Vintage Asylum

WOW, and i thought i sold my AR3 for a lot...

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centaurus3200

(A)

what's the big whoop with acoustic research AR3? these sold for $940!
i had a pair and sold them with stands for $425. the bass was fun (but slow). the mids were okay, but had a gnarly lower mid/upper bass hole around 1KHz. and the tweeters were stale and rolled off at 15k or so.
i get better sound in every way with my KEF Calinda and REL Q100 sub. overall investment $425 for the speakers and the sub. the sub goes lower and is much faster in the lower frequencies too.
ebay item: 250036445191

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We had a pr in the family... - docw 09:36:55 10/27/06 (4)
as I posted in the past with a Scott 382C SS receiver, woefully uderpowered. I think it did sound like centaurus said, and nowhere near the speakers we now own.
However, I wished we had never sold them. I forgot our personal speaker evolution, but now in that house sit a pr of Rogers LS3/5a's with LSB-1 bass extender box, driven by GAS Thoebe and Hafler DH 200 amp.
- you are using LS3/5A? - centaurus3200 10:09:04 10/27/06 (3)
  always wanted a pair of those, but they are just so pricey these days. so, i got a bastard cousin to them. the KEF Calinda uses the same T27 tweeter, the larger B200 8" mid/woofer and a passive B139 radiator. not comparing to the LS3/5A, but the Calindas do seem to have a lot of their qualities from what people describe of the BBC sound.
  they sound great with my tube amps, but am looking forward to taking my Quad 405-2 to my friend's for the ludwig upgrades. besides the circuit changes and removal of the current ilmiter, the burr-brown op-amps are really suppose to make the amp sound incredible. so, soon i will have the option of an all british system. KEF speakers, REL sub, Quad 405-2 and Quad 34 preamp (although the preamp is more just a cool thing to have).
  see ya,
  Robby
  - your speakers are good - docw 16:20:24 10/27/06 (2)
    I have the brit bbc monitors in my late father's house, on a bookshelf top above where my ears would be while standing (5'5.5"). not great, but family doesn't care to be critical.
    My bro had a pr of floorstanders based on KEF T27 and B110, about 3.5 foot Transmission Line, Transline II, looked DIY, made in Michigan with oiled walnut veneer. Sound good, no bass. Used M & K passive woofer.
    Once replaced with my Whatmoughs, wow, HUGE diff, much better with same electronics (Hafler DH 200 mated with Dynaco FET 5 with Van Alstine mod).
    - someday, i will get some IMF - centaurus3200 16:24:48 10/27/06 (1)
      there was a pair of MKIV transmission lines for $350 locally a while back, but they are like 82db sensivity. probably still not enough power, but if i get another chance i will buy a pair and use my soon to be modded Quad 405-2.
      IMF seems so sexy. KEF 139/B110/celestion and kef tweeters and super tweeters.
      
      Robby
      - Re: someday, i will get some IMF - Crazy Dave 06:57:27 10/29/06 (0)
        
        In Reply to: someday, i will get some IMF posted by centaurus3200 on October 27, 2006 at 16:24:48:
        
        You can get some great sounds from KEF, IMF, and the LSC5A's. Of course The bigger KEF and IMF monitors will have the advantage in the base department. Jim Rodgers tweeked version of the LS35A's is a very good example of the LS35A(the best I've heard), and with the matching subwoofer, does about everything, exept play headbangingly loud.
        My current Spendor BC1's seem to give me everything that the LS35A does, with more extention on both ends. You might want to put them on the list too!
        Dave
        DAve
Re: WOW, and i thought i sold my AR3 for a lot... - johng 06:11:27 10/27/06 (0)
I wonder what my old beater AR3s are worth.
Sitting in an exhibit case is the best place for an AR-3 - E-Stat 20:38:01 10/26/06 (2)
rw
- Re: Sitting in an exhibit case is the best place for an AR-3 - Bold Eagle 12:47:37 10/27/06 (1)
  I had a pair of 3's for a while. They make great sub's with a litle help, but as a full range, I'll take the Advent.
  They are historically significant, but so is the Advent.
  Jerry
  - Pretty doggone dull sounding - E-Stat 13:04:07 10/27/06 (0)
    I remember the letdown when I first heard a pair of their successors. How could that be? Julian Hirsch loved them. They looked cool with their thick edges. For many years, it was my dream to get a pair of the legendary AR-3as. At the time, they were $500/pair As a poor teenager, I could only swing $100/pair for the Utah MK-17s. I had a similar experience when I later heard the AR-LSTs. The dealer drove them with a Phase Linear 700 (as they needed) and they were elevated off the floor. Boring. He called them "toads".
    Consequently, a pair of original Advents replaced the Utahs (sorry David) in '72. Afterwards, I purchased a pair of the Smaller Advents and drove them via a Dyna Quadaptor. Or quadrapator as some called it. The gee whiz factor wore off pretty quickly. Sold them and bought a pair of Microstatic Tweeters to supplement the top.
    rw
The AR3's are in the Smithsonian, but your speakers arent NT - DavidLD 17:27:11 10/26/06 (5)
...
- AR3 display at Grand Central Station NYC? - Ryan T 21:04:37 10/26/06 (0)
  According to what I read, the AR3s are on permanent display at Grand Central Station NYC.
- what does that have to do with anything? - centaurus3200 20:52:28 10/26/06 (3)
  if you are collecting them for historical value, then fine. but they do not sound like $940 speakers IMHO.
  - and i'm not bashing AR! - centaurus3200 20:56:02 10/26/06 (2)
    sorry, my original post might have been a little harsh, but...
    if you want to go the historical route, then JansZens are way undervalued, epsecially given their historical precident! and they are still very magical even compared to modern systems.
    RObby
    - neither am I bashing what you have, but - DavidLD 04:37:14 10/27/06 (1)
      ...sometimes historical significance and collectibility swamp current technical merit in determining value.
      This may come as a shock to some here, but how a particular speaker sounds is only one factor in determining its value. (I have a pair of Tweaked 70s Utahs that I think sound sweet as a hummingbird but if I auctioned them on ebay they would be lucky to fetch $50 the pair.)
      I suspect the bidders wanted an excellent pair of AR3's given their significance as a landmark speaker in the history of High Fidelity.
      The original Large Advent comes close, but builds on themes already developed with the AR3. Besides, there are tons of nice 1st gen Advents still around, which means that the lack of rarity lowers the value as a collectible.
      I'm actually pleased that the bidders saw this as I do and were willing to go as high as they did to own a genuine piece of Hi Fi history. History matters. Where we have been matters a lot in understanding where we are going and taking the hobby as enthusiasts. For nearly 50 years I have admired the guys who were lucky enough and wealthy enough to own a pair of AR3's. All this admiration comes together in ebay bidding.
      David
      - Re: neither am I bashing what you have, but - pmsummer 06:41:30 10/27/06 (0)
        
        In Reply to: neither am I bashing what you have, but posted by DavidLD on October 27, 2006 at 04:37:14:
        
        Wouldn't be surprised if these speakers went overseas... Korea most likely. There has been LOTS of AR vintage activity with AR-3as going to Korea recently. The $900 makes more sense (well, kind of) when someone is already willing to spend $300 just for shipping.
        --
        simul justus et peccator

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