AR 9 or 90, which schematic is correct?

[Stimpy]

Hello,

After approximately 8 years (long story!) I am finally in a position to finish the refoam and recap of my AR 90 speakers. However, my memory, and attempted polarity identification, leave much to be desired. As such, when I went to reinstall and reconnect my lower mids, I had the green wire on one speaker marked as positive, but the white wire on the other speaker was labeled positive (and if correct to how they were originally wired, that might explain why I always thought the upper bass sounded 'thin')!?!? What to do? So, I looked up the 90 schematic here on ClassicSpeakers, and the schematic showed green as positive. Then I looked up the 9 schematic, and that schematic showed white as positive! Which is correct? Shouldn't both speakers be wired the same? Shouldn't both schematics match? I'm confused now, and don't know how to proceed... Help!

Thanks.

[Robert_S]

I looked up the 90 schematic here on ClassicSpeakers, and the schematic showed green as positive.

Thanks.

In the pair of AR-90 that I have, the lower mid-range are wired white to positive, as the schematic in the following post illustrates:

http://www.classicsp...t=20#entry72384

The crossover assembly drawing, image, and the PDF referenced, would be my starting point for confirmation that both speakers were wired in the same manner.

The AR-9 schematic is specific to that model only.

Robert_S

[Stimpy]

Thanks for the reply Robert. And thanks for confirming the wiring on your 90s.

As to the schematic you linked, that is the schematic that I also looked at initially.

While it shows white to the positive LMR terminal, if you trace the connection back,

it's connected to the negative speaker input!?! See why I'm confused...???

In the pair of AR-90 that I have, the lower mid-range are wired white to positive, as the schematic in the following post illustrates:

http://www.classicsp...t=20#entry72384

The crossover assembly drawing, image, and the PDF referenced, would be my starting point for confirmation that both speakers were wired in the same manner.

The AR-9 schematic is specific to that model only.

Robert_S

[SHOKDU]

The schematic shows the white wire going to the negative post. You have got to remember, speakers work off of AC current, not DC, so polarity is relative to that. "polarity" of a speaker generally is only to determine what phase a speaker is in.

[SHOKDU]

To be clearer; the schematic shows the white wire connected to the negative binding post and to the positive input of the speakers. Do you need help identifying the positive post of the speaker as well? Take a 9 volt battery and touch the leads to the leads of the speaker. If the cone pushes out, look where the positive post of the battery is, that is the speakers positive lead. If the cone pulls in, youve got the positive side of the battery on the negative speaker lead, swap the battery and the cone will push out.

[Robert_S]

While it shows white to the positive LMR terminal, if you trace the connection back, it's connected to the negative speaker input!?! See why I'm confused...???

My understanding is that that's how it should be: the AR-90 negative binding post terminal connects to the positive (+) terminal of the tweeter, upper mid-range, and lower mid-range.

I understand your concern that one of the lower mid-range drivers may have been connected incorrectly, as in out of phase — that is assuming the rest of the wiring in each unit matches appropriately. I have previously read that AR followed the convention where the lighter colour wire at each and every driver is connected to the positive (+) terminal of that driver.

With reference to the AR-9 schematic, I've seen the drawing that shows the positive binding post terminal connecting to the (+) terminal of the tweeter, upper mid-range, and lower mid-range. However, the image showing an AR-9 upper-crossover in the following post would appear to contradict that:

http://www.classicsp...317

The accuracy of the AR-9 schematic, regarding polarity, is something for those with AR-9 to consider, I guess. Given that the input signal is AC, all that is really brought into question is the notion of 'absolute phase', if such a thing is of concern. Note however that absolute phase may vary from recording to recording, and sometimes within the same recording, depending on how the microphones and other electronic components were configured.

Robert_S

[Stimpy]

Thanks Robert and Shokdu,

I really appreciate the advice and tips. While a schematic is easy enough to understand,

I just wanted to confirm that the schematic I followed was correct. As such, I matched my

wiring to the AR90 drawing. So far, everything is sounding awesome; better than I ever

remember! Which also makes me think that the LMR drivers were wired out of phase to one

another from the factory. The upper bass/lower mids never sounded this good! I can hear

Chris Squire in the mix again!

Take care,

Stewart

My understanding is that that's how it should be: the AR-90 negative binding post terminal connects to the positive (+) terminal of the tweeter, upper mid-range, and lower mid-range.

I understand your concern that one of the lower mid-range drivers may have been connected incorrectly, as in out of phase — that is assuming the rest of the wiring in each unit matches appropriately. I have previously read that AR followed the convention where the lighter colour wire at each and every driver is connected to the positive (+) terminal of that driver.

With reference to the AR-9 schematic, I've seen the drawing that shows the positive binding post terminal connecting to the (+) terminal of the tweeter, upper mid-range, and lower mid-range. However, the image showing an AR-9 upper-crossover in the following post would appear to contradict that:

http://www.classicsp...317

The accuracy of the AR-9 schematic, regarding polarity, is something for those with AR-9 to consider, I guess. Given that the input signal is AC, all that is really brought into question is the notion of 'absolute phase', if such a thing is of concern. Note however that absolute phase may vary from recording to recording, and sometimes within the same recording, depending on how the microphones and other electronic components were configured.

Robert_S

[Stimpy]

Oh yea,

Anyone know why the front baffle, upper range drivers are wired in respect to the woofers, differently, depending whether its a 9 or 90?

I guess when looking at the schematics, of the 2 speakers, I didn't expect to find that difference. Differences in crossover components, yes,

but not different woofer phasing...? Very surprising...

Thanks!

[Robert_S]

With reference to the AR-9 schematic, I've seen the drawing that shows the positive binding post terminal connecting to the (+) terminal of the tweeter, upper mid-range, and lower mid-range. However, the image showing an AR-9 upper-crossover in the following post would appear to contradict that:

http://www.classicsp...317

On consideration, the image linked to in the post quoted above would appear to show an AR-90 upper-crossover board, not one from an AR-9 as I had first assumed.

Robert_S

[Joel]

These are the pictures I took of my AR9 LMR drivers before I removed them for refoaming. I assume the label in red is positive? The third picture is one of the woofers.

-Joel

[Joel]

Here are the AR9 crossovers to show the wiring.

-Joel