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AR-1 and AR-3st system


Hairball

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Hi All,

I asked the forum for some help connecting these 4 vintage speakers about a year ago. Tom Tyson and Kent gave some me helpful advice and I got the AR-1's working with a decent amp. Unfortunately the small super-tweeter AR-3st's doesn't respond.

I called Carl of http://www.classicloudspeakerservices.com/ and considered fixing them.

But now,I'd rather leave them unmolested and find a good home for these to someone to enjoy. I know these are worth quite a bit after reading discuusions and posting on ebay. I hesitate to throw them on Ebay or Craigslist and would rather find a true connoisseur hopefully through this forum. I can provide more information as requested. I'm in southern Rhode Island.

Regards,

H

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Wow, a mid century-modern collectors dream and even more so if they are really into music.

In my opinion should you get rid of them you will regret it as there are probably only a handful of those kinds of setups that even exist; its that an historical kind of thing. I have a pair with janszen 130's in dark wood finish and i am still envious.....

However, if you are determined to sell, get them fixed so everything works perfectly, you will boost the bottom line well beyond repair costs and the AR3-sts can't be that hard of a fix. It takes money to make money.

As to where - ebay is always where the most money exchanges hands for these speakers, am sure there are a couple folks here who will offer to take them off your hands at a discount where they will immediately show up on ebay. If you are going to sell them, be a mercenary about it; that's the nature of speakers as commodity market.

Your best bet is to manage the sale yourself and reap all potential profit for yourself.....but you will regret it down the line as that configuration is simply irreplaceable.

Also, could you please provide serial numbers for the AR-1s.

thanks

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As Anthropologo writes, this really is a dream setup, although I would suggest leaving everything as it is.

It's impossible to replicate "untouched & original", and that could be a huge factor for a potential buyer.

If you really must sell them, then it's eBay, eBay, eBay.

Early AR products are very highly-regarded in Asia, and if you're looking for a good home for the equipment (and top dollar), there are plenty of "true connoisseurs" in that neck of the woods.

It's probably safe to say that you won't get an eBay top-value price (what some folks amusingly regard as "what it's worth") without actually listing the equipment on eBay.

And if you do sell for a significantly lower price, you'll probably see your stuff listed on eBay, anyway. ;)

Bottom line: it's probably worth more as an intact lot, so add up the individual top values, include a healthy percentage for provenance, and set your reserve.

Take plenty of detailed photos, write a nice story, and get your speakers ready for a sea voyage.

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Hi All,

I asked the forum for some help connecting these 4 vintage speakers about a year ago. Tom Tyson and Kent gave some me helpful advice and I got the AR-1's working with a decent amp. Unfortunately the small super-tweeter AR-3st's doesn't respond.

I called Carl of http://www.classicloudspeakerservices.com/ and considered fixing them.

But now,I'd rather leave them unmolested and find a good home for these to someone to enjoy. I know these are worth quite a bit after reading discuusions and posting on ebay. I hesitate to throw them on Ebay or Craigslist and would rather find a true connoisseur hopefully through this forum. I can provide more information as requested. I'm in southern Rhode Island.

Regards,

H

Hairball,

I'd be willing to bet that the problem with the AR-3sts is in the level controls. You could have a burned-out tweeter(s), but it is much more likely that the problem is in the control. The crossover frequency is 7500 Hz, so the tweeter (even with a 6dB/octave rolloff) is fairly well protected, and the tweeter is pretty rugged as well. Rotate the control back and forth with your thumb and index finger many times while playing music through them, and eventually you might get some crackling noise through the tweeter. Then, later, you will probably start to get some output through the tweeter(s). You could also remove the level control(s) to clean if you have no luck, but I think just rotating the controls repeatedly will free up a little space on the control to make contact.

The combination that you have is very nice indeed. It would be quite rare to find a set of AR-1s with the matching-finish AR-3sts with them, and this should be very attractive to a collector. The sound would also be great as well!

--Tom Tyson

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Hi there

I am not here much any more but here is my nickels worth of advice.

Absolutely do not allow anyone not experienced with AR speakers to touch your speakers.

When working they are gems.

When not they are not for the inexperienced service person to service.

My advice is to NOT advertise on EBUY .

When I was actively buying on EBUY a disgruntled seller wrote that with using Paypal and the cost of EBUY advertising, 25% was deducted from the sale price, for one issue.

Tom is correct with his advice as usual, but they may also be the earlier 4 watt pots which I have seen totally burnt out.

I will look at the photos again and will comment further.

Vern

Just returned and from the photos I believe they are the 25 watt pots with the black plastic shafts, not the 4 watters.

Do not spray or drip any kind of fluid into the pot via the pot shaft.

Do not attempt to remove the grille cloth even.

The subject of removing and cleaning pots has been much discussed over the years here.

To be absolutely correct, there is no long term repair to the pots irregardless as to the person or their efforts.

The wiper and wire coil is usually scored and the original surface is scarred and pitted.

Every effort is temporary at best, irregardless to who does the cleanup.

Buying a used or reconditioned one is, in my opinion, a waste of money.

A new old stock (NOS) original pot is the best replacement.

It is made of unobtainium, as it has not been made for decades.

There may be some out there in surplus companies but I have not come across any.

A suitable equivalent replacement is the Ohmite surplus or Chinese new, equal in wattage, the Chinese version is slightly larger in diameter.

Both are built like tanks, with their coil and wiper exposed at the back.

The Ohmite pot has replaceable parts, also, if available as surplus from ?.

I believe that I have a solution to the pots rear protection.

A member here developed a stepped switch and the owners manual may still be in the library.

It was ingenius and I do hope he was successful with his venture.

This may be an quality alternative to pots, but I do not have any experience with them.

Hopefully the pots are the only bad parts, but the caps may also be open and finally the tweeter may be open.

A terrific AR specialist can diagnose and service them.

Good luck.

Try Craigslist maybe?

No fees.

They also will require very special packaging to limit potential damage.

.

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I'd rather leave them unmolested and find a good home for these to someone to enjoy. I know these are worth quite a bit after reading discuusions and posting on ebay. I hesitate to throw them on Ebay or Craigslist and would rather find a true connoisseur hopefully through this forum. I can provide more information as requested. I'm in southern Rhode Island.

If you don't get an interested buyer here, epay will give you the widest exposure. You may even find a buyer in Asia, where these are popular but check on shipping first. For example, you can't send boxes this big to Taiwan by Priority Mail International. You have to use a much more expensive service (Global Express Guaranteed, for about $300 per speaker).

I don't know about Canada, where Vern is, but I usually figure epay and paypal combined take about 10%. Could be mistaken.

Craigslist is, unfortunately, full of crooks and scammers so you need to be extremely careful. One scam: A moving truck shows up. The driver has a "certified check" from the buyer but it's for more than the purchase price. He wants you to give him the merchandise and refund the over-payment. You discover weeks later that the check is no good.

I've had some success on Audiogon. It caters to high-end audio buffs.

One of Vern's points can't be stressed enough: Careful packing. I'm very careful but speakers are big and heavy. I once shipped a pair of KLH Model Fives, which are about the size of your ARs. Each speaker was wrapped in bubble wrap, and boxed in new triple-wall cartons with styrofoam peanuts. Marked "Fragile--Do Not Drop". One box was dropped so hard a speaker corner was bashed in and the woofer was knocked loose. You absolutely MUST double box and put extra protection on all corners.

Good luck.

-Kent

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