Help identifying Audio Research turntable.

[John Thomson]

Hi all,

I'm hoping someone may be able to help me identify this Audio Research Gemini turntable amplifier.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/17ahNbyCshVHxz4CXQBGApbG6KkHphKZt/view?usp=drivesdk

I inherited this amp from my grandmother recently who was a bit of an audio aficionado. Apparently she used to love cranking this unit up back in the 70's.

Unfortunately the speakers are long gone, but the amp still goes very well.

There are a few little quirks with this unit that I would like to fix but I need to know what model number this is. Can someone please help me identify this amp?

Thanks
John

 

[swechsler]

Wow, that's bizarre. Audio Research is a well known high end audio manufacturer, and this system obviously did not come from them. In fact, It wouldn't surprise me if the company had been hit with a lawsuit as soon as they released their first product. I doubt there is much info online (or anywhere) about this stereo, so I don't know if finding the model number will help you much. Does it have a manufacturer plate on the rear?

What sorts of issues are you having? We may be able to help you resolve them.

 

[Pio1980]

ARC is Audio Research Corporation, a high end amplification manufacturer.
I doubt this is from them.

 

[newenglandj]

Audio Research was founded in 1970 (according to wikipedia, so might not be accurate). That unit looks like it's from the very early 70's, so it might have been made either right before Audio Research (the high end company) started, or while they were still a small, unknown company. This could explain how the Audio Research (topic of this thread) was able to get away with using that name. I'm thinking this Audio Research might have been a house brand of an electronics retailer.

 

[swechsler]

That unit looks like it's from the very early 70's

Possibly, but the styling and the fact that it includes quad makes me think mid 70s. Yes, I know quadraphonic was out before then, but I don't think you would have found it on a compact system like this.

 

[xrayspex77]

Probably Audio Research Electronics Canada. They were Incorporated in May 1974. I have occasionally seen their Integrated's and TT's for sale.
The Integrated's were made in Korea so that may be where the Gemini was built.
A picture of the Back might help

 

[RobRoy]

Possibly, but the styling and the fact that it includes quad makes me think mid 70s. Yes, I know quadraphonic was out before then, but I don't think you would have found it on a compact system like this.

The poor tape functionality reeks of cheap crap. That and the quad "switch". It may be one of the very first white van systems.

 

[John Thomson]

Probably Audio Research Electronics Canada. They were Incorporated in May 1974. I have occasionally seen their Integrated's and TT's for sale.
The Integrated's were made in Korea so that may be where the Gemini was built.
A picture of the Back might help

As requested here is a photo of the back. I have been unable to find an id plate anywhere on the unit. I'm not sure if it has fallen of or maybe it didn't ever have one.

 

[John Thomson]

What sorts of issues are you having? We may be able to help you resolve them.

The main issue is the very scratchy sound when adjusting any of the knobs is very irritating. I was assuming the potentiometers inside would need replaced.

The other issues are there is an audible motor noise coming through the turntable. It's not super loud but it is there.

And third is there is a constant hum coming through the speakers. It is particularly bad at high volume.

Other than these issues it seems the unit still works very well. It has been in storage for a number of years so I'm assuming some of the issues are just a maintenance problem.

 

[John Thomson]

The poor tape functionality reeks of cheap crap. That and the quad "switch". It may be one of the very first white van systems.

I'm not sure what you mean by white van sorry. Also as a side comment, a number of years ago, my dad said he had the unit looked over by an electronics technician. The tech did comment how impressed he was with the quality of the components. His comment was along the lines of this doesn't look like a cheap system, internally at least.

 

[RobRoy]

I'm not sure what you mean by white van sorry. Also as a side comment, a number of years ago, my dad said he had the unit looked over by an electronics technician. The tech did comment how impressed he was with the quality of the components. His comment was along the lines of this doesn't look like a cheap system, internally at least.

"White van" refers to guys who used to pull into a parking lot in a "white van" and approach people with some story about having a VERY expensive assortment of speakers that the store couldn't take or something so, rather than return them to the factory they were willing to just sell them to people on the cheap to get back with an empty van and a little money. They'd say the speakers were worth a thousand or something and were willing to dump them for a hundred or so. But they were worth fifty. Often they were so bad they were really worth zero.

But I suppose this could have been some sort of "minimalist" effort on some company's part. In every "tape compatible" "good" system I've ever seen the tape selector was something like this. And even if there is only one tape deck, there will ususally be a separate "tape/source" switch for tape. Also, the quad switch was weird. Again, if they were going "minimalist", maybe. And AR was into minimalist, except that tonearm doesn't jive with anything on an AR-XA.

 

[RobRoy]

The main issue is the very scratchy sound when adjusting any of the knobs is very irritating. I was assuming the potentiometers inside would need replaced.

The other issues are there is an audible motor noise coming through the turntable. It's not super loud but it is there.

And third is there is a constant hum coming through the speakers. It is particularly bad at high volume.

Other than these issues it seems the unit still works very well. It has been in storage for a number of years so I'm assuming some of the issues are just a maintenance problem.

I'd give them a shot of De-oxit. I've never come across anything that needs more than that. At least not so far.

 

[RobRoy]

As requested here is a photo of the back. I have been unable to find an id plate anywhere on the unit. I'm not sure if it has fallen of or maybe it didn't ever have one.

Based on that, I'm going back to "cheap". For me, the speaker connectors are the dead giveaway. any high quality "minimalist" system would not have speaker connectors like that. At least, not in the US. The din connector is also an oddity. Virtually every receiver I ever saw from that time frame used rca jacks. Frankly, I'm starting to think it was for European sale.

 

[John Thomson]

White van" refers to guys who used to pull into a parking lot in a "white van" and approach people with some story about having a VERY expensive assortment of speakers that the store couldn't take or something so, rather than return them to the factory they were willing to just sell them to people on the cheap to get back with an empty van and a little money.

Oh I see, I don't think this is the case. I'm fairly certain it was purchased at one of our local electronics retailers, and they are a reputable electronics store that is still in operation.

I'd give them a shot of De-oxit. I've never come across anything that needs more than that. At least not so far.

I did attempt to clean them with an electrical cleaner from the outside of the unit, however I will try again from inside once I take bottom off

 

[RobRoy]

Oh I see, I don't think this is the case. I'm fairly certain it was purchased at one of our local electronics retailers, and they are a reputable electronics store that is still in operation.


I did attempt to clean them with an electrical cleaner from the outside of the unit, however I will try again from inside once I take bottom off

Yeah, I've had to do exactly that sometimes.

If it was sold in the US, I'd have to say it is really just an incredible oddity. And so obscure that the interwebs don't seem to recognize its existence.

 

[Dswankey]

Probably Audio Research Electronics Canada.

I think we have a winner and I agree with

Wow, that's bizarre. Audio Research is a well known high end audio manufacturer.. It wouldn't surprise me if the company had been hit with a lawsuit as soon as they released their first product. I doubt there is much info online (or anywhere) about this stereo,

Here's a pair of speakers they sold, as to who actually made them who knows.

https://www.usedvictoria.com/stereo-speakers/37291726/photos?i=2

 

[swechsler]

Frankly, I'm starting to think it was for European sale.

This seems likely. DIN connectors for speakers and tape decks were not unheard of (actually pretty common) on European components made in the 1970s. However, the ceramic cartridge still marks it as a relatively inexpensive system.

 

[RobRoy]

This seems likely. DIN connectors for speakers and tape deck connections were not unheard of (actually pretty common) on European components made in the 1970s. However, the ceramic cartridge still marks it as a relatively inexpensive system.

I'll add that those speaker connectors and wires almost certainly end at "included" speakers. Or they did when it was new. I'd really like to see the power cord end.

 

[Pio1980]

As requested here is a photo of the back. I have been unable to find an id plate anywhere on the unit. I'm not sure if it has fallen of or maybe it didn't ever have one.

DIN connectors indicate non-US sourced or directed production.

 

[John Thomson]

We are not in the US and sorry for not stating that earlier. We are based in New Zealand.

Also had emailed Audio Research a few days ago and just received a reply from them. It is as follows:
"Dear John

Summary: That is a product made by a different company with the same name. I believe the other Audio Research was a Canadian company that also made speakers. I do not know if they are even still in business. In any case that is not one of our products so I am not able to provide any information for you.

Thank you,

Greg Christensen
Audio Research Customer Service
www.audioresearch.com"

So it does appear to be from Audio Research Canada. Does anyone know where I can find info on these systems?