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Ar-2ax thrift find


scoville

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Ok,I'm in,been watching, learning for a while. Thanks Carlspeak! I'm getting hooked on these AR's. I have 10 pi, in main syst. $40 garage sale my first. Re-foamed. WOW! McCormack Mod Squad Spacial Coherance Pre. Technics 1300, Sony S900ES DVD/CD, Ashley Pro amp.Becoming a very special system. Office, AR-5's, Kenwood KA-7100, JVC Tuner. Denon TT, Sony NC555ES DVD/CD. Not to shabby at all. Master I'm picking up Sansui G-7800 this weekend,have Wharfdale Rosedales now, looking to add the refurbed (2)'s soon.

These are really rough.$5.nuff said.I'm a pro carpenter,so I'm very confident about the cabinets. I'll be reveneering with old stock Mahogany I have in Garage.

My main issues lie with the rusty tweets. While pulling the grills, the first one launched. They are rusted thoroughly, causing the release of the four adhesive spots to fail. The second tweet, two of the 4 adhesive spots have failed. Wires are still intact. Are these salvageable? Can I CLR the tweet, perhaps add new type of adhesive spots and make a save? Couple on the bay now, but they won't last long and as usual I have a large stack of bills pending!!!

Sorry for the lousy pics, I spend my money on audio, not cameras!

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Welcome Scoville!

Sounds like you have some nice systems there.

As for the 2ax tweets, I'd say they're toast. And I'd be concerned about all that rust--what else is damaged?

Of course for $5 they're still a steal and you have the skills to fix up the cabinets.

Be sure to check the pots.

I think you'll need replacement 2ax tweets from the auction site. I don't know if the Hi-Vi tweets we use in the 3a would work with xo mods. Maybe Roy or some other member can advise on that.

The pics are OK so be sure to post more as you progress.

-Kent

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Welcome Scoville! Congrats on getting the AR bug. It is a worthy fault for sure and should provide a lot of fun. I always tell others that I like vintage speakers as a hobby because it is part electronics and part woodworking so it should be right up your alley for sure. My first AR's were the 2ax and they caught hook line and sinker!

Great thing is that there seem to be ton of 2ax parts on the bay, especially compared to other models. As Kent already identified, the pots might be the next thing to assess and you may want to just jump to new LPad if the condition of the tweeters is any indication of what you might find in other cracks and crevices.

Would love to get your feedback on some of the woodworking ideas we all come up with here as we go along and try to bring these babies back to their full glory.

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Be sure to check the pots.

I think you'll need replacement 2ax tweets from the auction site. I don't know if the Hi-Vi tweets we use in the 3a would work with xo mods. Maybe Roy or some other member can advise on that.

The pics are OK so be sure to post more as you progress.

-Kent

yup, check the pots, and yep, the hivi Q1R, IIRC with the same parallel inductor as the 3a, and IIRC replacing the 4uf cap with a 3uf works on the 2ax's as well.

if you want a magical combination, couple any of your AR's with a higher powered marantz 22xx series (2265 on up) receiver....

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One caveat about the Marantz 2200 series. When the 2270 was tested by audio publications, it was discovered that it only output about 55WPC into 4 ohm loads. This was later confirmed by Marantz. No fix was ever offered for the 2270, but it was corrected in the 2275. Never saw any mention of this issue in any other model in the series.

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JKent, Thanks I've been into this for just under a year due to a lightning strike. I had a entry level system back in mid-70's,Advent, Scott, BIC. My rig got ripped in boarding school! I never really got back into it until the lightning strike last summer. I've been lucky, but I'm also thorough! I'm looking to restore the electronics as close as possible to stock. So, no rush. I do have the veneer already, so that's where I'll start. I'm going thru a job change this week, and that's going to be a good thing financially, but less time for picking. OK, I have to many items to repair already!

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genek, yes, perhaps stored in the boat garage! I was delivering my Sansui to a tech, a very interesting area that had a lot of potential as far as I was concerned. Actually a town known for the winter home of Circus people. Gibsonton Florida. I could smell the speakers as I drove thru!!! Small Thrift shop on the way back,They were on the porch waiting for me! I prob would have paid more...

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David Dru, Thanks,I'm hoping your correct about the parts on the Bay! Yes, woodworking has been my career and hobby for many years. I have a lot of equipment, but its all jammed into the garage, along with the xtra hardwood I've collected thru the years, and it's pretty hard to work in there!I just don't do it in the summer here, to hot and I'm still working full time. If motivated I''l rock out some small projects on the weekend tho!

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Thanks Kimmo and Pat! Yes,My 10's have never had caps replaced, that is certainly on my list. The 5's have caps replaced before purchase, but I'd like to check those. They do sound beautiful, and I happen to have a Marantz 2245 under the knife right now, which I have a Hafler 9303 to perk it up a bit after I get it back.The tech is taking his time,but they are hard to come by 'round here!

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Roger,I've been enjoying you input on this forum for a while, always informative and entertaining!

Yes Gene,I'm hoping the 2245 used as a pre to Hafler will be a great combo, but until I get it back...the Kenwood is hanging in there, but also needs some attention.Much better when warmed up a bit.. I also have the AR Rock Partners in the Master system, loving those but I'm afraid they will be pushed to the new frontier, the guest room!

Thanks for all your great welcome here! I'm looking forward to learning further from you all!

Enjoy the Music!

Tony

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One caveat about the Marantz 2200 series. When the 2270 was tested by audio publications, it was discovered that it only output about 55WPC into 4 ohm loads. This was later confirmed by Marantz. No fix was ever offered for the 2270, but it was corrected in the 2275. Never saw any mention of this issue in any other model in the series.

didn't know about that....I have a 2265 that my uncle bought new when he was in the air force, as well as 2 pair of AR18's from him....that's what started my AR journey....

honestly, even a little 2230 sounds darn good with the 18's and when I owned some AR Holographic imaging M5's. didn't care for the 2230/2ax combo, but that might be because it was in my old 10x10 office, and there just wasn't enough room to get far enough from the 2ax's

and I'm extremely jealous...$40 10pi's....the ADD line is the one that most interests me, mainly because my first AR's were the 18's....10pi or 11's are my dream speakers, but too expensive, but I did find their slightly younger cousins, 58S's for $150, which I haven't had time to start the restore on

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That McCormack Mod Squad Spacial Coherance Pre is a rare bird indeed! How 'bout photos and impressions? Don't tell us it's another garage sale find! ;)

-Kent

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ar_pro, Yes, garage sale, I went to check out some albums, and a Pioneer receiver listed on the CL ad. All overpriced...I picked a couple albums anyway,started talking to the guy...I asked where the speakers were! They were not even for sale, but buried in the garage..he showed me, the foams were rotted.Asked for like $60, I offered $40.Sold. I didn't even know what I had till I got home, started google up.

And Thank YOU! and all on this forum....

PS, it was a good day,I found the same Pioneer receiver same day at another sale, $100 less and ran it as Master bed system, sold later at a tidy profit.

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Pat,I'm a Spartan Guy from the '60's! Duffy Days. My Father got his Masters there back in the day and I still pull for Sparty. Not to get political or anything...

I find stuff because I Pick Hard. And I'm becoming good at it. I take some risks. It's not easy. I work full time. I'm a 55 YO Carpenter. Florida. It's hot. My back F**ked from being rear-ended on US 19. I had to sell my fishing boat, most my stuff, just to get by. I'm having so much fun, hunting ,learning, meeting some very cool cats!

I'll keep an eye out for something in your area if your looking. t's really about proper searching techniques.

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Kent, No, an online find. Goodwill. $30. +.I knew it was unusual, kinda rare, It looked bad. I needed a pre pretty badly, took a chance. It came with no packing material, large box, actually front plate exposed thru box, I was a bit Irate,

But a charity...What ya gonna do? Different Face Plate than Spacial unit. Mod Squad Steve McCormack logo on front...

I get my google on. His Pre's sell for 20 +.I'm freakin...I drop him a mail, He's really nice, down to earth, says he

does not do repairs anymore, but it's a great unit, one of his earlier mods, and has a bud tech whom he works with and

they might be able to fix it.

So, Back to Cali. Stephen Pappin AKA Clifton Audio. No Afilliation...

So, this unit was Mod Squadded by Steve McCormack back in the day, probably '79.He was affiliated with Richard Knapp back then. Richard Knapp developed the Special. He is near me in Orlando, but out of the Audio biz.

So, Mr. Pappin, working with Mr. McCormack do another mod on my Phoenix, bringing it up/ well beyond standards.

I call it Mod Squad II. They are to modest to accept that moniker.

It has no measurable distortion. I've never compared it with anything else. Not like these pre's are laying around...

I've got a Tech nearby, he might do a compare with a Conrad Johnson Pre if I ask nice...

Well, I have unit back,

TO BE CONTINUED

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Pat,I'm a Spartan Guy from the '60's! Duffy Days. My Father got his Masters there back in the day and I still pull for Sparty. Not to get political or anything...

I find stuff because I Pick Hard. And I'm becoming good at it. I take some risks. It's not easy. I work full time. I'm a 55 YO Carpenter. Florida. It's hot. My back F**ked from being rear-ended on US 19. I had to sell my fishing boat, most my stuff, just to get by. I'm having so much fun, hunting ,learning, meeting some very cool cats!

I'll keep an eye out for something in your area if your looking. t's really about proper searching techniques.

I'm actually an import, I grew up outside of Duluth, MN, so I have no skin in the sparty/big blue controversy here ;)

if you hear of anything, let me know...

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Sorry, had an AC issue yesterday, all's well and cool again. Yes, The Phoenix is the best thing to happen to my system since the 10Pi's. It's very clear, and transparent. I'm hearing the Music, and lots of things, little things you miss, but didn't know your were missing during the recording process.

I do have pics of the unit, before, during restore and after. I can't seem to upload them though.

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