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Acoustic Research AR-3a

Rome

Rome

Holsum Honey Buns
I have a pair of Acoustic Research AR-3a's that I would like to know what would be a good power source for them? This can be in a receiver or amplifier. I have a Sony TA-F4A integrated amplifier with 40wpc into 8 ohms, but I am not sure if that would drive them. I think the AR-3a's are 4 ohm speaks, so I don't want to damage the Sony.

Any suggestions will be deeply appreciated.
Rome
 
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Rome said:
I have a pair of Acoustic Research AR-3a's that I would like to know what would be a good power source for them? This can be in a receiver or amplifier. I have a Sony TA-F4A integrated amplifier with 40wpc into 8 ohms, but I am not sure if that would drive them. I think the AR-3a's are 4 ohm speaks, so I don't want to damage the Sony.

Any suggestions will be deeply appreciated.
Rome
Click to expand...

Rome, your 40 wpc amp is NOT the best match for AR-3a's. Now, it would do a terrific job on the mids/tweeters. The woofers in AR's are power hungry and most folks recommend 100 wpc and higher.

For my AR-3a's I use:

200 wpc for the woofers
35 wpc for the mids/tweeters

Both of these are integrated amps so I end up with two volume controls and as a result terrific control over speaker voicing. Further, if you have a "working" mid pot, you can solve the weak tweeter problem.


Hope this helps ...

Regards,
Jerry
 
I dunno but, if you send them to me, I'll find out.

There is no definitive answer. Depends on the music room size, desired SPL and your personal preference. Try them with the Sony but just make sure you don't clip the amp and monitor the ambient temperature of the unit. If it runs appreciably hotter than with other speakers it may not do well with them.

Years ago when I worked for Teledyne, the owner of AR, I'd hook everything from a clean 20 watter on them to amps like the MC2300 with 300 watts per channel. The only thing to watch for is not to clip or overdrive them as the drivers predate high current amps and high power. Remember they are from the late '50s to early '60s in design when 25 watts was in the realm of higher power. I found something int he 50 watt range is a good starting point. While AS drivers generally do better with higher dampening factor and hence SS amp with no output caps or autoformers, a nice amp was the McIntosh MC250 that uses the autoformer. Also another amp that did well was the Crown D40, 60 and 75 though not quite 50 watts. Other vintage amps that dod well that are not all that expensive were the Marantz 15, 16 and 16b power amps.
 
Rome said:
I have a pair of Acoustic Research AR-3a's that I would like to know what would be a good power source for them? This can be in a receiver or amplifier. I have a Sony TA-F4A integrated amplifier with 40wpc into 8 ohms, but I am not sure if that would drive them. I think the AR-3a's are 4 ohm speaks, so I don't want to damage the Sony.
Click to expand...
The specs for your amp indicate that they will drive 4 ohm speakers (same 40WPC rating for both 4 and 8 ohm). As long as you don't drive the amp into clipping you shouldn't have any worries about damaging either the amp or the speakers, but if you're planning on using the 1812 Overture or some Black Sabbath to make things in your listening room rattle you'll want a lot more power.
 
Realistic point of entry power-wise for something like the AR-3a is 60wpc, in my opinion. AR-5, KLH-6, ADC-303ax, Advent, Advent Smaller, the same 60wpc. It's just about enough to ensure no clipping unless you're really demanding. It's also the point where even if you listen at lower than realistic levels, the woofer is not robbing so much power that very little is available to the mid/tweeter. This became evident after spending many years with AR-3a, AR-5, and KLH 6. It was the power point where all the crescendos, be they rock or classical, became sonically decipherable. Everything after that was downhill.

The amplifier that was designed by AR to drive your AR-3a's was 60wpc into 4 ohms, 50wpc into 8 ohms.
 
Yep, like T.A. said - no less than 60 wpc. And a real 60 wpc, not black plastic 60 wpc. A great amp for those would be any Adcom setup starting with the GFA-535 or 535 II (which is a REAL 60 wpc) and going up from there. Adcom amps are quite comfortable with 4 ohm loads and give the greatest bang for the buck.
I'm currently driving my 3a's with a Pioneer SX-850 receiver at 65 wpc (very conservativley rated) and I have to say that I've never heard an amp and a pair of speakers so much in love with each other. I've tried much higher powered amps and receivers and for some reason nothing seems to sound quite as good. The Marantz 22xx receivers don't like these speakers, I guess because they are a very hard to drive 4 ohm load. I noticed that my 2270 would distort at a relatively early point in the volume setting when driving the AR3a's.
Great speakers, man...enjoy 'em! :thmbsp:
 
onplane said:
Rome, your 40 wpc amp is NOT the best match for AR-3a's. Now, it would do a terrific job on the mids/tweeters. The woofers in AR's are power hungry and most folks recommend 100 wpc and higher.

For my AR-3a's I use:

200 wpc for the woofers
35 wpc for the mids/tweeters

Both of these are integrated amps so I end up with two volume controls and as a result terrific control over speaker voicing. Further, if you have a "working" mid pot, you can solve the weak tweeter problem.


Hope this helps ...

Regards,
Jerry
Click to expand...

Hi Jerry!
Thanks so much for the info.

Rome
 
gkimeng said:
The specs for your amp indicate that they will drive 4 ohm speakers (same 40WPC rating for both 4 and 8 ohm). As long as you don't drive the amp into clipping you shouldn't have any worries about damaging either the amp or the speakers, but if you're planning on using the 1812 Overture or some Black Sabbath to make things in your listening room rattle you'll want a lot more power.
Click to expand...

Hi Gk!
Thanks for the info. Yea, I have never passed the 4 mark which is about a little less than half on the Sony with the Polks. At that level the sound is strong & loud. I think I will try the AR's this weekend & just give them a little power to see if anything happens.

Rome
 
Toasted Almond said:
Realistic point of entry power-wise for something like the AR-3a is 60wpc, in my opinion. AR-5, KLH-6, ADC-303ax, Advent, Advent Smaller, the same 60wpc. It's just about enough to ensure no clipping unless you're really demanding. It's also the point where even if you listen at lower than realistic levels, the woofer is not robbing so much power that very little is available to the mid/tweeter. This became evident after spending many years with AR-3a, AR-5, and KLH 6. It was the power point where all the crescendos, be they rock or classical, became sonically decipherable. Everything after that was downhill.

The amplifier that was designed by AR to drive your AR-3a's was 60wpc into 4 ohms, 50wpc into 8 ohms.
Click to expand...

Hi TA!
Very sound info you are giving me there. I am just going to listen to them with the Sony for a bit. I hope to find something in that power range also.

Rome
 
audiojones said:
Yep, like T.A. said - no less than 60 wpc. And a real 60 wpc, not black plastic 60 wpc. A great amp for those would be any Adcom setup starting with the GFA-535 or 535 II (which is a REAL 60 wpc) and going up from there. Adcom amps are quite comfortable with 4 ohm loads and give the greatest bang for the buck.
I'm currently driving my 3a's with a Pioneer SX-850 receiver at 65 wpc (very conservativley rated) and I have to say that I've never heard an amp and a pair of speakers so much in love with each other. I've tried much higher powered amps and receivers and for some reason nothing seems to sound quite as good. The Marantz 22xx receivers don't like these speakers, I guess because they are a very hard to drive 4 ohm load. I noticed that my 2270 would distort at a relatively early point in the volume setting when driving the AR3a's.
Great speakers, man...enjoy 'em! :thmbsp:
Click to expand...

Hi AJ!
Very nice info as well. I am grateful to all who has shared their expertise in my dilemma. That is a nice Pioneer & Adcom certainly makes some nice equip.
Like I said earlier, I am going to hook them up this weekend to the Sony & see how they sound for just a bit. I just do not want to blow anything, so I am a bit skeptic.

Rome
 
My Kenwood KR-6600 rated at 60 watts/channel and ability to work well into 4 ohms( the power rating is higher at 4 ohms) would be a good amp for the ARs. The BIG thing here is the ability to work well into 4 ohms. The AR3's were known as "amp busters" because of the 4 ohm impedance. Other 60-70's vintage gear rated at 60 watts/channel into 4 ohms such as Pioneer, Sony, Marantz, McIntosh, and others can do nicely.

I have a recent Sherwood rated at 100 watts/channel but it is not rated for 4 ohms, and the manual specifically warns against using speakers below 8 ohms impedance, so that baby would blow if hooked up to the AR3's. Good luck, they can be great sounding speakers.
 
Rome said:
Hi Gk!
Thanks for the info. Yea, I have never passed the 4 mark which is about a little less than half on the Sony with the Polks. At that level the sound is strong & loud. I think I will try the AR's this weekend & just give them a little power to see if anything happens.
Click to expand...
Don't count on "strong & loud" with AR-3a's and 40 wpc. Think background/Muzak sound levels.
 
rome-- by now you've gotten the info you've asked for, but i will go along and say my main system for some time now has included a set of AR3a's, and a great match for them is the Phase Linear 400 Mk II i run them with, 200 wpc.
 
I am using a 40wpc NAD receiver. 40wpc into 8ohm; almost 90wpc into 4ohm and 100+ into 2ohm. Plenty loud with enough control for the speakers. Smallish room; listening position ~10ft.

60-200wpc into 8hm, with the ability to easily drive a 4ohm load. Bear in mind that depending on the position of the level control, the impedance can go to 2.75ohm.

Nice speakers.
 
johnda said:
My Kenwood KR-6600 rated at 60 watts/channel and ability to work well into 4 ohms( the power rating is higher at 4 ohms) would be a good amp for the ARs. The BIG thing here is the ability to work well into 4 ohms. The AR3's were known as "amp busters" because of the 4 ohm impedance. Other 60-70's vintage gear rated at 60 watts/channel into 4 ohms such as Pioneer, Sony, Marantz, McIntosh, and others can do nicely.

I have a recent Sherwood rated at 100 watts/channel but it is not rated for 4 ohms, and the manual specifically warns against using speakers below 8 ohms impedance, so that baby would blow if hooked up to the AR3's. Good luck, they can be great sounding speakers.
Click to expand...

Hi John!
I always enjoy your posts, so thanks for the info. Yea, I think I will start looking for something in the 50-60 watt range. The 100 watt stuff is a bit too expensive for me at this time.

Rome
 
gkimeng said:
Don't count on "strong & loud" with AR-3a's and 40 wpc. Think background/Muzak sound levels.
Click to expand...

Yea GK!
Since these speaks have a sentimental value attached to them I probably will not let them do heavy duty in my system. The Polks are more than up to the task for that. I will use the AR's for a lighter duty. Just want to enjoy the sound others rave about on the speaks! :yes:

Thanks,
Rome
 
shrinkboy said:
rome-- by now you've gotten the info you've asked for, but i will go along and say my main system for some time now has included a set of AR3a's, and a great match for them is the Phase Linear 400 Mk II i run them with, 200 wpc.
Click to expand...

Hi neighbor! :D
Yea, there are some great info cited here. Wow!, that is a bit much for my taste, but I am sure that amp drives them solidily!

Also, my piggy bank is still on a diet & I bet that amp costs a pretty penny (pun)! :D

Thanks so much Shrink!
Ole Rome
 
rl1856 said:
I am using a 40wpc NAD receiver. 40wpc into 8ohm; almost 90wpc into 4ohm and 100+ into 2ohm. Plenty loud with enough control for the speakers. Smallish room; listening position ~10ft.

60-200wpc into 8hm, with the ability to easily drive a 4ohm load. Bear in mind that depending on the position of the level control, the impedance can go to 2.75ohm.

Nice speakers.
Click to expand...

Hi R!
Thanks for the info & may I ask, what model# is your receiver? I do know NAD makes some nice stuff, especially the PE equip.

Rome
 
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