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In Reply to: RE: What cartridge to complete system; AR-XA, AR Integrated, AR3's posted by GRH on May 17, 2017 at 18:00:56
The Shure is a good choice for the AR-XA -- I use a V15Vx/Jico SAS on mine -- and consistent with your goal of a classic AR system.
In my experience -- I was active in the stereo business in the day -- the classic AR system would have Dyna tube electronics. It was almost a cult thing. An ST70 will not cut it with AR3s. They need the big mono amps.
My recollection is that these systems were not very interesting musically.
Follow Ups:
Acoustic Research did their famous "live vs recorded" demo using AR-3s powered by Dyna MKIII amplifiers.
BTW, I agree with your conclusion. :)
Mark III's were mono blocks with 6550's or KT88's. They had considerably more power than a Stereo 70.
Dave
Yes, KT88 power is correct for AR3s. However, the nice speakers deserve a truly good amp, like the H/K Cit. 2 or "Mac" MC275. ;> D
Eli D.
I agree that the AR3s "need" the heft of a Mac 275 or Citation II, but am not sure they deserve them. As you said, they were "nice" speakers, but -- to my ears -- not great ones.
In the day, if you spent that kind of money on a power amp, there were more musical -- and more expensive! -- speakers. Bozak Symphonies and KLH Nines come to mind. The big Dynas were more in the AR price class, and good value.
I recall that my Marantz Model 18 did a fine job of driving my AR3a's. That receiver cost a whole month of post doc stipend in '67. I still have the speakers and receiver sitting on a shelf. Not sure whether I still have the AR table, but if I do it will have the Shure V15 II cartridge.
db
Hi GRH,
I just bought a Shure M97xE cartridge. I still have not installed it in my ARXA that I just finished fixing up. I also bought a Grado Green cartridge.
One thing I picked up is that with a new Hurst motor installed in the AR the Grado will hum. Even though I bought a new motor I got the old one to work by dripping 3/1 oil on the pulley shaft, Wayners tip from Audio by VanAlstine. My Grado will go in my Technics SL-23, 25.00 new at a yard sale, mint.
I'd like to see what you observe if you install a Shure and vise versa.
Whats funny to me was when I received the cartridges in the mail.
The Grado looks like it was packaged in Tom Thumbs used toilet paper roll while the Shure, thats even cheaper,Parts Express, comes in a package that resembles a Cross pen and pencil set or a Rolex watch package even though I've never seen one. The Shure comes with a stylus cleaning brush and a little screw driver in the package inlay. Once you got your cartridge installed you could use the box for a cigar case or something else you might smoke!
I've had my new record needles for a few months and still have not installed them as I drifted off to other projects. I need a shove to get back motivated into the vinyl side. Maybe you can give me a push.....thanks Mark Korda.
I think the M97xe, brush down/AR damping disabled, will work great. Let us know what you think!
Dave
It helps to turn the darn mid and tweeter controls(that often cause problems) all the way up. The center mid position is actually down a few dBs from the woofer. And the tweeter mid position is further down from the mid-range. When AR published frequency curves they showed drivers separately. This was supposedly done to tame the poor high end of the LPs of the time . But it led to the smooth, but dark AR sound. Turning the controls up will help.
My Uncle - Chuck McShane - was with AR back in the Cambridge Mass./Edgar Villchur days and was part of the R&D group with Roy Allison that developed the AR3a. Chuck always said that for the flattest response turn the tweeter pot wide open but don't turn up the mids pot. Unfortunately and sadly Chuck isn't here to ask more questions about the 3a - such as would he recommend the same settings on an AR-3.
And be SURE you had an amp that had plenty of power - repeated clipping destroyed many a tweeter.
Just a heads up...
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