Audio history desecration...

[Anthropologo]

I watch AR-1s on ebay, as historical audio artifacts they fascinate me; I even keep a spreadsheet with serial numbers and notes of all that I see as I find their short yet varied production history quite fascinating.

I had been watching a pair for a while where the seller wanted over $4000 for the pair, rather pricey, but it is ebay. Was not very much surprised when they disappeared a few days ago as they had come and gone for at least a month.

However, much to my dismay I saw the cabinets reappear today with gaping holes where the Altecs had been removed (and presumably sold separately). I know this has become a common practice with many AR-1s and I try to understand the more commercially oriented practices and deviations between a collector/hobby/enthusiast and a business, but still, there aren't that many of these around and they represent the original DNA for modern speakers.

There is something about seeing them mutilated and never to function again as developed, built, and enjoyed that I find unsettling.....sigh.....

[ar_pro]

Yeah, it stinks, but prior to about 1995, "obsolete" AR-1s would most likely have been passed down to a grandchild who would've blown them up, or been traded in for pennies on newer equipment, or just been dumpster-ized.

There's an outside chance they would've found their way into the pages of the old "Audiomart" newsletter, and thus into an enthusiast's system, but that's probably wishful thinking.

I've been lucky enough to own three AR-1 speakers - a single bought from the front window of an Arizona HiFi store for twenty dollars, and a unfinished plywood pair from a guy at the 1997 Timonium, MD Hamfest, who took fifty bucks.

I refinished the walnut cabinet on the first AR-1 until it looked factory-fresh, and used it as a dedicated center channel speaker with my stacked AR-3a setup.

The hamfest pair were cosmetically very rough, but played perfectly, and they hung around for a few years, before being sold to a Japanese collector who made an unbelievable offer.

A pair of the AR-1 in blonde finish, with the blonde Janszen electrostatic tweeter is my Holy Grail - just have to be in the right place at the right time.

[JKent]

Yes Anthropologo, "desecration" is the word I would choose. I hate to see any real classics "parted out" for pure profit/greed. OTOH restorers like us would have no source of parts without the butchers.

But this reminds me. A few years back there was a post (can't find it now) about some clone 755As being manufactured in China. They were probably obscenely expensive but I wonder what became of them.

Kent

[genek]

I look at it this way, Better to have the Altecs sold and then the cabinets relisted than for someone to buy them whole, take out the Altecs and then trash the rest.

Objectively, I've heard that Altec and it has a collectible mystique that is far in excess of the quality of its sound.

[genek]

http://www.wildburroaudio.com/speakers.php

Made in the USA

[Anthropologo]

I look at it this way, Better to have the Altecs sold and then the cabinets relisted than for someone to buy them whole, take out the Altecs and then trash the rest.

Objectively, I've heard that Altec and it has a collectible mystique that is far in excess of the quality of its sound.

to each their own ears I suppose as all listening is subjective; I have a pair of 7 post AR-1s with the Janszen 130s and have blind compared them with a variety of musician friends using AR-3a, Dynaco A-25, AR-92, KLH 17, KLH 23 and a host of modern black sided speakers including Bowen and Wilkens, to date we have found only the AR-3s to be on a par with the AR-1s although the Dynacos are very nice too

[genek]

Yes, but how much of that was the bass and how much the top end? Even when the AR-1 was new, people were looking for add-ons to improve its top range.

[Anthropologo]

Yes, but how much of that was the bass and how much the top end? Even when the AR-1 was new, people were looking for add-ons to improve its top range.

to me and those who have listened to them with me they just sound really good - perhaps the most natural and uncolored speaker I have ever experienced, in my opinion all you hear is the music as it was recorded, I can see how some might find them almost too neutral - what they will do is show up any and all deficiencies in bad productions while well-produced recordings shine (CD, Digital, Vinyl, or tape) - as to bass and top, I don't know - I keep the tone controls centered or even run the signal straight through the amp with the tone controls off, they like power - my amp puts out up to 300 watts at 4 ohms and I have run them hard with nary a hiccup, I listened to them for over a year before I managed to acquire both Janszens and they did make an audible difference - perhaps more sibilance and seemed to open up the whole soundstage a bit more - again, this is all subjective based on my ears, I have considered selling them a couple of times and grabbing a pair of AR-3s or 3as and would if I thought the sound was compromised....but just don't think it is, plus they are a piece of history...I have not heard LSTs and think those might be the only things that could cause a switch...