3 replies to this topic

[ligs]

I found a pair of AR high Resolution AR15 bookshelf speakers in very good condition. They have 6-inch Magalloy one-piece woofers and one-inch Diamond coated Titanium dome Tweeters!

The top of the line AR Hi Res AR1 got an excellent review by Stereophile.

“The AR-1's clear, transparent mids and highs made listening to them emotionally involving. I was moved to tears by the a cappella "Calling My Children Home," from Spyboy. Harris' ethereal voice stood out separately—in location and in tonality—from Buddy Miller's sweet tenor and the voices of the rest of her band. Via the AR-1s, "Prayer in Open D" on the same album showed off Harris' voice as effortless, ethereal, clear, and translucent. The guitar work was crystalline and airy, with silken tonality”

http://www.stereophi...dspeaker-page-3

The complete line-up of AR Hi Res is here:
http://www.digital.c...y/ar/hi_res.htm

Can anyone shine some light into the difference in sound quality of AR Hi Res speakers vs classic AR speakers, especially WRT Hi Res AR 15?

[Carlspeak]

Their specs look impressive. Are they still available at retail?

[ligs]

Unfortunately I can not find any new ones in the current market. Initially, they sounded a little bland but with a couple days' playing the smoothness is still there but great clarity and micro details begin to ravel. Their sound just seems to draw you in:) I know classic AR speakers are known for very nice reproduction of string instrument. AR 15's are very smooth to do strings and they make human voices very convincing too.

[michiganpat]

they went the way of the dodo with the last vestiges of the original AR when Recoton went bankrupt in ~2004.

I have the 312HO's, which were the direct predecessors to the Hi Res series. very nice speakers, but I can't compare to any real "classic era" AR's, as I've not had the pleasure of hearing any original or teledyne era 10" models. only thing my ears could compare to are my AR18's, which isn't fair (40" floorstander with a 12" woofer vs. a .38 cubic foot bookshelf with an 8" woofer). I'm sure they're voiced more "forward" than the classic eras, as my early 90's holographic imaging M5's have a more pronounced midrange than my AR18's, and my (new to me) late 80's rock partners sound in between my 18's and M5's as far as midrange forwardness.

I love my 312HO's great sound and imaging. I think mine sound better than my friend's polk LSi9's, which have the advantage of having a powered woofer section.