Roy's listening 9 vs NHT 3.3 vs 10Pi

[Aadams]

I remember reading this thread in 2013 before I had my AR9s.

Ligs, I remember seeing the image you posted of the tweeter in cardboard and at the time thought it was odd.  Now, five years later, and a lot of listening to 9s and experimenting with small monitor type speakers I think the following quotes from you and Steve F were astute. At the time I could read your words but did not have sufficient experience to comprehend.  My humble opinion now is that both you were exactly correct.   

The AR9 is like an early mini monitor with a perfectly integrated subwoofer that used the best drivers AR had at the time.   If given a do over 2 decades later it would look at lot different for all the reasons you and Steve alluded to.

On 2/23/2013 at 7:17 AM, ligs said:

I prefer NHT 3.3's over AR's, especially for vocals and solo instruments. I believe Ken Kantor designed NHT 3.3 to sound like a mini-monitor plus subwoofer similar to Dave Wilson's design for Wilson Audio

On 2/22/2013 at 3:57 PM, Steve F said:

It was as if the designer of the AR-9 was told, 15 years later, "OK, now you can do it again.....this time with all you've learned over the years and with 15 years newer components and test methods. See what you can do

Aadams

[harry398]

On 9/30/2018 at 1:16 PM, Aadams said:

I remember reading this thread in 2013 before I had my AR9s.

 

Ligs, I remember seeing the image you posted of the tweeter in cardboard and at the time thought it was odd.  Now, five years later, and a lot of listening to 9s and experimenting with small monitor type speakers I think the following quotes from you and Steve F were astute. At the time I could read your words but did not have sufficient experience to comprehend.  My humble opinion now is that both you were exactly correct.   

The AR9 is like an early mini monitor with a perfectly integrated subwoofer that used the best drivers AR had at the time.   If given a do over 2 decades later it would look at lot different for all the reasons you and Steve alluded to.

Aadams

I Look at it the opposite way.

Its the perfect pair of  speakers that others chopped up and had to use a subwoofer to get close.......that adds complications and other expenses, plus more clutter in the room.

 

 

Can it be improved?   anything has that possibility.  

Im still thinking over the statement about the tweeter dome and that its recessed to far.........

 

 

 

[DavidDru]

Really interesting.  I am glad this came back up.

I've been thinking a lot about speaker size and room matching lately.  I think this was brought on by my discovery of how good the Ar12's did in my main listening room combined with the feeling that sometimes my much larger AR9's and ADS L1590's overpower the room at higher volumes.

Too bad the 10pi did not stack up well against the others, and for interesting comments on the mid range SQ. 

It sure would be nice to have a more recent or modern build of an AR12 or 11 to try out.  Something with a 10" or even 12" woofer but with improved midrange and tweeters.  Nobody makes them!  Especially in the old standard rectangular box format of the AR3 iterations.  Maybe the ultra expensive Harbeth 40.1