AR Speaker placement/positioning

[vinylviola]

Okay - I've been puzzling this one, and it's bubbled to the surface now that I just started getting my recently acquired AR-4x's spiffed up.

It had always been my understanding that the expected speaker placement when listening with a typical stereo L+R arrangement that the woofer end of the cabinet would be placed closest to the floor, not only to accentuate the bass frequencies, but also so that the tweeter could be as close to ear-level as possible.

But with both pairs of AR speakers that I have my hands on (4x and 2ax) I noticed that all signs of their use showed that they were placed tweeter end DOWN, with the woofer being above the tweeter.

So there are some unattentive people. Big deal.

But the confusion I'm having is with the way AR fastened their logos to the speakers.

On the AR-4x's according the the way the AR badge is glued on, if you desire the AR to be upside-right, you would indeed be placing the tweeter closest to the ground. If the woofer side sat down, the AR badge would be upside down. :scratch2:

So the question is: Did AR intend for their speakers to have the tweeters placed closest to the ground? Were they expected to be placed on bookshelves where it didn't matter? (Not surprising with the 4x's, but with the 2ax, you'd need quite a bookshelf to put them on.)

Any historical/manufacturer info on this curious matter? Am I wrong in judging the previous owners so harshly in my mind?

 

[outlawmws]

Do those logos twist on a center pin to allow them to be properly aligned? Some maufacturers did this.

 

[vinylviola]

On my pair of AR-2ax's (which are both very early serials) they do screw in - they have the simple 'AR' badge and would have (if complete and authentic) the 'A' pin in the upper corner.

On 4x's, however, as carefully as I have examined them, they are glued on, not screw-in. Which means they were glued on in the position I've described - upside down...?

 

[vinylviola]

Sorry - while the logos are screw-in on the 2ax's, the wear and tear on the cabinet tells me that they were placed tweeter-end on the ground.

 

[ShaneC]

My 2ax's were badged sideways!

Right now I've got'em tweeter side up, in the corners of the room, sitting on padded folding chairs.

Maybe not ideal, but it seems to kill some of the resonance that could be quite annoying to the downstairs neighbors.

I may have to try this 'upside down' thing and see how that sounds. With the pot bypass, new caps, and no grills, they're kinda harsh at times right now.

 

[cfowler]

What a coincidence I have been playing my AR19's upside down for a while now, and find that it does not change the overall sound of the speakers in regards to their tonality or range etc., (but that may have more to do with my ageing ears).

I have them sitting on another pair of speakers just 42cm of the ground, but strangely enough it seems to elevate the voices in the soundstage somewhat higher than I was getting before I inverted them, and launching the bass a little further into the room.

 

[gkimeng]

Okay - I've been puzzling this one, and it's bubbled to the surface now that I just started getting my recently acquired AR-4x's spiffed up.

It had always been my understanding that the expected speaker placement when listening with a typical stereo L+R arrangement that the woofer end of the cabinet would be placed closest to the floor, not only to accentuate the bass frequencies, but also so that the tweeter could be as close to ear-level as possible.

Most likely the previous owner did not want the bass accentuated for some reason or another. Maybe the listening room was already too "bassy."

 

[KeninDC]

If the bass is on top, you risk smothering the highs with lows as the bass drips down since bass is heavier than tweeter sounds.










I kid.