AR3 sells for over $3000!

[lakecat]

You people are the biggest AR cheerleaders or wouldn't be here so I don't get the head scratching. I think one should get out the pom-poms and cheer loudly when sales are this high. It ain't crazy...it is real and has been happening for awhile. There are people out there that appreciate this great company and what they did...and will pay for something they want. Personally...I love it....and it's not crazy.

[genek]

Probably because neither of these were especially good examples. 

[frankmarsi]

On 7/24/2017 at 4:49 PM, genek said:

Probably because neither of these were especially good examples. 

I agree with Gene but, there are other considerations too.

Not only were they poorly modified examples but there's the issue that high prices like that can and will cost prices for individual components such as tweeters, mids and woofers to increase along with complete units.

I bought many, many spare tweeters, mids and woofers a number of years ago when they were priced somewhat reasonably, presently, that isn't the case any longer.

An example; I bought many 12" woofers when they were going for about $50. each, now they've past double that and ever increasing. A new Tonegen with-out the mesh required to use in most AR cabinets is going for $164.50 plus shipping. No matter how much I love the AR 12" woofer, if I were restoring 3a's that needed two woofers, and I decided that 'new' was the way to go, I'm into $329. plus shipping.

Over the last number of years, the Asian market has also been responsible for increasingly escalating prices as many buy into the 'Americana' aspect besides the great sound quality, I get that but, it has in-turn forced prices to rise here also.

There's the possibility that the buyer of the speakers in question may appear here at some point looking to restore his purchase back to original?

Those cheap bullet type tweeters were all over Canal St. in the seventies and eighties and probably still exist today, as I recall the sound for stage use and or disco use, a far cry from serious listening quality.

[ar_pro]

It's a simple supply/demand situation, with varying factors affecting the desirability and availability of certain AR loudspeakers and their constituent parts. The impact of 3rd-party auction/sale websites, reliable shipping options, decent smartphone cameras and a deep trove of general knoweldge - thank you, Classic Speaker Pages! - have established the present market. It's less likely that one could now "steal" an AR speaker from anyone who knows how to work Google; further, an inaccurate application of the knowledge of a specific worth (AR-3, AR-3a) to a general over-valuation of AR speakers has created some downright funny asking prices for lesser AR boxes. This will eventually self-correct, I'm sure.

To their credit, prices for the AR-3 and AR-3a have continued to rise because they are in fact, very darned good loudspeakers. They are also quite attractive, and represent a respected design aesthetic.They may also be fairly easily packed & shipped by an individual who is capable of handling a smallish 60 lb carton. "Better" speakers such as the AR-9, AR-90, or LST are a nightmare to pack and ship safely, and this has clearly had an effect on their market value. This would also explain the fairly stable market price and availability of replacement drivers for the AR-9 series: they are getting parted-out for not much less money than the sale of a complete system would hope to bring.

It's a magic time for the classic AR-3/3a, and I would not be surprised if stock, unmodified pairs don't soon regularly surpass the formerly-stratospheric prices of the iconic AR-1.

[ra.ra]

On July 24, 2017 at 7:08 PM, ar_pro said:

It's a magic time for the classic AR-3/3a, and I would not be surprised if stock, unmodified pairs don't soon regularly surpass the formerly-stratospheric prices of the iconic AR-1.

That day may soon be upon us.

[harry398]

On 7/24/2017 at 8:36 AM, lakecat said:

You people are the biggest AR cheerleaders or wouldn't be here so I don't get the head scratching. I think one should get out the pom-poms and cheer loudly when sales are this high. It ain't crazy...it is real and has been happening for awhile. There are people out there that appreciate this great company and what they did...and will pay for something they want. Personally...I love it....and it's not crazy.

I LOVE IT TOO.   

 

actually, the prices are not out of line.   Inflation adjust them, and wala.....not overpriced.

 

yes, other vintage speakers are less $, but they dont sound as good.  If they did....THEY would get premium too.    Plenty of JBL's get high $. 

 

Thankfully I have another set left! 

[Sonnar]

I have a lot of friends in my hi-fi hobby , someone aged as I am, but also younger people, born in the '80s . Very often they have excellent speakers , some very expensive , but when they listen to my AR 3 or 3a many of them says " I want a pair of these marvelous sounding  speakers ! ". Of course , many of them are classical music and jazz listeners .

[Sonnar]

Four reasons to be happy of AR 3' s high values. All originals , the horizontal positioned AR 3  sitting on Altecs are made of plywood . 

[frankmarsi]

Sonnar, see my new post please.

"A Speaker's Proper Room Placement"

 

 

 

 

 

[Phxjohn]

There is a pair of 3's listed on Ebay at $4,999.99 ! I will have to tag that and watch it. 

[Sonnar]

Does it have a sense ? And while Marantz 7c/8b sounds very fine , JBL Paragon is a beautiful icon of the '50s but also a very bad sounding speaker with today 's standards . AR 3 is a better hi-fi speaker , that's for sure. 

[frankmarsi]

You're joking rite?

Tell that to the Nipponese folks, I don't see anyone doing this with your speakers, although, Larry L. and I venture a guess Roy C. had some hand in it,  did it with mine.

These go for $10,-$20+ grand any day, all day long.  This lunacy with the web cost of 3's is driven by nut-jobs and morons. Then again, I also venture guess  that the crazy prices as of late are driven by the Asia market also, it's been this way about American hi-fi the last few years and earlier. And to think, so much stuff was imported here during the 'Golden-Years'.

Technic's new turntables and amplifiers are getting critical acclaim already. I'm thinking it's all due to the resurgence of vinyl, more than likely, or at least is fueled by it.

In lost moments, I sometimes dream a business venturer will re-make AR-LST's but, that just me. I'd imagine they would go for at least $20, grand too.

 

 

 

[genek]

The LST remake has already happened, and yes the Levinson Cello Amati was a mefgabucks speaker at $10,000-$16,000.

[frankmarsi]

Yes, the Amati’s were that expensive and I have mentioned this a number of times on this site.The early models had AR drivers, a different X-over, some extra cabinet bracing and that was about it. Later on the ‘improved’ model had Dynaudio drivers. They commanded that price till their removal from the market.

To your first point, I assume you’re speaking of Larry’s remake. It seems splendid, I just wish newer drivers were used at least for the high frequency drivers. And as an owner of three pairs of the original LST's, I’m hoping it continues. What with Technics seemingly making a revival.

P.S. It's hysterical, look at the shipping charges. Probably, more than most folks systems. Ten years ago, I paid $160. for two nearly empty AR-3a cabinets which included shipping and they were in perfect shape. I was astonished they arrived in such excellent condition as they did.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/C44-100-JBL-PARAGON-REPLICA-BOX-WITH-HORN-/292237344468?hash=item440ab3fed4:g:piIAAOSw24JZkVYS

FM

[ar_pro]

Those were great videos - thanks, Frank.

The Paragon and smaller Metregon have been icons in the Japanese market for decades; in fact, their popularity drove JBL to develop systems largely - if not specifically - for the Japanese audiophile/collector. It's counterintuitive that such a giant speaker would find itself in such demand in a nation of comparatively small homes.

The JBL Everest/K2 series was very hard to come by in the USA, but was well-known & respected in Asia and Europe. The larger Altec systems like the Barcelona and Granada, as well as the A-7 "Voice Of The Theater" home variants (like Adriano's beautiful Altec Valencia) have been in demand among Japanese audiophiles for years & years. Acoustic Research is actually a little late to this party, being solely represented by the AR-1 (and its magical Altec 755A) for the longest time.

[frankmarsi]

You said it.

Not only late to the party but, wearing the improper clothes. Well, almost anyway.

The Altec 755A was probably used in most 1950's and later municipal halls but, who knew that later on it would garner such favor?

"Western-Electric" was a company who knew how to include higher quality in everything they made. They were of a higher standing and always driven to achieve excellence.

Many here want fast results but, you shouldn't rush the past, it's already written.

But, I feed my LST's high-power every time I listen to them. I have no fears as they handle themselves extraordinarily well with every  note of music. This fact ties into my high-power philosophy, which I usually get shunned here for but, look who's talking back to me. However, I've been using AR's for over 45+ years now and thus I feel I know what I speak of and what I'm doing. I'm certainly not a casual listener or beginner. In terms of vintage systems, I'm a serious listener and have taken my system upwards with every change and improvement that I've made. I demand much from my speakers/system and it delivers in spades.
When I want music, the LST's offers it all to me first hand.

FM

[genek]

I am endlessly mystified by the cachet attached to those WE drivers.  I've heard them and just don't hear the appeal.

[ar_pro]

Maybe 20 years ago, I heard a pair of 755a's at an audio show in New Jersey. The little speaker was mounted in a huge baffle that was essentially a sheet of plywood, and it was driven by a high-end Japanese tube amplifier whose name escapes me. I guess that I stood there for a full minute or two, trying to understand what I was hearing, and then I just gave up.

Having owned AR-1 systems for a short while, my recollection was that the 755a was a very good match for the AR-1 woofer, albeit a little light in the higher frequencies; but as a full range driver it was really underwhelming. Maybe in a small room with the right handcrafted bamboo cabinet & 300B amplification it's special, but I have no desire to go down that particular road.