ligs Posted September 30, 2017 Report Share Posted September 30, 2017 I want to share with you the thrill of finding a classic AR 1 by accident in a local ReStore. When connecting up a receiver broadcasting NBR program, I just could not help but feel I was listening to the most sought after table radio anyone audiophile could wish to have:) Using flash light I could see there are two drivers, the smaller one is roughly 8 inches with a dome shaped dustcap the larger one has a flat dustcap. The sound is clean and crisp. Now where can I get another one to match this? At the same place I also bought a single AR3a. The midrange does not work and the woofer requires a refoaming if I could clean out the scotch tapes used to patch the cone to the metal frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ra.ra Posted September 30, 2017 Report Share Posted September 30, 2017 Wow, that's quite a rare find, and it looks like a real beauty - - even the grille cloth looks nearly superb, and that looks like a mahogany cabinet. Congrats on your Saturday thrift store search! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stupidhead Posted September 30, 2017 Report Share Posted September 30, 2017 Congrats George. Karma was just waiting for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ligs Posted September 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2017 You are probably right about Karma. I went into ReStore and did not see anything interesting first. Then I asked one of the technicians if there were more speakers in the back. He led me to the repair shop and showed me about half dozen speakers sitting on the floor and told me that they have not been tested yet. I noticed there were two AR3 size speakers among them and said I would take them even without testing and named a price and he agreed right on the spot. It was not until I got into my car I found they were AR1 and AR3a. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ar_pro Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 Nice going, ligs! Take a peek at this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Acoustic-Research-AR-1-Blonde-Birch-Speaker-Early-Serial-Number-2364-/122728237093?hash=item1c932c4825:g:LQ8AAOSw1kNZzDuV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ligs Posted October 1, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 Wow! for my AR collection, one nice AR1 would be quite enough. But again, another AR1 in mahogany cabinet may be waiting for me somewhere if I keep working on my Karma:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffS Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 I can't think of a more exciting way to 'stumble upon' a classic like this. What a great addition to your AR collection. It looks to be in very nice shape and was well kept. Not bad for a speaker that was made in the later half of 1956. The very minor shifting of the grill around the woofer opening is normal for these. Given the serial number, the woofer in this most likely has a pleated surround (you can verify this with a flashlight held against the grill cloth). If so, it may need sealer applied to the surround to restore the bass performance to spec. If it has the half-round surround, it's probably fine. You'll easily be able to tell by comparing it's bass to that of your 3a once you refoam it. Also, take care when applying higher power to this as the glue holding the spider and surround to the frame may have dried. You'll hear it if it has. Add a receiver, press the mono button, and enjoy your new "table radio"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ligs Posted October 1, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 Jeffs, you are right, mine has a pleated surround. Interestingly, some of today's pro woofers still use pleated surround. My JBL 1400 Pro woofer has a pleated fabric surround and is supposed to have + or - 7.6 mm linear travel for the vc. My first order of action is to refoam the woofer in AR3a using looneytune2001's kit. It has a round magnet with a top plate, to my eye, thicker than the later square magnet AR 12" woofer. The midrange of AR3a also seems to work once I took it out of the cabinet. After years of on-and-off relationships with AR, I am back again. Over the years, I had AR3a,3, 2ax,4x, 9, 18s, 1MS, and High Res 17. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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