ka7niq Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 I have a pair of AR 1 Tower Speakers, with the 15 inch powered sub woofers, driven by 500 watt RMS Sunfire amps. These have a pair of approx 5 inch aluminum/magnesium midrange drivers in a D'Appolito configuration, with a titanium tweeter in the center. The midrange drivers have rubber surrounds, one has got hard, cracked, and fallen apart. And one midrange driver is distorted sounding. LOL, believe it or not, the one driver with about 1/8 of it's surround missing is still hanging in there These drivers were said to have been made for AR by HIVI I have several options #1- find a center channel speaker that uses 2 of these drivers, swap them out, and see God #2- Re surround the drivers, using foam #3- Re Surround the drivers, using replacement rubber, not made for these drivers #4 Find brand new replacement drivers These midrange drivers are used in sealed acoustic suspension individual enclosures, and the pair of them must play down low enough to meet the woofer at approx 100 hz. I was told using a different surround can change the free air resonance of the drivers. Is there anyone that has any advice, or ideas, about these speakers ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ka7niq Posted October 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 I just found this from a Korean web site. It is hard to find out much about these wonderful speakers. Turns out, the size of the midranges are 5.25 inches http://www.audioland.co.kr/ar/ar1.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stimpy Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 I believe former Infinity co-founder, Cary Christie, designed the "Hi-Res" speakers for AR. Mr. Christie is now with a new speaker company, Artison, LLC. They have a contact page. Perhaps you could contact him, through Artison, and find out further details? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stimpy Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 Did you ever read this Stereophile review? It also mentions that the mids were updated to a new 5.25" version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ka7niq Posted October 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 12 minutes ago, Stimpy said: Did you ever read this Stereophile review? It also mentions that the mids were updated to a new 5.25" version. Cary Christie might know, I MIGHT contact him. However, according to the Stereophile review, these were designed by Mike Park, the Acoustic Research Vice President of engineering. Mine have the newer 5.25 inch mids. Another potential problem is this. The screws for the mids are covered by a special variable density foam that shapes the off axis response of these speakers. It very well may destroy the foam, trying to remove it, so we can unscrew the mids 23 minutes ago, Stimpy said: I believe former Infinity co-founder, Cary Christie, designed the "Hi-Res" speakers for AR. Mr. Christie is now with a new speaker company, Artison, LLC. They have a contact page. Perhaps you could contact him, through Artison, and find out further details? I did some trading of speakers with a guy, and I wound up with some older Artison speakers I didn't really want. One of the tweeters was blown, however, the freaking cabinets were hot glued together. I called Artison, and Cary Christie answered the phone. He told me the speakers could not be repaired in the field, so he said he would just send me a replacement pair, if I would pay the shipping. Well, that all changed when I got a call from some other dude at Artison He wanted me to send the old speakers back, to be repaired. Freight would have killed me there and back, and I did not have the boxes, so I threw the speakers away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stimpy Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 1 minute ago, ka7niq said: Cary Christie might know, I MIGHT contact him. However, according to the Stereophile review, these were designed by Mike Park, the Acoustic Research Vice President of engineering. Mine have the newer 5.25 inch mids. Another potential problem is this. The screws for the mids are covered by a special variable density foam that shapes the off axis response of these speakers. It very well may destroy the foam, trying to remove it, so we can unscrew the mids I did some trading of speakers with a guy, and I wound up with some older Artison speakers I didn't really want. One of the tweeters was blown, however, the freaking cabinets were hot glued together. I called Artison, and Cary Christie answered the phone. He told me the speakers could not be repaired in the field, so he said he would just send me a replacement pair, if I would pay the shipping. Well, that all changed when I got a call from some other dude at Artison He wanted me to send the old speakers back, to be repaired. Freight would have killed me there and back, and I did not have the boxes, so I threw the speakers away. I've seen the pictures of the speakers, and the foam. I wondered how you would get the drivers out, if and when they ever needed servicing! That sux. Plus, having to throw speakers away, sux even more. Sorry to hear that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ka7niq Posted October 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 Just now, Stimpy said: I've seen the pictures of the speakers, and the foam. I wondered how you would get the drivers out, if and when they ever needed servicing! That sux. Plus, having to throw speakers away, sux even more. Sorry to hear that. Yes, the foam may be a problem Even broken, these are fun speakers, still quite listenable. Bass power on these is mind boggling, they will leave the older AR 9's I owned with the dual side firing woofers behind. I had bridged Hafler 500's on them, but they are just no match for a pair of these. I liked the warm mellow sound of the AR 9's, but they needed to be mounted on a wall, so you could kiss image depth goodbye. These new AR 1's image pretty well. They are also efficient enough for a small tube amplifier ! I haven't tried a tube amp on them yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stimpy Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 Hey ka7niq, Didn't you use to own VMPS RM-40's, at one point? At least I think so? If so, you've had quite a variety of speakers. Care to share which were your favorites? Oh yea, I use a Hafler DH-500 on my AR90's. Though, I've never needed bridged amounts of power! I'm a wuss. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ka7niq Posted October 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 4 minutes ago, Stimpy said: Hey ka7niq, Didn't you use to own VMPS RM-40's, at one point? At least I think so? If so, you've had quite a variety of speakers. Care to share which were your favorites? Oh yea, I use a Hafler DH-500 on my AR90's. Though, I've never needed bridged amounts of power! I'm a wuss. Thanks. Yes, I owned VMPS RM 40's at one time. LOL, the happiest days in a VMPS RM 40's owners life are the day he buys them, and the days he sells them. They didn't do it for me. Yes, I have owned many many pairs of speakers. B&W Matrix 801 series 2, with the so called Van Alstine mod I loved. I only sold them because there are no more tweeters to be had If you pop a tweeter, you must got to a series 3 tweeter, and that means an entirely new crossover as well Electro Voice Interface D's, OMG, what a dumb azz I was to ever sell those I still have my DBX Soundfield 1A's, with the controller, each speaker has 4 - 10 inch woofers, 4 mids, and 8 tweeters! I love to play with speakers! I just sold my pair of Dunlavy SC IV's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michiganpat Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 huh, I still have my AR 312HO's, the hi-res older, 12" non-powered cousins....the foams on the woofers are still good, and the mids are still fine... I don't think the foam surround around the mids & tweets are glued in, I think it's just a friction fit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ka7niq Posted October 21, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 4 hours ago, michiganpat said: huh, I still have my AR 312HO's, the hi-res older, 12" non-powered cousins....the foams on the woofers are still good, and the mids are still fine... I don't think the foam surround around the mids & tweets are glued in, I think it's just a friction fit I will have to check, the speakers are not in front of me, at this moment. If you are correct, that will make things a whole lot easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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