I've been looking for floor standing speakers with little success!

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Chris C, Sep 10, 2019.

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  1. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last! Thread Starter

    Location:
    Ohio
    Thanks for the info! When I researched this "K" in the serial number issue this afternoon I only found others asking about the "K", but nobody really ever answered the question, until you, so THANKS!

    Now, one other weird thing that kept coming up this afternoon was that there was an AR9 versus an AR-9 variance and that dash had/has something to do with the timeline of when they were manufactured ..., do you know anything about that or is that just another bunch of "interesting spin" that the AR collectors have found to throw out there?
     
    StimpyWan likes this.
  2. rp600m

    rp600m Well-Known Member

    Location:
    oxford,ga
    Crown Drive Core 2 Series amps will easily drive a 4 ohm load and a DSP HD will allow you to adjust sound to your liking.
     
  3. StimpyWan

    StimpyWan Forum Resident

    After Teledyne sold Acoustic Research, subsequent owners tried to create renewed interest in AR, by releasing new speakers using classic model numbers. Not surprising, there was a rerelease of the AR-9, under a new design. So, in order to differentiate between classic original 9's, the good 9's are usually listed as AR-9's, which is how Acoustic Research also listed the speakers. The later and inferior 9's, are therefore labelled as AR9's. Just to try and cut down on confusion between models.

    AR-9

    [​IMG]



    AR9

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Sep 14, 2019
  4. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last! Thread Starter

    Location:
    Ohio
    Well as much as I appreciate you trying to explain the difference of the AR-9 (with dash) versus the later AR9 (without a dash) and that I can clearly see the difference thanks to the photos, but I can't find one place in any of the photos on those AR9's that the guy is selling on ebay in your earlier post, that shows an AR9 with a dash, so hence my still being confused?
     
  5. F1nut

    F1nut Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Mars Hotel
    It's not hard to understand. In an effort to differentiate between the two speakers with the same model number people have taken it upon themselves to label the original as AR-9, but not everyone does.

    The AR-9 is a must have in anyone's audio journey.
     
    StimpyWan likes this.
  6. F1nut

    F1nut Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Mars Hotel
  7. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last! Thread Starter

    Location:
    Ohio
    OK, got it, thanks!
     
  8. timind

    timind phorum rezident

    Years ago (before online buying) I bought a pair of Paradigm 9SE MKIII speakers brand new. They were fantastic speakers until my son blew all 4 woofers. I replaced them with the Studio 60 V2s which never thrilled me the way the 9SE did. When the Signature models came out I went and listened to the S2 and thought they were great. None of the harshness the 60 V2 had for me. I never had a chance to hear the full-range Signatures.
     
    Rickchick likes this.
  9. StimpyWan

    StimpyWan Forum Resident

    Don't over think it, or worry too much about it. The original AR-9's only had the one version. Sold from 1978 to 1982. $900 each. No variations, or crossover changes. Though, the 1982 model 9's did eventually transition to using the same lower midrange driver as used in the later 9LS. No worries there either. Both midrange woofers perform identically.

    The main complaint against the 9LS is a peaky, bright midrange and treble, from the new dual-dome plate drivers, that the 9LS speakers had. Many didn't like the 9LS model as such. The brightness was addressed via a crossover change, with added resistors, to tame the brightness. These changes, plus a redesigned cabinet style, were released as the 9LSi speakers. Many 9LS owners tweaked their crossovers, via the resistor mod, to create 9LSi's. The 9LS speakers, that I linked from eBay, had these crossover mods. So, no brightness.

    One other thing, all 3 pairs of AR's, that I linked are owned by the same seller. No reason not to do a comparison, and judge for yourself, if your buying expeditions progress that far?
     
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2019
  10. StimpyWan

    StimpyWan Forum Resident

    The Ohio AR-9's on eBay sold. Who bought 'em...? :wave:
     
  11. Tawaun A Williams

    Tawaun A Williams Forum Resident

    Spendor D9
    Tannoy Arden
    Tannoy Arden Heritage
    Legacy Focus SE
    Ohm Walsh 5000 or Ohm Walsh Beta series with built in subs
    Fyne Audio 504
    Maybe the new big Polk's
    Used Harbeth 40.2
    Used Spendor 100 classic
    Graham Ls5/9f
     
    Chris C likes this.
  12. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last! Thread Starter

    Location:
    Ohio
    Yours truly!
     
  13. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last! Thread Starter

    Location:
    Ohio
    YES, the search is over for now and I thank all of you who lent your thoughts to this thread. One day, I really hope to get to hear all of your speaker suggestions, but for now, it's my turn to welcome a very nice pair of used AR-9's to my listening room for a while. I'll report again after I've had the chance to audition them properly in my home.
     
    zonto, StimpyWan, 911s55 and 4 others like this.
  14. Tawaun A Williams

    Tawaun A Williams Forum Resident

    Congratulations...I remember the newer Ar9 I had a pair of the other series from like 1999-2000 with 2 6.5 inch woofers that were rated down to 26hz, I don't think they went that low...but they had a laidback sound and good bass they had very good build quality to, the AR9 was on my radar but I ended up getting a good deal on a RX-7 turbo II at the time....
     
    Chris C likes this.
  15. StimpyWan

    StimpyWan Forum Resident

    I love living vicariously through others...!

    Congratulations. :agree:
     
  16. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last! Thread Starter

    Location:
    Ohio
    Good one, LOL!!!!
     
    StimpyWan likes this.
  17. Xarkkon

    Xarkkon Would you like a Custom Title?

    Location:
    Asia
    Been following the thread and enjoying it. Glad you went with something much lower than the original budget! :)
     
  18. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last! Thread Starter

    Location:
    Ohio
    Thanks! I'm truly enjoying my new (old) AR-9's and I once again have to believe that I would have spent at least $8,000 more dollars than I did with these used AR-9's, to even come "close" to what they can deliver sound wise. If anyone is like me and has spent many years attempting to find that holy grail of a better floor standing loudspeaker, then I can't recommend it enough, to at least "try" a pair of updated (new crossovers and capacitors and re-foamed woofers) original AR-9's, you may be pleasantly surprised with them?
     
  19. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last! Thread Starter

    Location:
    Ohio
    I'm bumping this older thread as I'm looking for a little advice from those that really understand "watts per channel".

    I'm still going back and forth between my old Paradigm Studio 100 v2's versus my newly acquired original AR-9's, which were recently re-foamed with updated crossovers, by their prior owner. My question is, on the AR-9's, I'm using my McIntosh MC-452 amp and c2300 tube pre-amp for power, which is 450 watts per channel @ 4 ohms. I'm enjoying the sound of the AR-9's and I realize that they require much more wattage than the Studio 100 v2's, but now I have to wonder just how good the Paradigm Studio 100 v2's might sound on my McIntosh system, or is that McIntosh too much power for them?

    NOTE: I do not want to damage those Paradigms, in any way, so please advise with care!

    Here are the specs for the Paradigm Studio 100 v2's

    Paradigm Reference Studio/100 v.2 loudspeaker Specifications

    Thanks, in advance, for your trusted advice!
     
  20. Ctiger2

    Ctiger2 Senior Member

    Location:
    US
    I also run AR9s as my mains. I ran them side/side with Harbeth 40.1s for several years. The 40.1s sound a tad more refined than the 9s but most people wouldn't be able to tell them apart their sonic signature is so damn close. That being said, the 9s bass was in another league compared to the 40s. With proper amps the 9s are just thrilling to listen to. I can still remember replacing my MC402 with CJ350 and laughing at how much better the 9s suddenly became. They require gobs of SS power to really get them to open up that 3D soundstage and control those 2x12 parallel woofers. If you want to rock out and love that bass the 9s will do it if you feed them well. I like tube pre and SS power.
     
    Chris C likes this.
  21. CX2000

    CX2000 Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    What were some of the studio monitors being used back then? Were NS-1000M ever used?

    I have very limited experience with new (or old) ‘high end’ speakers but am quite familiar with the NS-1000M and NS-1000.
     
  22. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last! Thread Starter

    Location:
    Ohio
    To be honest, I'm not 100% sure of the exact model numbers of the studio monitors used, as they were always hung from the ceiling, angled down towards the control board. At at least two of the radio stations that I worked at in the 80's, they clearly were JBL Monitors (Model 4312, I believe, or some other JBL monitor that was VERY similar looking). I have never seen or even heard of the Yamaha NS-1000's before you posted about them above.

     
  23. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last! Thread Starter

    Location:
    Ohio
    @CX2000, here is another small studio monitor that I remember sounding really good, especially for it's compact size, that is still being used in all three radio stations studios in a row, at a complex that I worked for on multiple occasions here in Ohio. One station is Country, one is Talk and one is Rock, plus, if memory serves, the four production studios also used these. Again, they were always hung from the ceiling, angled downward at the studio control board and hence why I always thought they always sounded pretty damn good, as they had nothing to absorb the sound, much like a speaker on the ground would, with natural walls, carpeting or rugs around them!

    Tannoy SBM Monitors

     
  24. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last! Thread Starter

    Location:
    Ohio
    Anyone able to help me with my questions in post #144???
     
  25. Ctiger2

    Ctiger2 Senior Member

    Location:
    US
    You will not damage the paradigms unless you turn the volume to 10. The higher wattage will probably open them up a bit more and make them sound more dynamic. Try it.
     
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