AR-2ax serial numbers

[garblefarf]

I have two AR-2ax's, bought new a few years apart in the 1960's (before stereo was mandatory!).

I had serial #AX 139465 refoamed in 1996 and it's fine. The other is serial #AX 24229. I have not opened it yet, but have a refoaming kit ready to go. Now I wonder if this low serial number suggests a cloth suspension. It sounds like the other did before refoaming, i.e., awful. But I thought cloth suspensions don't wear out??

Does this serial no. tell me anything? This project hasn't risen to the top of my to-do list yet (we moved recently), but any information as to what awaits me would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[RoyC]

I have two AR-2ax's, bought new a few years apart in the 1960's (before stereo was mandatory!).

I had serial #AX 139465 refoamed in 1996 and it's fine. The other is serial #AX 24229. I have not opened it yet, but have a refoaming kit ready to go. Now I wonder if this low serial number suggests a cloth suspension. It sounds like the other did before refoaming, i.e., awful. But I thought cloth suspensions don't wear out??

Does this serial no. tell me anything? This project hasn't risen to the top of my to-do list yet (we moved recently), but any information as to what awaits me would be appreciated. Thanks!

If the woofer is original, it is the cloth surround version.

The cloth surround does not deteriorate like foam does, but the glue bonding the masonite rings (to which the surround and spider are attached) to the woofer basket is deteriorating on many of these old AR 10 and 12 inch woofers.

I have repaired many of them in the past few years.

Roy

 

[garblefarf]

AR-2ax cloth surround maintenance

Thanks for the reply, RoyC. I finally got inside the speaker and indeed, it is as you predicted. The cone and cloth surround appear fine. However, around the bottom periphery of the surround, from about 4 to 7 o'clock, it is loose and definitely not attached to the ring.

The ring on this speaker is not Masonite, but aluminum, and has six holes. It is held to the cabinet with six Phillips screws, all of which are tight.

It seems to me that the looseness is most likely the cause of the lower-frequency (90-130 cps) rattling I am experiencing. How do you suggest I proceed? Might I work glue into the loose areas? I would prefer not to detach the entire surround, because then I would be faced with the problem of aligning the voice coil when gluing it back. Perhaps I could re-glue about half of it, then do the other half so alignment would be maintained. Then I would be assured that the portion that is good now will never come loose.

Also, now that I have the grille off, is there anything I can do in the way of maintenance or treatment of the cone and cloth surround? It took me over an hour and a half to get the grille off (it was stapled AND glued!) and I'd prefer to have this be the last time for that exercise.

Many thanks for any help from you, RoyC, or anyone else with experience on these things.

 

[RoyC]

Attached are a couple of photos of the problem. The glue rings are masonite. It is the woofer basket that is aluminum. As you can see in the photo, the spider can also be affected by this issue.

If only part of the surround ring is loose, the woofer can sometimes be repaired without shimming. Often, however, the spider ring is becoming loose as well, which will require the removal of the cone leads from the basket terminals, shimming, re-gluing the rings, and re-soldering the leads. See this thread:
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=506843

I've been doing this repair for Ebay's "Vintage AR" and others. Send me a PM if I may be of assistance.

Roy