canada (although I have no idea where it is) used first generation AR-2ax's in the linguistics labs.-Chicago Symphony Orchestra used AR-3a's in the control room.-WABC-FM in New York City used first generation AR-2ax's and turntables in the offices.- I think Electric Light Orchestra used AR equipment in the 1970's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charger3834 Posted November 10, 2002 Report Share Posted November 10, 2002 one more:- ST. Johns Episcopal Church Washinton, D.C. used first generation AR-2x's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charger3834 Posted November 10, 2002 Report Share Posted November 10, 2002 oops! I spelled Washington incorrectly.I wonder if there are any "famous" folks who currently use vintage AR gear ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tysontom Posted November 11, 2002 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2002 This is great; the list is growing. There are actually many, many more famous or prestigious owners/users/places of AR equipment, so let's keep adding to the "reference list."Following is the updated list, not alphabetized, as of 11/10/2002:*Artists and Musicians*:Jerry Mulligan (jazz musician)E. Powers Biggs (organist)Uriah HeepSejy Ozawa (BSO)Jay Murphy and Lindsay Harris (Harp and Bard)Rudolph Serkin (pianist)Jim Robinson, Ernie Cognolitti, Louis Cottrell (New Orleans Jazz)Virgil Thompson (music critic and composer)Phil Ochs (guitarist)Manitas de Plata (classical guitarist)Fine Arts Quartet (classical music quartet)Gustavo Lopez (guitarist)Buddy Holly (rock ‘n roll)David IrenzonNeville Merriner (conductor)Herbert von Karajan (conductor)Don Ellis (Jazz)Miles Davis (jazz)Arthur Fiedler (conductor)Judy Collins (folk singer)Louis Armstrong (Jazz)Woodie Herman (Jazz big-band leader)Dizzie Gillespie (he heard AR speakers at Louis Armstrong's house)Theolonious MonkBuddy Rich (jazz drummer)Coleman Hawkins (jazz)Ray Eldridge*Places*:Civic Ballet, Greenville, SC (AR-3's in 1960s)WHDC FM, Boston (AR-3's in 60s)San Diego Symphony Orchestra (AR-3's in 60s and 70s)WTFM FM, New York (AR-3's in 50s and 60s)Lincoln Center, NY (Various AR's in 60s and 70s)New York's Town Hall, NYC (60s)Eastman School of Music (60s, 70s Various AR's)Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC (various)Museum of Modern Art, NYC (AR-5's used as sound reinforcement)Covent Garden - England (LST's)Royal Opera House - Copenhagen (LST's, AR-6's)Westfield State CollegeUniversity of North Carolina Morehead Planetarium (AR-3as)The Carolina Coffee Shop, (AR-2a's)Columbia University (AR-3a's/AR amp for hearing research)Laval University (Canada) Linguistics Labs (AR-2ax's) Chicago Symphony Orchestra (AR-3a's in the control room)WABC-FM -- New York City (AR-2ax's/turntables in the offices) Electric Light Orchestra (AR equipment in the 1970's)St. Johns Episcopal Church -- Washington, D.C. (AR-2x's)*Recording Studios*:DGGAngel RecordsElectraConnoisseur Society RecordsPhilipsArchivLondonVanguardSun Recording Studios--Tom Tyson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tysontom Posted November 25, 2002 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2002 >>Tom, >>>>The New York Museum of Modern Art used AR-2ax's before they >>had AR-5's. >>>>Yes, I think you are right. They apparently owned both. I >know that they used them for concerts outdoors. >>>What equipment did Steve McQueen and Nixon own ? >>I don't know precisely, but I think McQueen had AR-3a's and >I'm pretty sure that Nixon had AR-3's. >Erratum: Nixon had AR-2's, not AR-3's as reported above. The reason we know this is that AR received a call from the White House one day during the Nixon Administration stating there was a problem with one of Nixon's AR-2's. AR offered to repair the speaker in the usual manner: return it, expense-paid, to the factory for warranty repair. The White House refused, apparently fearing that a "bug" or something might be installed in a "factory-repaired" AR-2. AR then decided to send in a "kit" to fix it in the field by secret-service personnel. This was not to imply that Nixon was by any means paranoid -- nothing like that. Watergate (1972) notwithstanding, he had good taste in loudspeakers.--Tom Tyson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve F Posted November 26, 2002 Report Share Posted November 26, 2002 Tom,Don't forget these places from my reply #2:2. "RE: AR Loudspeakers -- Famous Users"In response to message #1 Boston University (Lecture halls and music rooms) (first-generation 2ax's)Syracuse University (Music rooms) (3's)Steve F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 26, 2002 Report Share Posted November 26, 2002 I recently saw an old photo of an "informal" JFK while running for President in 1960 at a desk (not sure if it was his or not but I would guess it was probably at his own Hyannis Port home located on the Kennedy Compound)) with a set of ARs in the background set near a book case. Wish I knew more about the photo - Don't know for sure, but I guess it would be safe to assume that the speakers may ahve been his due to the fact that JFK enjoyed music (as did his wife) and Acoustic Research was already a popular New England speaker brand by 1960. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tysontom Posted November 26, 2002 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2002 >I recently saw an old photo of an "informal" JFK while >running for President in 1960 at a desk (not sure if it was >his or not but I would guess it was probably at his own >Hyannis Port home located on the Kennedy Compound)) with a >set of ARs in the background set near a book case. >>Wish I knew more about the photo - Don't know for sure, but >I guess it would be safe to assume that the speakers may >ahve been his due to the fact that JFK enjoyed music (as did >his wife) and Acoustic Research was already a popular New >England speaker brand by 1960. Anthony,I have actually heard, unofficially, that several of the Kennedy's had AR speakers. I recall someone from AR telling me that JFK had AR's, but my memory of that is not clear enough to put it forward. Your posting seems to authenticate somewhat the information I remember. Thanks for your post on that information. I really wouldn't be surprised if JFK probably got some of his famous "stress-release" therapy while listening to music through AR-3's. Maybe Marylyn Monroe dialed in some Miles Davis, "Kind of Blue," on a pair of mint-condition AR-3's. We'll never know, will we?--Tom Tyson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tysontom Posted November 26, 2002 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2002 Steve,I completely forgot to add your places to the list. Following, therefore, is the updated list, not alphabetized, as of 11/25/2002: *Artists and Musicians*: Jerry Mulligan (jazz musician) E. Powers Biggs (organist) Uriah Heep Sejy Ozawa (BSO) Jay Murphy and Lindsay Harris (Harp and Bard) Rudolph Serkin (pianist) Jim Robinson, Ernie Cognolitti, Louis Cottrell (New Orleans Jazz) Virgil Thompson (music critic and composer) Phil Ochs (guitarist) Manitas de Plata (classical guitarist) Fine Arts Quartet (classical music quartet) Gustavo Lopez (guitarist) Buddy Holly (rock ‘n roll) David Irenzon Neville Merriner (conductor) Herbert von Karajan (conductor) Don Ellis (Jazz) Miles Davis (jazz) Arthur Fiedler (conductor) Judy Collins (folk singer) Louis Armstrong (Jazz) Woodie Herman (Jazz big-band leader) Dizzie Gillespie (influenced by Louis Armstrong) Theolonious Monk Buddy Rich (jazz drummer) Coleman Hawkins (jazz) Ray Eldridge *Places*: Civic Ballet, Greenville, SC (AR-3's in 1960s) WHDC FM, Boston (AR-3's in 60s) San Diego Symphony Orchestra (AR-3's in 60s and 70s) WTFM FM, New York (AR-3's in 50s and 60s) Lincoln Center, NY (Various AR's in 60s and 70s) New York's Town Hall, NYC (60s) Eastman School of Music (60s, 70s Various AR's) Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC (various) Museum of Modern Art, NYC (AR-5's used as sound reinforcement) Covent Garden - England (LST's) Royal Opera House - Copenhagen (LST's, AR-6's) Westfield State College University of North Carolina Morehead Planetarium (AR-3as) The Carolina Coffee Shop, (AR-2a's) Columbia University (AR-3a's/AR amp for hearing research) Laval University (Canada) Linguistics Labs (AR-2ax's) Chicago Symphony Orchestra (AR-3a's in the control room) WABC-FM -- New York City (AR-2ax's/AR-XA turntables) Electric Light Orchestra (AR equipment in the 1970's) St. Johns Episcopal Church -- Washington, D.C. (AR-2x's) Boston University (Lecture halls and music rooms) (first-generation 2ax's)Syracuse University (Music rooms) (3's)*Recording Studios*: DGG Angel Records Electra Connoisseur Society Records Philips Archiv London Vanguard Sun Recording Studios --Tom Tyson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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