tuskman79 Posted February 18, 2017 Report Share Posted February 18, 2017 I looked at a pair of all original AR9’s for sale. Of course they need refoaming but the main concern is NO SOUND from either high tweeter. (meaning the high tweeter on each speaker is not sounding) The speakers have had 2 mature owners and reportedly have not been abused (and show no signs of it). Is this more likely to be the tweeter itself or the attenuation switch? The switches for the low mids and the mid range dome function properly. This would not be a result of missing jumpers on the back panel speaker wire connections could it. (the jumpers were in place but possibly may not have been making contact- but I’m thinking since the low mid and the mid dome were working that all circuits were getting a signal) I was unable to do any diagnostics at the sellers house and an agreed price could not be settled on so I passed on them. Looks like used tweeters run about 100.00 each give or take. Did not find any used attenuation switches for sale. I would rate cabinet (1 chip) and grill (some light pilling) condition a 7 or 8 out of 10. Opinions on likely culprit? What is a fair price to pay for these in this state? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidR Posted February 18, 2017 Report Share Posted February 18, 2017 It could be the attenuation switch but for both to go bad is unusual. It could also be a bad capacitor. Best way to determine if the tweeters are good or not is to remove them and take a DCR reading of the voice coil. Should be around 3.5 ohms IIRC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ar_pro Posted February 18, 2017 Report Share Posted February 18, 2017 I've never encountered a blown tweeter on an AR-9, but I've also never encountered a level-control switch that was any worse than intermittent. The simplest check would be to lay them on their backs, remove the tweeters, and test with a reliable meter. Do you have photos of the speakers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AR surround Posted February 18, 2017 Report Share Posted February 18, 2017 Perhaps the 6uF Callins capacitors in the tweeter signal path failed altogether. One went bad in my AR9's, but I was getting very low output and some low level noise from the tweeter as opposed to no sound at all. The same capacitor in the left speaker was incredibly off spec (400%) but still hanging on for dear life. I understand that the 6uF Callins are especially notoriously for going bad. I don't know how long it would take for those caps to die altogether or if they would eventually cause the tweeters to fry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stimpy Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 The tweeters use an 18db per octave crossover, so I would hope they haven't been blown. It would be very unusual for both tweeters to be dead. As such, did you try more than one source, and several recordings? The reason that I ask, is the 9 and 90 cross fairly high up to the tweeters. They're almost super tweeters. So, is it possible that the tweeters were working, but the musical selection didn't exercise their range? Too low to notice? Still, for a pair of AR9s, I wouldn't give up so easily. If it does turn out to be defective tweeters, start with a lower offer; maybe around $300/$350. Work up from there. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuskman79 Posted February 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 Thanks for the replys. I do not have any photos but they look good. Slight lower grill pilling and one small veneer chip on the lower front corner. I tried 4 different CD’s of different styles of Music- classical, 70's Rock, newer Pop, Soul. Absolutely not the slightest sound came out of either tweeter on any recording and I jiggled the attenuation switches while listening with my ear up to them. Unfortunately I would have to roll the dice and buy them and then proceed with the diagnostics once I got them home. Just don’t want to have more into them than they are worth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stimpy Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 3 hours ago, tuskman79 said: Thanks for the replys. I do not have any photos but they look good. Slight lower grill pilling and one small veneer chip on the lower front corner. I tried 4 different CD’s of different styles of Music- classical, 70's Rock, newer Pop, Soul. Absolutely not the slightest sound came out of either tweeter on any recording and I jiggled the attenuation switches while listening with my ear up to them. Unfortunately I would have to roll the dice and buy them and then proceed with the diagnostics once I got them home. Just don’t want to have more into them than they are worth. Well, it's good that you did a decent audition on the speakers. Plus, listening to the tweeters with your ear directly over it, is about all you could do in an owner's home. Kind'a hard to pull out a screw driver and a multimeter and ask to take the speakers apart! But, if you get the speakers, it' going to be bad tweeters, or bad caps, or more likely both. And you already know that the switches could use a cleaning too. As to value and restoration costs, most here feel the AR9s are worth it. That you'd have to spend far far more than what this investment might be, to match the sound quality of the 9s, with a new pair of speakers. So, I wouldn't worry too much about exceeding their resale value, as you probably won't want to sell them, once they're 100% functional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidR Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 If you are near MA and don't want them let me know cuz I do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ar_pro Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 1 hour ago, DavidR said: If you are near MA and don't want them let me know cuz I do David - if these are on Craigslist, Search Tempest shows three AR-9 listings extant: Southern Ilinois ($400), Greensboro ($1500), and Huntsville ($1300). The ones in Alabama seem to have replacement mids. https://carbondale.craigslist.org/ele/5994316419.html https://greensboro.craigslist.org/ele/5978935320.html https://huntsville.craigslist.org/ele/5977334576.html On eBay, there's a pair in New Rochelle for $1850, and they're "rare" and "minty". http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Minty-AR9-Speakers-Beautifully-Restored-Refinished-Owners-Manual-last-one-/252518087529?hash=item3acb403b69:g:GwoAAOSwjVVVz11t Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidR Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 Thanks Steve. I've had my eyes on the New Rochelle pair for a while. Xovers are untouched except for the addition of upgraded binding posts. New Rochelle wouldn't be too bad of a ride for me. A tad pricey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidDru Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 Been responding on this over at AK. I would agree to a price with the seller first with a contingency that you get to pull them and test them real quick and that they don't test open. Easy to do on the spot. Could be something as simple as for some reason the crimp connections have come off. Seen it happen - the ADS 910's I purchased. If they test open, you can see at that point if he would take maybe $100 less. Those will coast probably at least $100 each or a member might be able to give you a good deal on a pair. I recently picked up spare mids and mid woofers for mine for $150 total. I asked over at AK too, but if you tell us the price we might be able to give you some more to go on in terms of how much to worry about in terms of financial risk here. And yeah, dont worry about the grille fabric. Did you take a close look at the woofers and the surrounds there? These are all old enough they likely need replacing. Same with the mid woofers on front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankmarsi Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 2-19-17 When I purchased my AR-9's about two years ago, the tweeters were burnt. I found this out after I had already re-foamed all of the speakers. I was fortunate as I contacted the seller and we agreed upon a $200. refund and this was done two weeks after the sale. This was done on the auction-site and I almost could tell in his dialog that he may have been aware of the tweeters being burnt but, he quickly made the refund just the same. Price I paid was $700. minus the two hundred so, overall a great deal. They're in excellent condition cosmetically, only waiting for a 're-cap'. I have many HV and ABTech spares so in essence, I was satisfied in the end. I tried 'bi-amping' them with two Phase Linear PL400's, but presently I'm using a single Phase Linear PL700 Series II. I tend to prefer the single bigger amplifier's control over them. How do I like them? Personally, I prefer my LST's as I've gotten use to them in the past 20+ years of listening to an almost non-direct speaker's output radiation of sound. I find the AR-9's still portray the AR sound, and bigger as the LST's do compared to lesser models, not louder, simply, bigger. I find the AR-9's can produce more potential volume units as they absorb wattage easily but don't absorb as much as the LST's. That is what was build into them by design, or so I've read because AR made AR-9's more 'amp-friendly'. Good luck and rest assured, they're probably AR's last top quality speaker, hands down and worth doing whatever's necessary to bring them around. They're in another class compared to previous AR models, no doubting that as I feel they have a more 'up-dated' sound, whatever that means to most of the world. Late afternoon today, I ran into a guy at B&N record dept. who claims to have custom built amps, a custom cd player and big 'Martin-Logans'. He spoke of huge Aragon amps, the last and biggest they made and expensive AC cords. I thought whooped-dee-freaking-doo. We became talkative, dropping names, etc. and we planned on hearing each other's systems. Though, it was clear that he, a CD guy and that I was 'Vinyl-guy'. He was clearly at least 10 years younger than I and I felt I shouldn't have excused his lack of not knowing certain 'vintage' stuff, because he seemed to draw a facial blank when I mentioned some of my components name's and especially their ages. He spoke of going to 'his-guy' and his 'dealer' to do his 'mods' and repairs. I also made it clear that I do my own 'mods', 'set-ups' and repairs and have so since at least 1967. Correct, 1967 and before that with my car's radios and before that with father's radios the had from the '30s and '40s that I played with as a pubescent kid before that! I almost sheepishly warned him that my system is total and completely 'vintage' except for my phono cartridges which considered 'high-end' and new. His refrain was; "don't worry", and that he claimed he understood where I was coming from. Again, whooped-dee-freaking-doo! Maybe I conceded and humbled too quickly, then again this could turn into the 'Battle of the Systems", old and new? Sorry to drop and butt-in on this post. Although, I do predict, he'll flip-out when he sees the AR-9's compared to his ML's. Not to mention my little 'LST' fest I might overwhelm him with. Either way, I plan to hear his system first and then we'll enjoy mine. FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woofer_01 Posted July 5, 2021 Report Share Posted July 5, 2021 On 2/19/2017 at 4:22 PM, frankmarsi said: Either way, I plan to hear his system first and then we'll enjoy mine. ....and how did that go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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