The Allison one's were mentioned, are very much cousins of the ar-9, and I put a big *** here, *** if properly restored with original drivers that has e been rebuilt by those who know how, not many...
*** the ar-9 would beat 95% of any modern speaker costing less than 5k in a double blind test. I'm very confident of that. Many new England AS speakers would. The acoustic suspension system Vilchur invented and Kloss helped design and build in the mid 50's ar-1, perfecting it further in '57 with the ar-3- brought bass below 80 ha into average homes for the very first time. They started the "golden agecofvthevkoydsoeaker, why btw, was over by '81 and the Ar-9, primarily.
Because of their inefficiency, ( AS designs and drivers) ironic they specufically are the impetus for the wattage ways of early SS amps. My Kenny kr-9400 was the highest wattage amp/receiver on the market on 71 when released. That lasted 3 months. Inefficiency of a driver is overrated, by definition, AS woofers, with sloppy loose suspension, are not giving you 94db spec....
However, 200wpc +amps/recievers have been affordable since the mid 70's. Right now, a Crown xli 1500 at 450 wpc into 8 ohms is barely $450 new. Insane.
Today, no company of any size makes AS drivers, let alone loudspeakers.
The last two sets of any import, both designed by the third greatest speaker designer and former AR designer and MIT grad at 18 and pretty funny I genius, designer of the AR MGC "magic speaker " a decade earlier and greatest designer with us still and working, Ken Kantor, ( Vilchur and Kloss are 1 and and 2, Roy Allison, well ok, tied for 3( with the 1994 Nht 3.3 and the 1995 ar-303a and series ( 8 speakers, a center and sub. It has made the best atmos audio setup I've designed and installed....out if 30 or so installs specifically for atmos audio. Not HT.). Name a innovation since vilchir and AS since the 50s, and one of those four likely invented it.
The fact that an average consumer younger than 45 equates AS as having diminished low end extension and for lack of better word, slow bass and transients, have been deluded. " New has to be better" and new has been ported for 25 years primarily. I restore vintage gear, AR and all related easy coast companies. A properly restored AR-11 for example...1972 I believe...or literally any 10 or 12" three way....has the tightest, quickest absolutely best replication of low eve and overall replication of live music made today or any day. They are flatter than any west coast or modern design not costing 5k plus, and at 5k a sub in needed to get into the 20s. The -3db point of an ar-9...28hz.
In contrast, the jbl l100 ( owned, hated, restored, sold for enough to buy a set of LST's and ar-9's, with a nice amount left.)
The century is the most popular vintage set. Period. But it's the least flat, it is inconsistent across the frequency band as you can get and has a low end spec of only 42 hz with a 12" woofer and ported, an xo of 2 caps and 2 pots, that's it for a three way?! ( no AR 12" set pre 1985, is worse than 38hz, the ar-9lsi../28hz. By the way the non- bass it does have, again sounds like an old man farting. It's poplar to plug the port, I wonder why?
Most ar 8" models go lower. And all AS systems make ported bass sound boomy, bloated, kinda fart-ish. But much cheaper to make- as a port is nothing more that an artificial replacement for cabinet volume. Smaller, cheaper cabs including high end are simply cost efficient, I.e. more orofitable. The ubiquitous modern 3.5' tall, black 8" wide tower with 76 5" drivers ( joke):and go down to 50hz, if your lucky and the room allows, still needing a sub, have been the standard for 20 years. I haven't had a need for a sub other than for HT, and complementing the great 8" vintage 2 ways like epi 100, dynamo a25, klh 22, ar-4x. And never ever listen use a sub for music other than in stereo, ( two subs). 2 channel stereo- if a three way and a 12" woofer goes lower than most 10" modern subs.
The big reveal!!!!
I'm no older boomer- cranky about that loud hippity hop, ( in a very big hip hip fan...rick n roll, how ever it comes, is my passion, however.)..... and will tell anyone you might be near about how much better it was "in my day".
I just turned 41, and I've restored / repaired vintage and contemporary audio equipment full time for myself successfully for 13 years. I was born the year the single best loudspeaker, of all concerns, the ar-9, was released.
I'm very happy to listen to those long timers tell me how much better it was in their day. They were right all along!
Scottie
