passport Posted September 28, 2013 Report Share Posted September 28, 2013 Last night a couple of my new neighbors stopped by for the evening. There was food, beer, and wine. And music.The age of this couple was maybe 25, 26, if that much. (aside: I find that good music transcends genrations)But what they said to me was amazing. They wanted to know where I bought my speakers, beause they wanted a pair.When I told them that I bought the speakers (AR9's) before they were born, and that Acoustic Research is no longer an ongoing business entity, you should have seen the sadness in their face.Well, if nothing else, at least I broke them of the MP3 habit. But I was left pondering, what is it in music that I enjoy?I truly enjoy the Benny Goodman 78's that I have. And they are definitely not high fidelity. What is it about music that I enjoy?....(oh jeez, another sleepless night as I ponder that question)What is it in music that you enjoy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundminded Posted September 29, 2013 Report Share Posted September 29, 2013 "What is it about music that I enjoy?...."Well whatever it is, it certainly isn't its ability to put you to sleep. BTW, if they want to buy my AR9s, they're for sale. I'll part with them for a mere $10 million. If they bargain real hard, I might just be persuaded to let them go for only $9 million. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mafia1976 Posted September 29, 2013 Report Share Posted September 29, 2013 Listening to music allows me to escape from the world & just switch off!!!Especially through my AR9's ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ar_pro Posted September 30, 2013 Report Share Posted September 30, 2013 We rebuilt our current AR-9 speakers over 5 years ago, so you'd think there wouldn't be any sonic surprises left in them; but twice in the past month, I literally stopped what I'd been doing, and stared at the speakers in astonishment.The most recent instance was "Into The Mystic" from a 24/96 vinyl rip of "Moondance", where the acoustic guitar's intro in the left channel just floored me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundminded Posted September 30, 2013 Report Share Posted September 30, 2013 ar pro, I had a similar experience with my AR9s a few years ago. I was listening to a CD of Copland's third symphony and didn't turn the player off at the end. On came the next selection, his organ concerto. I nearly shattered EVERY one of 28 window panes in my listening room simultaneously. Had it been a little louder or longer I have no doubt I would have. I never realized how dangerous these speakers are. And they can make your house shake too. One piece I never play on them is Also Sprach Zarathustra. AR9 produces far too much thrustra from it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rrcrain Posted September 30, 2013 Report Share Posted September 30, 2013 Soundminded,With reservation, I will, for a small fee, be willing to remove your dangerous AR9's from your home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundminded Posted October 1, 2013 Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 rrcrain, you'd need a permit to move these. I've talked to my township municipal offices and they won't grant one. They say that it would be far too risky to the neighborhood. These things could send strong men screaming into the night. Perhaps it's best to keep them where trained eyes and ears can be certain they're safe. There have been enough earthquakes, tsunamis, and other geological anomalies lately as it is. Do you think if they seeded clouds and I aimed them skyward I could make it rain? How about deflect a meteorite headed for earth. Maybe I should call the government...if they ever reopen for business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
passport Posted February 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 Soundminded,With reservation, I will, for a small fee, be willing to remove your dangerous AR9's from your home. Try as you might, it will never happen.My heirs have already placed name tags on the back of the speakers, staking their claim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
passport Posted February 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 rrcrain, you'd need a permit to move these. I've talked to my township municipal offices and they won't grant one. They say that it would be far too risky to the neighborhood. These things could send strong men screaming into the night. Perhaps it's best to keep them where trained eyes and ears can be certain they're safe. There have been enough earthquakes, tsunamis, and other geological anomalies lately as it is. Do you think if they seeded clouds and I aimed them skyward I could make it rain? How about deflect a meteorite headed for earth. Maybe I should call the government...if they ever reopen for business. True story...Back in 1979 when I wanted to purchase my 9's, I went to County TV and Audio in Stamford, CT. I asked the price for a pair of AR-9's., and he told me, $1400 a pair. (not a bad price, as AR-9's were scarce in the region at the time. He was $200 less than anything else I had heard.)That evening, I called my friend in NJ and told him of my experience that day. He told me, "for that price, pick me up a pair."I told him, "you realize that you will be sending me a check for $1400 tomorrow?" He said, "yes.".So I went back to the store and I asked, " you quoted me $1400 for a pair, how much for four?"The salesman's chin got rug burns. Stuttering... "FOUR AR-9's?!?!?!"Yup, how much""I gotta check"A few minutes later..."$1100 a pair for two pairs""OK""Really?""OK!!!"Two days later, a van delivered four AR-9's to my house. And a week later, my friend picked up his 9's.The only condition was that all the 9's had to be one one invoice with one customer name. Not a problem for me.Still lovin' the 9's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
passport Posted February 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 ...I literally stopped what I'd been doing, and stared at the speakers in astonishment....Yeah. In spades.Been there, done that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff_C Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 I've been reading a lot of the threads on the AR9. Frankmarsi manages to include much humour in his thread despite his woes. I hope his "agony" eventually transforms to "ecstasy".The more I read the more envious I become. I once heard the AR9 at a hifi show in London circa 1979. They were set up in an open plan area of a large hall/arena. They sounded so transparent for such a large speaker, but the volume was not cranked up because they were in a sort of thoroughfare with lots of people passing through . I only stayed and listened for a minute or so, because I could only dream of owning them. The cost was out of my league and even now I would not have enough space to accommodate them.You are/were lucky in the US. I have seen a few instances of people picking up the AR9 circa 1979 for about $1000. Here in the UK I think they sold for about 1000 GBP a pair (equivalent to about $2200). I have no idea what discount could have been negotiated here in the UK, I was never in a position to need to ask. The fact that these speakers can still work beautifully after 35 years, the initial price paid (whatever it was) was always a bargain.Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidR Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 "What is it about music that I enjoy?...."Well whatever it is, it certainly isn't its ability to put you to sleep. BTW, if they want to buy my AR9s, they're for sale. I'll part with them for a mere $10 million. If they bargain real hard, I might just be persuaded to let them go for only $9 million.I have a pair of 90s and love them. Been on the look out for 9s since hearing the 90s and reading all the good things about the 9s.Your posts have intrigued me on your enhancements and for the Bose 901s. I had a pair of series 2 back in college and they were late production and had foam (yes FOAM surrounds) that rotted. Bose sold me a pair of series 6 for $350 as an exchange in 1992 and they're still going strong other than having the EQ recapped with high-end caps. The series 6 do suffer from tunnel/muffled sound when listening to people talking and with some music at low to normal volume. You have me looking for a pair of series 1 and hopefully you will divulge your 'secrets' soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryM Posted March 1, 2014 Report Share Posted March 1, 2014 I'm pondering the original question.Maybe I will wait to answer until after the Hafler amps are back from being rebuilt. Then the 9's will be biamped and the 90's will be hooked to the crown xls 1000 all running together. I should have a much better idea then. I can't wait til the middle of next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
passport Posted March 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 I'm pondering the original question.When you're all set up, sit back and listen. Bask in the quality of the imaging. The 9's have an uncanny ability to present the sound of an instrument as coming from *there*, that point on the soundstage. The imaging of the 9's is amazing.A few years ago, a friend of mine was visiiting and listening to tunes with me. No matter what I told him, he would not believe that I did not have a center speaker in my set-up. Only after he inspected the center area between the 9's (i.e., my TV on its lowboy console) did he believe me. He would have sworn that there was a sound source in the middle of the 9's, but there was none. Only the image that the 9's projected there.As noted in the review, the imaging is, "...very precise and detailed, with and good sense of depth and unusually generous sense of ambience." But you have to be reasonably on-access for that imaging. See the review for details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryM Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 Hopefully the haflers get here tomorrow and then I can get down to some serious listening. It will be warmer tomorrow so the dog can stay out for more then a couple of minutes. She doesn't like the cold or my music. LOL If you are into rock music, I find older Rush ( Canadian rock band ) is amazing on AR9's or 90's. I will most likely play them first when all the amps and speakers are hooked up. I can't wait, I'm like a kid waiting for Christmas. Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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