Jump to content

AR 9's - Sad but saved


DavidDru

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 71
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Barter town is a special section of AudioKarma for members only. It cost $25 a year to become a member, but I've always found it was worth the money.

-Joel

Strange, it just comes up with an error-message, I wonder why?

Western NJ would be a 30 minute ride for me. Is this the correct link?

fm

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For those of you back east, based on a post in AK Bartertown, there are restored AR9's in west central New Jersey for sale for $950.

Wonder if it's our friend ToastedAlmond <_<

(I know he has a pair).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry to be such a dim wit, but all I get with your link is an error-message on the AK site which I searched but to no avail.

I am a member and do get on the site, but the site indicates an error and doesn't show the listing.

Perhaps this is an omen and is indicating that I have too many AR speakers?

Has anyone else found the listing?

fm

P.S. Here's the link you sent me: http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/speakers-for-sale-ar9s-kef-104-2s.689694/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i sent you a PM with all the sellers info earlier this am.

Just go to AudioKarma Bartertown>Bartertwon Equipment and currently is on the top of the 2nd page to find the listing. As staed above you ave to be a paying AudioKarma subscriber to get into Bartertown but maybe when you are clicking on the link it just does not see that you are logged in over there.. Make sure you are logged in.

Or at this point I would just contact the seller with the info I pm'd you. The add does not have photos anyway as he says he will provide more info and photos to serious inquiries. Leesonic did the restoration on them and here is a link to it.

http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/ar9-restoration-with-pics.673117/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

David, thanks for your help but, I'm only a viewing member of AK, not a paying contributor.

So much for my idle curiosity.

I guess I should be happy with just one set of AR9s.

Though, if a pair becomes available near my location, I'll definitely go after them.

However, I did have dreams of four in a room.

fm

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, yesterday I could no longer resist the temptation to give these a try. I was taking some other stuff to my storage unit and there they were just staring at me in all their ugly glory and I think they were saying we dare you. With the help of my 10 year we hauled em home.

I reinstalled the one woofer I had taken off to peer inside last weekend and hooked them up to my system. Hit the play button and.....nothing. My heart sank momentarily. Wait, there shouldn't be nothing. Maybe partial or bad or whatever but not nothing!

My DAC had lost connectivity to my computer as sometimes seems to happen with the USB connections. ARGH and phew at the same time. Give me a break, right?

Reset.

VIOLA! WHOA!

They sound damn good.

All controls seem to do what they are supposed to do.

My room is not conducive to such monsters, but they didn't seem to mind so much. I think they were happy to once again be doing what they were made to do and not stuck away in some cold and dark storage locker.

I sat in front of them as much as I could yesterday and imagined what to do about their appearance. I need to track down (library) what finished they came in originally and start there. Of course that may not do. It was the 80's you know.

Unfortunately they will head back to storage in a few days and probably let other speakers get me through the winter as these are too ugly right now to even explain. In the meantime I might remove the 4 woofers and either refoam them myself or if you all think they are more deserved of a full on refurbishment by someone, I can send them out for that. Maybe the mids too. After i post this i am going to dig around on previous posts pertaining to re-doing these surrounds and see what folks have done or gotten themselves into. The 2nd photo shows the one that I removed and the refoaming they all got at some point apparently.

listen10.jpgwoofer10.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking forward to your work on these. I am interested in learning more about how the two woofers were interfaced.

On a "lighter note" there is a grill available on the auction site currently for a mere $999.99 (321930491365)

They must love people who are willing to pay the listing fees on these kind of auctions ;)

Roger

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking forward to your work on these. I am interested in learning more about how the two woofers were interfaced.

On a "lighter note" there is a grill available on the auction site currently for a mere $999.99 (321930491365)

They must love people who are willing to pay the listing fees on these kind of auctions ;)

Roger

Hey! The grilles would be worth 10 times what my speakers cost me! Will that make them worth $1,100 if I buy them? B)

Been listening to them for a few days now. Sounding great thus far, but I think the famous low end is a little lacking, and I think I know why. When i get a minute, I am going to start posting things I am doing, starting with the woofers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Okay, time to dig into these a little. I likely won't deal with the cabinets until the spring, but I can sure clean up the drivers etc.

Going to start with the 4 woofers. They appear to have been refoamed at some point and all 4 look like the attached photos.

These surrounds have the inverted surrounds. ? Similar to the cloth ones for whatever reason. Almost like they were put on upside down or something to make them fit? I don't know, maybe this is okay.

As I mentioned above, there is a chance that this awkward foam job, or maybe something else is limiting bass as they are not quite rocking the walls like so many folks say they should. I know many things might factor into that, including the room and set-up but I would think there should be a little more bass.

Both woofers on the one speaker measure correct;y at 2.8 ohm. RoyC confirmed that is the correct reading.

I have contacted Rick Cobb for surrounds and he will provide all 4 (US manufactured gray polyether made for AR applications) plus clear drying copolymer speaker adhesive with the 30hz tone CD for alignment and instructions for $32 plus $6 shipping. (Will order the midwoofer surrounds while I am at it) I have used Rick's materials on most of my efforts and feel good about these unless you guys know for some reason that I should go another direction. ?

I have used his alignment technique with the test tone CD to align my surrounds in the past with full success.

In the photos you can also see that these are really dirty. Anybody have recommendation for cleaning these?

post-173623-0-48775000-1448484177_thumb.

post-173623-0-79778900-1448484198_thumb.

post-173623-0-34652100-1448486296_thumb.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While I have had no personal experience, enough people seem to swear by Rick Cobb that I'd have no problem placing an order with him, but I still tend to get my foams from M-Sound, even tho' I've never ordered any 12-inchers from John. Those inverted-roll foams are rather strange to see on an AR woofer, and while the outer attachment (foam to basket) looks very inconsistent, the inner attachment to the cone surface appears excellent.

For initial clean-up, I always like to have on-hand a small, cheap, natural bristle paintbrush for dust removal. Absolute dry is best, but sometimes I'll wipe the brush on a moist paper towel for just a whiff of moisture to assist with clean-up. Looking back on your pics, it appears that the tweeter and upper-mid may have accumulated steel wool particles, and these can often be gathered with a small brush and magnet working in tandem.

My best dust pic is attached - - AR-4's after initial grille removal - - I'm guessing these sat in the vertical position for thirty years.

post-112624-0-87605500-1448498852_thumb.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While I have had no personal experience, enough people seem to swear by Rick Cobb that I'd have no problem placing an order with him, but I still tend to get my foams from M-Sound, .......................................................................................................................................................................................................

I restored a pair of AR94's for my brother in law. I tried Rick Cobb instead of vintage-ar. Rick had a great deal on the surrounds and sent along a 30Hz test tone CD for centering the vc as part of the package. However, they were the stiffer light grey type and not the more compliant darker foams. I used them anyway and my brother in law is happy with the bass/sound.

Does M-Sound sell on eBay?

post-149980-0-75787100-1448541663_thumb.

post-149980-0-41641600-1448542138_thumb.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I restored a pair of AR94's for my brother in law. I tried Rick Cobb instead of vintage-ar. Rick had a great deal on the surrounds and sent along a 30Hz test tone CD for centering the vc as part of the package. However, they were the stiffer light grey type and not the more compliant darker foams. I used them anyway and my brother in law is happy with the bass/sound.

Does M-Sound sell on eBay?

John used to be on the auction site but seems to have scaled operation back after some health issues. Not sure if he is back yet.

He preferred the JBL foams over the Boston's for 10" last time I traded emails with him.

He didn't mention it but there seems to be some debate about the porosity of the Boston's not providing an adequate acoustic seal. I've used both and will get around to doing an A/B next year sometime when I get my 5's back in the lineup.

Rogerr

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have used water and diswasher fluid with paintbrush sparingly. Also I have used something like http://3mcollision.com/products/adhesives/adhesive-cleaners-and-paint-removers/3m-general-purpose-adhesive-cleaner-08984.html. This one is wery nice to use, but it will dissolve glue so use sparingly. Loose dirt should be "hoovered" first with brush.

Best Regards

Kimmo

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

I am about to reinstall the woofers to give them a test run before moving on to other aspects.

When I removed them, there was no acoustic stuffing inside the lower compartment.  Is there supposed to be?  These had been worked on before so I want to make certain before I seal them up.  Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...