Nice demo! I have a pair of the AR 3's from '63. The woofers work but the mids and tweets don't work. I tested them individually and they work which means the crossover is bad. I tried to remove the woofers so I can get inside the cabinet but they will not budge. The sealant that was used when mounting them has hardened. Do you have any suggestions on how to safely remove these woofers? Thanks.
@TwinMillMC Hello there....your potentiometers have likely shed their plating. A few shots of contact cleaner into the controls is a short term fix -- if the problem is not too severe. You'll need to replace or rebuild the controls. I don't recommend updating any other components of the crossover... usually a bad idea for original sound. The ones above you heard had exactly that sone, and they sounded clear, matched & balanced after pots (not L pads) were installed. Early HiFiTown
@HiFiTown I wouldn't replace the entire crossover, just the bad caps with the same value. I haven't been able to test the pots or anything else since I can remove the woofers. How did you remove yours? Is there any way to soften the puddy that was used to seal the woofers? This is why I can't remove the woofers, the puddy is hard as a rock. Thanks much...
@TwinMillMC For the putty: go to hardware store, ask for a "paint can lid tool". Fits under the drivers exactly, and will allow you to pry without damage. It's an old AR service persons's trick ... from the 1960s....still works!
I have a pair of AR3a from 1974. They need a very stable amp...IMO its one of the best speakers ever made. Right now im listening with a Pioneer M-22...only 30 WPC in class A. Sonuds awesome.
The rudimentary finishing method used by AR on their early speakers is exactly what drew me to them, apart from the sound that is ! The way they just splodged gloop and adhesive all over the place and used adhesive tape to cover lead outs is just so professionally anarchic ! My first were AR3a's, and I kept those for years, then moving onto other stuff and Tannoys currently. But I do have a pair of LST2's which I've just re-foamed. Sound superb with great dynamics. See them on ebay shortly !
The original ARs look like they were made with spit and glue in someone's basement but the sweet sound transcends the looks---smooth and creamy as grandmas' mashed potatoes. The bass is a little leaden and the highs dullish.
The AR 11 and 10 pie models were the ultimate evolution of these original designs and are probably the best ARs ever made.
My wife drug me to the Goodwill last Saturday, and while she was trying on dresses I walked back to the electronics and found a pair of AR 303 speakers in the rosewood cabinets. Wow, what a find. These babies sound fantastic. They were made in Sept. of '95, and hands down they blow away the Vegas I have for sound and clarity. What I am concerned about is if I have a strong enough amp for them. I have a 75 watt Pioneer, but the cabinet says a min. of 50 watts. Can someone advise?
you did a good job with showing us what these sound like. most people on youtube do not know what they are doing and play some loud bass heavy hip hop or rock that distorts the camcorder's mic or record it in a room with tons of echo. i think the choice of music makes it easier to hear the quality of these speakers.
@lineartechbd1600 - I have yet to choose a widely favored genre to standardize for these these speaker tests. Thanks for the comment! I favor 50's vocals and 60's folk. Most audiophiles test with early to mid 60's Jazz and (and some folk/country) as it was the Golden Era of clean, detailed recording.. Neve, tube Altec & Neumann U-47's etc, were in use then. More speaker tests to come as time allows.
do you have a site, or any idea on how to restore a pair that were destroyed with newer lower quality speakers? I found reproduction woofers, and original mids, I have the original tweeters. I just want to do it right. also any info on the material of the covers? mine were replaced and are not stock, I want mine to look, and sound original. any help would be great, oh yea and BTW I am very jealous of you and your speakers right now.
@GrandCaravanSE - If only your woofers are bad, the surrounds can be repaired with a variety of materials, best to use rolled cloth as original, or foam if that's what your models used. You need a good coil in each driver, otherwise just find original replacements - they sell for under $100/ea. Grill cloth fabric was an OEM plastic called "Saran" - they stopped making it many years and it was not good - it filtered HF too much. Any open weave, semi transparent cloth, would be better.
Great speakers! I have a pair of early AR-3As with the same style woofer drivers and the original surrounds are still intact (looks like yours are, too)!
@bjmsamrlm I agree. The AR3 series is truly one of the "best" bookshelf systems. The 3A's are nice as well. And, as the years went by AR really improved the ruggedness of the midrange driver -- at the same time it became able to deliver even better lower midrange. Generally most AR3 series, including the 3A are a treated cloth surrounds and are very durable. Perhaps the last few models were a rolled foam - I hardly ever see problems with the woofers.
Nice demo! I have a pair of the AR 3's from '63. The woofers work but the mids and tweets don't work. I tested them individually and they work which means the crossover is bad. I tried to remove the woofers so I can get inside the cabinet but they will not budge. The sealant that was used when mounting them has hardened. Do you have any suggestions on how to safely remove these woofers? Thanks.
TwinMillMC 4 weeks ago
@TwinMillMC Hello there....your potentiometers have likely shed their plating. A few shots of contact cleaner into the controls is a short term fix -- if the problem is not too severe. You'll need to replace or rebuild the controls. I don't recommend updating any other components of the crossover... usually a bad idea for original sound. The ones above you heard had exactly that sone, and they sounded clear, matched & balanced after pots (not L pads) were installed. Early HiFiTown
HiFiTown 3 weeks ago
@HiFiTown I wouldn't replace the entire crossover, just the bad caps with the same value. I haven't been able to test the pots or anything else since I can remove the woofers. How did you remove yours? Is there any way to soften the puddy that was used to seal the woofers? This is why I can't remove the woofers, the puddy is hard as a rock. Thanks much...
TwinMillMC 3 weeks ago
@TwinMillMC For the putty: go to hardware store, ask for a "paint can lid tool". Fits under the drivers exactly, and will allow you to pry without damage. It's an old AR service persons's trick ... from the 1960s....still works!
HiFiTown 3 weeks ago
@HiFiTown Thanks! I'll give that a try. Someone else told me that heating up the puddy with a hair dryer might help too.
TwinMillMC 3 weeks ago
Acoustic Research No.1
vrbas100 3 months ago
I have a pair of AR3a from 1974. They need a very stable amp...IMO its one of the best speakers ever made. Right now im listening with a Pioneer M-22...only 30 WPC in class A. Sonuds awesome.
heliacswe 5 months ago
Hard to beat that smooth, uncolored, non-fatiguing sound! You can listen to them all day.
bjorn2run 6 months ago
The rudimentary finishing method used by AR on their early speakers is exactly what drew me to them, apart from the sound that is ! The way they just splodged gloop and adhesive all over the place and used adhesive tape to cover lead outs is just so professionally anarchic ! My first were AR3a's, and I kept those for years, then moving onto other stuff and Tannoys currently. But I do have a pair of LST2's which I've just re-foamed. Sound superb with great dynamics. See them on ebay shortly !
turboslag 6 months ago
The original ARs look like they were made with spit and glue in someone's basement but the sweet sound transcends the looks---smooth and creamy as grandmas' mashed potatoes. The bass is a little leaden and the highs dullish.
The AR 11 and 10 pie models were the ultimate evolution of these original designs and are probably the best ARs ever made.
sweetsweatyfeet 9 months ago
Nice speaker I have ar speakers as well there great speakers
brooksc123 11 months ago
My wife drug me to the Goodwill last Saturday, and while she was trying on dresses I walked back to the electronics and found a pair of AR 303 speakers in the rosewood cabinets. Wow, what a find. These babies sound fantastic. They were made in Sept. of '95, and hands down they blow away the Vegas I have for sound and clarity. What I am concerned about is if I have a strong enough amp for them. I have a 75 watt Pioneer, but the cabinet says a min. of 50 watts. Can someone advise?
ghostfish01 11 months ago
usually parts or whole Ar 3 -Ar2 's etc on e bay ! The cloth woofers were the best so
try to avoid foam ! Still a very natural sounding speaker !
artofkremens 11 months ago
They do look super scary, however I guess it's a " don't judge a book by it's cover ", because they do sound really amazing!!!
Meyanoos 1 year ago
I picked up a pair of 5's a week ago 10" woofer instead of the 12 used in the 3 . Liking them a lot , smooth !!
DESNOISTIERS 1 year ago
So niceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.....I love it.....is like dreaming.
Great work man.
Gioxtream 1 year ago
I have 4 of this speaker's, but the bass is broken! I try to repair the speaker or buy some new!
74pbg 1 year ago
you did a good job with showing us what these sound like. most people on youtube do not know what they are doing and play some loud bass heavy hip hop or rock that distorts the camcorder's mic or record it in a room with tons of echo. i think the choice of music makes it easier to hear the quality of these speakers.
lineartechbd1600 1 year ago
@lineartechbd1600 - I have yet to choose a widely favored genre to standardize for these these speaker tests. Thanks for the comment! I favor 50's vocals and 60's folk. Most audiophiles test with early to mid 60's Jazz and (and some folk/country) as it was the Golden Era of clean, detailed recording.. Neve, tube Altec & Neumann U-47's etc, were in use then. More speaker tests to come as time allows.
HiFiTown 1 year ago
@lineartechbd1600
Amen to that.
Honestly though, you CAN tell a LITTLE bit where the speakers are "lacking", and the overall frequency response.
But the sound is going through pretty many things:
The air, the microphone, the computer, YouTube processing, and then through your computer speakers which might not reproduce the sound accurately.
You can kind of get the feel of it though, at least. Playing bass or rock is just pointless though, as you stated :)
ExpertOfSound 1 year ago
@lineartechbd1600 whaaooo calm down man!
ismaelkhan 6 months ago
do you have a site, or any idea on how to restore a pair that were destroyed with newer lower quality speakers? I found reproduction woofers, and original mids, I have the original tweeters. I just want to do it right. also any info on the material of the covers? mine were replaced and are not stock, I want mine to look, and sound original. any help would be great, oh yea and BTW I am very jealous of you and your speakers right now.
GrandCaravanSE 1 year ago
@GrandCaravanSE - If only your woofers are bad, the surrounds can be repaired with a variety of materials, best to use rolled cloth as original, or foam if that's what your models used. You need a good coil in each driver, otherwise just find original replacements - they sell for under $100/ea. Grill cloth fabric was an OEM plastic called "Saran" - they stopped making it many years and it was not good - it filtered HF too much. Any open weave, semi transparent cloth, would be better.
HiFiTown 1 year ago
Great speakers! I have a pair of early AR-3As with the same style woofer drivers and the original surrounds are still intact (looks like yours are, too)!
bjmsamrlm 1 year ago
@bjmsamrlm I agree. The AR3 series is truly one of the "best" bookshelf systems. The 3A's are nice as well. And, as the years went by AR really improved the ruggedness of the midrange driver -- at the same time it became able to deliver even better lower midrange. Generally most AR3 series, including the 3A are a treated cloth surrounds and are very durable. Perhaps the last few models were a rolled foam - I hardly ever see problems with the woofers.
HiFiTown 1 year ago
I have that amp, it is awesome.
DarkSoul346 1 year ago