AR Connoisseur 50

[david10d]

Hey guys,

I'm completely new to the audiophile scene and know absolutely nothing about speakers. We have the AR Connoisseur 50 unused collecting dust at the moment with ripped foam. Recently I've asked my dad if I could some how fix it but I have no idea where to start. I've done some research and found some refoam kits on ebay but my dad insists that 'they will not produce the original sound', and that he will only get it fixed if it is from Acoustic Research. Are these still made available? If so where can I get them from? It's probably likely that I can't find them anymore but, heck it's better to get them refoamed then have them lying around doing nothing. With this in mind, I'm also unaware of which refoam kit I should be looking for since there are a lot of models but I cannot see a specific Connoisseur 50 kit.

Are those ebay kits worth getting? Will they still produce a decent sound?

All help is appreciated,

Thanks

[Steve F]

Hey guys,

I'm completely new to the audiophile scene and know absolutely nothing about speakers. We have the AR Connoisseur 50 unused collecting dust at the moment with ripped foam. Recently I've asked my dad if I could some how fix it but I have no idea where to start. I've done some research and found some refoam kits on ebay but my dad insists that 'they will not produce the original sound', and that he will only get it fixed if it is from Acoustic Research. Are these still made available? If so where can I get them from? It's probably likely that I can't find them anymore but, heck it's better to get them refoamed then have them lying around doing nothing. With this in mind, I'm also unaware of which refoam kit I should be looking for since there are a lot of models but I cannot see a specific Connoisseur 50 kit.

Are those ebay kits worth getting? Will they still produce a decent sound?

All help is appreciated,

Thanks

The Connoisseur 50 used the same 12" truncated-frame woofer as previous AR 12" models, therefore any of the good AR re-foam kits would do the job. Many sources list them as AR "11-inch" refoam kits, because the AR 12" woofer was a 'small' 12" woofer. The 50 also used a 6" midrange, but I'm not certain what re-foam kit would be appropriate.

The 50 was a terrific speaker, with a solidly-built cabinet with 1" walls and triple inputs. It adhered to the 1980's "bright, sharp-imaging" mantra, but in that guise, it was quite good. I owned them (actually 50t's) from 1987-1991, powered by an Adcom 555.

Steve F.

[david10d]

Thanks for the reply mate.

Is the refoaming an easy job or is it worth getting a specialist coming in?

Also a complete newbie question here, is there any genre of music I definitely should not touch when using these speakers?

[JKent]

hi David and welcome

Here is a tutorial on refoaming

http://www.citlink.net/~msound/refoam/

That site should also link you to MSound. I like his kits and he is very helpful. He will definitely be able to help you find the right kit for your woofers. A kit costs about $25 and is good for a pair of woofers. It's not difficult but you need patience and care. If you can build a plastic model go for it, otherwise send them to a pro.

Assure Dad that there are many old-timers here and we respect the ARs. AR as he knew it is long gone so there are no "genuine AR" foams, but the new foam kits are very good and if you get the right one (such as MSound sells) and not a "generic" it will bring them back to life. As Steve mentioned the AR 12" is an "odd" size so you must get foam for that specific speaker. There are other eBay sellers, some good others not so good. You may get other recommendations from members here and all are worth consideration.

If you want a pro job you can remove the woofers. Google Millersound (it's in PA) or Carl's Custom Loudspeakers (he's in CT). Cost for a professional job is in the neighborhood of $70/pair plus 2-way shipping.

I'm not familiar with the mid. Is that shot too?

After the speakers are fixed, play whatever music you love.

Kent

[david10d]

If the mid is the 6 inch woofer, then that's fine. It's just the 11/12 inch that has a slight tear.

Unfortunately the MSound ebay store doesn't stock 11" foams for the ARs Are there are other good quality stores on eBay?

[JKent]

Unfortunately the MSound ebay store doesn't stock 11" foams for the ARs

Yes he does! Email him: msound@citlink.net and tell him you need a woofer kit for the AR Connoisseur 50. He will provide the correct kit. This may be the correct one, but email him to be sure:

http://www.ebay.com/...=item4cf45e057d

Also download and look over the AR3a restoration manual from the library here: http://www.classicsp...ring_the_ar-3a/ Your 50 is a direct descendant of the AR3/AR3a. FYI, here is a brochure:

http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/library/acoustic_research/connoisseur_series/connoisseur_series_brochure/connoisseur_series_brochure/connoisseur_series_pg1.html

Kent

[michiganpat]

Yes he does! Email him: msound@citlink.net and tell him you need a woofer kit for the AR Connoisseur 50. He will provide the correct kit. This may be the correct one, but email him to be sure:

http://www.ebay.com/...=item4cf45e057d

Also download and look over the AR3a restoration manual from the library here: http://www.classicsp...ring_the_ar-3a/ Your 50 is a direct descendant of the AR3/AR3a. FYI, here is a brochure:

http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/library/acoustic_research/connoisseur_series/connoisseur_series_brochure/connoisseur_series_brochure/connoisseur_series_pg1.html

Kent

he'll probably even do a custom kit with the mid and woofer foams for a reasonable price. if the woofer foams are toast, the mids probably aren't far behind.