AR9 Center channel

[Guest dogmeninreno]

I am using a set of vintage AR9's for my main front L&R speakers. Would a good match for the 9's be a AR18b for the center channel? What wouls anyone recommend for the rears? I have some AR92's and 93's.4x's,3a's and a set of 18b's.

[ninohernes]

I would put 3a's in the front and the 4x's in the rear. Or maybe if you don’t like the 4x's in the rear, put the 9's in the rear. I really like the way the AR-3a sounds, that’s why I would put it in front, the AR-3a is truly a fantastic speaker. That big ol' woofer really shakes the floor!

[administrator]

Hey Nino ..

You may not have had an up close and personal encounter with the AR-9's. If you think the AR-3a shakes the floor in terms of bass, the AR-9 would knock you out the window.

(Was that an eloquent way to say it?)

I love the AR-3a's too, and I have four AR-303a's in my living room for my Dolby Digital setup. But if I had a bigger place, no girlfriend, and more cash to burn (wait these last two are the same) I would have AR-9's in the front. Especially when we're talking about a surround sound system.

Mark

[Guest dogmeninreno]

Thanks, The 9's are my choice for the front left and right. The AR3a's are a great speaker and I have several pairs of them but I prefer the imaging of the 9's let alone their bass response! I am trying to find a speaker that would match the 9's as close as possible in timber and overall upper end sound. I am using an Adcom 555II @ 360 watts per channel into 4 ohms on the front 9's and plan to bi-amp them with a tube line stage for the upper end someday. The center channel is being driven at 100 watts and the rears at 50 watts each. Thanks for any assistance guys. I don't have much experience with the 9's but I am really impressed so far! Dale in Reno.....

[Guest Brian_D]

We're in the same boat here.

I have 9's in the front, 17's in the rear, and I'm going to build a center channel. If I had my druthers, I would get another 9 and put it behind my projection screen, but who is going to give me one speaker?

The one I'm building has two 8's from the 17/18, and the mid and tweeter arangement form the 9's.

I'm also building a LFE unit (subwoofer) with two of the famous 12" alnico woofers. I'm trying to talk myself out of building two... That's all I need, 8 12" woofers in a 13'x18' room!

Anyway, the challenge is going to be the crossover, because the midrange overlaps the 8" so much. I'll probably end up cutting the woofer off way lower than it's capapble of playing, but I think that would be the same result as using the 8"mid from the 9. They're basically the same driver, with a smaller voice coil. After hearing the 17's, I think two of the 8's will cover the range fine.

Anyway, if you're interested, I can get the crossover schematic to you after it's built.

[Guest dogmeninreno]

I would be interested. Thanks! dald@sbcglobal.net

[Guest]

>But if I had a bigger place, no girlfriend, and more cash to burn (wait these last two are the same) I would have AR-9's in the front. <

My unsolicited advice? Get the 9's before "girlfriend" turns into "wife." You think you're broke now, but just wait until you start having to buy anniversary presents and diapers!

Besides, isn't there an old adage - "Love me, love my speakers."

Unless you marry an AR collector, it's easier to convince them to allow you your speakers BEFORE they say "I do" than it is afterward. In fact, it's a lot easier to convince them of a lot of things before they say "I do."

In fact, when I stop to think about it, we ought to change the marriage vows from "I do" to "Until now, I did." ;-)

Bret

[Guest Brian_D]

Man, do I feel lucky.

My wife never even mentions my "obsession" with vintage audio. Of course, it's a fairly new obsession, and I havn't acquired much yet.

When my AR17's arrived, she asked "what are those" I opened the box and she said "cool, does that mean we can get rid of those ugly black ones?" (referring to my teac HT mains) I said yes, and then she cleared a spot for me on the table to do my re-foaming!

She didn't even flinch when my Yamaha YP-D8 showed up today.

I think the key is that she stays at home. With only 1 income, she doesn't have the right to say what happens with the money. I should say that she doesn't feel that she has a right, but of course she does.

Maybe that's the key to all the problems. Keep 'em barefoot and in the kitchen. MAN! did I just regress 60 years or what?

[Guest lmrosenthal]

Hiya Bret!

Saw your post, and thought I'd add my own $.02

>My unsolicited advice? Get the 9's before "girlfriend" turns

>into "wife." You think you're broke now, but just wait until

>you start having to buy anniversary presents and diapers!

Absolutely! Then, just wait for the sons and daughters-in-laws and then the grandkids (let's see, so far 6 kids, 3 married, 4 grandkids - Yikes - it seems to be growing exponentially!!!).

>Besides, isn't there an old adage - "Love me, love my speakers."

Were you the one who coined that? Dang, I knew I got it wrong. I must've said "Love me, love my sneakers." No wonder my wife looks at me so strange when talking about my 3a's.

>Unless you marry an AR collector, it's easier to convince them

>to allow you your speakers BEFORE they say "I do" than it is

>afterward. In fact, it's a lot easier to convince them of a

>lot of things before they say "I do."

On the other hand, you could keep this 'adage' in mind:

"It's easier to ask forgiveness than permission."

Actually the above adage usually doesn't work, so use at your own risk!

Hope things are going well for you, my friend.

Regards,

Larry

[Guest dogmeninreno]

On a hunch, I put an AR5 in the center channel and it sounds real good. If I like the match, I will try stacking 2 behind the screen. Might try a set of AR3a's too?? Any comments? Thanks, Dale in Reno.....

[ninohernes]

I have never been a fan of surround sound, quad, 5.1 or whatever. In my opinion two good stereo speakers and a good stereo recording sounds far superior to me. There seems to be more clarity, depth and definition to the sound than with multi speaker setups. I have listened to many home theater systems, and I have disliked them all. These wonderful classic AR speakers were designed for the best possible sound in a stereo setup.

Joe

Recording and mastering engineer

[Guest]

>Hope things are going well for you, my friend.<

Doing well, doing well. Hope you are, too.

Bret

[Guest]

>With only 1 income, she doesn't have the right to say what happens with the money.<

I gotta tell you, my problem hasn't been the financial situation, really. No, it's the "aesthetic ideal."

Personally, I find my 9s almost as gorgeous as the "old-ball-and-chain" but she doesn't see it that way. I think they are prettiest frontless with all that board-flat walnut showing.

I've been out-voted. Half my life or so.

Bret

[Guest]

>I have never been a fan of surround sound, quad, 5.1 or whatever. In my opinion two good stereo speakers and a good stereo recording sounds far superior to me. <

Yes, but we're out-voted.

I've heard a couple of multi-speaker setups that were nice. There was a quad setup (30 years ago or more) with a classical recording where the rear channels were just ambience. That, in my opinion, was quad's highest and best use.

The second setup was a four-speaker stereo affair with digital time delay on the rear channels and they were set properly (where they really couldn't be heard, just sensed).

But "Whole Lotta Love" in quad trying to induce dizziness if not flashbacks wasn't much fun.

Bret