How did AR's top dogs stack up?
- Thread starter winters860
- Start date
ken kantor
Fowl Humor
Tests have shown that foam suspended tweeters, like those in the 3a, do change a lot. So do tweeters containing ferrofluid or silicon grease.
Fabric suspended tweeters can last much, much longer, depending on the material used to dope the fabric.
-k
Fabric suspended tweeters can last much, much longer, depending on the material used to dope the fabric.
-k
No love for the AR1? Or is that not considered a candidate for top dog?
I have a pair of 3a that have the dome suspended with 3 dots of what looks like hot glue. Hard paper dome.
AFAIK, all of the Teledyne era tweeters (and mids), though cloth suspended, used ferrofluid. I suppose if that stuff thickened with time as most oils do, it would certainly be detrimental to the performance of the driver.
ken kantor
Fowl Humor
Those 3-dot tweeters do change. The foam hardens, and the tweeter resonance goes up. Fortunately, the crossover point is already so high that the audible effect is slight.
Not all the Teledyne tweeters used FF. The early ones did not. However, many of the >remaining< tweeters have FF, since the non-FF ones didn't tend to survive the birth of rock.
-k
Ken,
Since you provided measurements and insights relative to the AR-3a tweeter a few years ago (thanks again) we have been seeing significant issues with the AR-3 midrange suspension, and to a lesser extent, the AR-3 tweeter. Unfortunately, the exterior of the AR-3 midrange voice coil gap (not the 3a mid) was coated with a white rubberized compound, which has stiffened a great deal. This significantly reduces the mid output and is very audible.
Other issues affecting many AR dome drivers with the "foam blob" suspensions are the separation of the foam from the domes (3 and 3a), and decomposed damping foam under the dome falling into the voice coil gap (3a tweeter).
The irony is the older AR-1, which has no dome drivers, is generally holding up better than the later old timers...but the "collector's" premium exceeds the sonic attributes of this model.
Roy
Since you provided measurements and insights relative to the AR-3a tweeter a few years ago (thanks again) we have been seeing significant issues with the AR-3 midrange suspension, and to a lesser extent, the AR-3 tweeter. Unfortunately, the exterior of the AR-3 midrange voice coil gap (not the 3a mid) was coated with a white rubberized compound, which has stiffened a great deal. This significantly reduces the mid output and is very audible.
Other issues affecting many AR dome drivers with the "foam blob" suspensions are the separation of the foam from the domes (3 and 3a), and decomposed damping foam under the dome falling into the voice coil gap (3a tweeter).
The irony is the older AR-1, which has no dome drivers, is generally holding up better than the later old timers...but the "collector's" premium exceeds the sonic attributes of this model.
Roy
ken kantor
Fowl Humor
Thanks for the info, Roy. (I still feel bad about the first two tweeters.... my tech eventually fessed up that he >"might"< have had the drive level set a bit too high.... }-; )
It's been a long time since I have seen the inside of a 3 or 3a mid. If you happen to have some photos, perhaps you can post them. It's just a casual interest, so no need to shoot new pics.
We take dynamic driver technology very much for granted now days. It's hard to remember what an engineering challenge it was for AR, Peerless and others trying to move the art of the direct radiator forward BITD.
-k
It's been a long time since I have seen the inside of a 3 or 3a mid. If you happen to have some photos, perhaps you can post them. It's just a casual interest, so no need to shoot new pics.
We take dynamic driver technology very much for granted now days. It's hard to remember what an engineering challenge it was for AR, Peerless and others trying to move the art of the direct radiator forward BITD.
-k
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Ken,
I posted a photo of decomposed foam under the AR-3a tweeter dome in this thread:
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=328219&page=2 (#26)...AK apparently won't let me post it more than once.
Attached is a photo of the stuff that stiffens around the AR-3 midrange dome. Tom Tyson told me this was a grease-like material when it was first applied. The 4 blobs of foam serving as the suspension are underneath it.
Roy
Attachments
ken kantor
Fowl Humor
Thanks. I'll have a look through the old prints to see if the material is specified anywhere.
-k
comish4
comish4
Ar9
I love my 9's I have them biamped and run plenty of power IMO their mid and highs are smooth and accurate not bright but just right I have sold most brands of speakers and keep the AR,KLH,Energy and a pair of Marantz for my use to each his own that's why they make so many damn models.
I love my 9's I have them biamped and run plenty of power IMO their mid and highs are smooth and accurate not bright but just right I have sold most brands of speakers and keep the AR,KLH,Energy and a pair of Marantz for my use to each his own that's why they make so many damn models.