AR3A Disappointment-- Aid Requested

krg291

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
My dad has a pair of AR3A that has sentimental value because they were a recent gift. The speakers look great but neither my dad nor I like how they sound. We took them into a local speaker repair shop and he replaced the tweeters, but he wasn't happy with how they sounded either. I've never heard how AR3A should actually sound, so I really don't know how to diagnose.

My dad is ready to unload them and move on, but I'm wondering if there's something we're missing that maybe fellow AK'ers know about.

I tested them against Heathkit ASX-1383, Klipsch KG4, and Advent Heritage, and all three sounded better. Even my AR7's sound better. I used two receivers to test: Yamaha CR-2020 and Marantz 2270, both in great shape.

The sound is muddy. At first I thought it was the tweeters, so those were replaced, but it still doesn't sound right. It's almost muffled, and just can't compare to the speakers I listed above. Are they supposed to sound this way and these are just not the right speakers for us?

Is there something I should be trying before moving on? Thanks.
 
More thoughts on how they sound: not clear or crisp. It seems problematic across the board, so I'm having trouble pinpointing what the issue might be (if indeed there's something wrong).

I fiddled with the controls on the back of the speakers and that didn't really help.
 
I am not familiar with the sound of that model, but I was wondering about the foam surrounds, based on your description of the sound? Is it possible they were improperly re-done or maybe they need to be done? Just a thought.
 
The controls on the back may need to be rebuilt or replaced. If they are bad, it can make the signal not get to the tweeters. Hopefully you still have the original tweeters.
 
If you just replaced the tweeters and didn't replace the crossover caps, you probably didn't gain much ground--especially if the disappointment is with the mids and highs. You actually may not have even needed new tweeters, just a quick crossover rebuild.
 
AR is famous for starting the New England sound. It was never the forward in your face sound of JBL, Altec, EV. and Klipsch. Was a smooth sound with very tight controlled but warm bass with highs rolling off smoothly with just enough of the top octave to reveal details the big horn speakers couldn't. They weren't forward sounding at all. I always thought that depending on the room AR presented sound as if you were listening to a source behind the speakers. Not from in front of the speakers. It was great because if you had a small room the speakers expanded the space into a large venue. But if you like Jazz quintets or other small groups the detail in the percussion was fantastic with out the sound blaring in your face. AR speakers allowed the sweet spot to be larger also and not just for one person.

So AR 3 were smooth with a bit of warmth. The 3a had a little more sparkle and the midrange and upper octave of the woofer were more revealing than the 3. But again with a pleasantness women really. liked. Men would tend to turn the midrange and tweeter wide open, but if the controls were set on the dot the sound was smooth and reserved with just. the right amount of detail. I preferred the Mac. ML-1c for its more accurate bass and higher efficiency. Using its room EQ you could adjust the sound to fit the mood or the type of music you were listening, too. with out having to retune the controls on the back of the AR's. Now days we have graphic tone controls and Equalizers. We are truly spoiled, today...
 
If you just replaced the tweeters and didn't replace the crossover caps, you probably didn't gain much ground--especially if the disappointment is with the mids and highs. You actually may not have even needed new tweeters, just a quick crossover rebuild.

My thoughts exactly. Even the nicest, most extended sounding tweeter will sound dull and lifeless if used with old crossover capacitors. Recapping is one of the quickest and easiest ways to re-awaken old speakers.
 
I hope you kept the original tweeters. As others have said, a recap and cleaning/restoring ot the pots could get them up and running again, and by removing them you are potentially negatively affecting the value of the speakers, and these speakers are going for a pretty good sum intact in most markets these days.
 
I've restored both AR3's and 3a's. When they are restored properly, they are far from dull or muddy sounding.
Do you still have the original tweeters? If not, go back to the shop and get them. There is a gentleman, Chris, here on AK and he's over on CSP, who rebuilds them and they sound fantastic. As mentioned, caps usually need replacing, and the biggest culpurate is corroded pots cutting the signal to the mids and tweeters.
You'll need to get into these to see what the crossovers look like, and open up the pots for inspection. Often there lots of green corrosion on the disks and pot wiper tip. The tips at times are worn through with holes, or completely gone.
Over on CSP, you should read through the AR-3a restoration guide. It's the bible for restoring these.
Glenn
 
The tweeters do tend to decrease in output over time.

These speakers should defo not sound "muddy" - I have restored a pair and the mids were incredible.

A common issue with these is that the attenuators need to be replaced. In fact, the "tech" should not have replaced the tweeters, but bypassed the tweeter attenuator entirely to compensate for the dropoff in level that happens as it ages.

That leaves the mid attenuator - you need high wattage parts and I got some from china - no doubt stateside you will probably have access to better parts but this is what I think needs doing in your pair.

I didnt replace the caps in these - they are very large and still sounded fine to me after I replaced the pots. Others may have different views on this.

By the end you should have really full bass, clear, defined and prominent mids, and OK treble.
 
They are not going to sound as good as modern speakers. Speaker technology has evolved. They were very good compared to their competition back then, but this is today and things have advanced.
 
They are not going to sound as good as modern speakers. Speaker technology has evolved. They were very good compared to their competition back then, but this is today and things have advanced.
Perhaps, but they still shouldn't sound muddy and lacking in the high frequencies. Something is definitely wrong with them.
 
They are not going to sound as good as modern speakers. Speaker technology has evolved. They were very good compared to their competition back then, but this is today and things have advanced.

No question speaker technology has improved over the decades but the AR3/a is still regarded & worthy today as it had been when new- even among seasoned and experienced listeners who are familiar with modern speaker offerings.

Clearly the OP's speakers are not performing to spec.
 
I've heard LOTs of vintage and modern speakers, and restored AR3a's (new caps, clean pots, and fully sealed cabinets) are still one of my top favorites. The highs are crisp and clean, and the mids are to die for. The only reason I sold them is because a collector valued them more than I did.

All three drivers should be loud and clear, with minimal noise and lots of change in sound (and no cut out) when you turn the pots on the back. If this isn't the case, they need to be restored. Well, because of their age, they should be restored no matter what. You can replace the caps and clean the pots for less than $50 and a couple hours of work. They are WELL worth the effort.
 
Thanks for all the responses. I have zero experience working on speakers other than refoaming. I'm not sure I want these AR3A's to be my first foray into speaker repair in case I do more damage to them. The place I took them to was well regarded but didn't recommend any repairs other than the tweeters (he did not give back the originals, I'll be calling them about getting them back). That being said, I'm not sure I want to take them back there.

At this point I'm willing to either find a reputable person for repair in Northeast Indiana, or sell them to somebody who knows what they are doing. How much do you guys think a reasonable repair would cost?

This is not an offer, but do you all think that $500 is reasonable, given the VG+ cabinets and "working" condition? That's far less than what my family has in them.

Edit: Sorry if such questions should be posed in other forums, but given the momentum of this thread I assumed they belonged here. Feel free to remove/disregard questions if not allowed.
 
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