Acoustic Research (AR) 7 speakers

anexus

New Member
AR7 speakers.JPG Hi,

I'm new to this forum and have only just jumped into vintage Hi-Fi. I have a AR XB1 turntable connected to a Yamaha CA-610 amplifier. I have just purchased and received a brand new set of AR7 speakers. I say new, as these were advertised (US seller) as original NOS (New old stock) AR7 book shelve speakers still in their original carton and never sold. On arrival, they appear true to description - being in perfect condition. (And yes, still in the original carton after 43 years) However, unlike previous AR (1980) speakers I have had, the cloth cover doesn't seem to be easy to remove. My question is, how do I access the internal components to check to see what I have received is in fact 'original' and if it is, after 43 years of sitting in a store room somewhere, would they need re-foaming?
 
Hi there and welcome to AK, check for pins around the edges holding the grills to the speakers.
Some were glued while others were Velcro attached and if you are having continued problems removing them you may want to visit classicspeakerpages.net as that is the home for AR and the New England speakers.

Good luck.
 
Wow..... new AR-7's? That's pretty cool. If never previously removed, I suppose the grilles can be a bit stubborn. Helle's advice is good, but AR abandoned using tiny staples long before the AR-7 arrived. Either glue or velcro has been used on these speakers, and you need to use patience and careful determination when breaking the initial glue bond - - usually six little dabs of hot melt glue. One good trick to begin is to remove the metal AR-7 badge and insert a drywall screw into the hole until it grabs the grille frame - - - then you've got a means to tug on at one spot to try to lift a corner. After that, you can slowly work around the perimeter. It's also good to have a thin metal or plastic L-shape tool to use as a small pry bar if you can slide it behind the grille frame. Work carefully, and show us more pics when you can.
 
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