Offered are a pair of exquisite early AR-3 speakers from the very early 1960’s. The serial numbers are 24 apart in the 090XX range, definitely from the same production run and year. They are operating beautifully. If you desire I can send many more photos detailing the restoration process they went through. Everything on these one-owner speakers is original from the AR factory except the capacitors which have been replaced with ERSE metallized aluminum polypropylene capacitors… See more on these caps below. The grilles, grill cloth, badges (both the “3” and the “AR”) are originals. All of the drivers are the original AR drivers and the very ones intended for this model of AR speakers. NO substitute drivers in this pair. All of the drivers work and work well. What did these speakers go through to be restored? The tweeters have been refurbished professionally by Midwest Speaker Repair in the Twin Cities with re-applied suspensions. The two midrange speakers which are prone to malfunction because the suspension material hardens diminishing the sound volume and quality considerably, these mids have been expertly restored by individuals on the east coast who specialize in AR speakers of this era, removing and replacing the hardened suspensions. They have expertly been brought back to standard. This means, unlike other old AR drivers that “work”, you won’t have to have the treble or midrange control at the max settings to even hear these drivers. The controls can be placed more in the midrange setting, near the “spot, ” as AR intended. You who are AR aficionados know what I mean. There are many of these mids and tweeters that have ceased working. Many more “work” (they merely make some sound) but because of the aged hardened suspension compound their quality has been badly compromised. These have been restored. The rare and highly desirable ALNICO woofers’ surrounds have been re-treated with the same compound developed by one of the above restorers that duplicates the sealant used originally by AR at their factory. This sealant is necessary to maintain the acoustic suspension seal so that air does not leak through the cloth surrounds. All six of the drivers have been re-sealed into cabinets with moretite compound so that the acoustic suspension seal is intact maximizing the genuine, legendary AR-3 sound. The crossover has been redone, removing the old wax capacitors that had significantly shifted their values and replaced with the above mentioned ERSE metallized aluminum polypropylene capacitors. These ERSE’s are top line audio quality and are accurate to within 3% of stated values. They will last a lifetime. The tone controls, which often cease to function properly after many years, have been disassembled, cleaned until they shine, treated with an anti-oxidant lubricant and reassembled. They work perfectly throughout their range. The speaker cabinets are in superb condition, which one would expect from one-owner speakers, and were cared for in a non-smoking environment for nearly 60 years. They are tight with no seam separation, warping, water damage or any other major cosmetic or functional flaws. One can detect minor flaws here or there, but there are NO significant marks on these beautiful pieces of classic furniture. The walnut veneer has been restored and hand rubbed with 100% tung oil. As you can see, they look rich and spectacular. The grilles and grille cloths are original and have been cleaned and restored to the unique, original AR-3 look. Most importantly, how do these speaker sound? I demonstrated these for my wife. Her comment was, When I listen to most speakers, I feel like I’m listening to… With this pair, I feel like I’m listening to the musicians right in front of me. Why would this be so? AR knew how to make exquisite speakers. The AR-3’s were their top of the line example of their expertise. They were so successful at their craft that by the mid-1960’s AR had a 32% market share in U. One can see other AR-3’s offered in varying stages of repair and, in some cases, distress. You won’t find fully restored , and yet, original , low serial number AR-3’s like this very often. This is a rare opportunity. Local pick-up would be welcome for no additional charge. If you have questions feel free to write. The item “Acoustic Research AR-3 Very Early RARE Vintage ALNICO Speakers Restored” is in sale since Monday, August 6, 2018. This item is in the category “Consumer Electronics\Vintage Electronics\Vintage Audio & Video\Vintage Speakers”. The seller is “redpackman” and is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. This item can be shipped to United States.
- Model: AR-3
- Modified Item: No
- Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
- Custom Bundle: No
- Brand: Acoustic Research
- Non-Domestic Product: No