So, then, what speakers have I bought?!

[Beobloke]

As alluded to in the eBay thread, I have purchased yet another pair of loudspeakers (that makes...er...22 pairs in the Smith household at preset, rather alarmingly). However, these have been high on my "wanted" list since I heard them many years ago at a hi-fi show, and this is the first pair I have ever seen for sale.

Unfortunately, as I'm bored, I thought it would be mildly entertaining to see if anyone can guess (or care!) what they are. First clues below, more will follow if you're all struggling!

(1) Seller bought them new in 1989 for £600
(2) 12" bass driver
(3) A certain gentleman of this parish has a pair of the models that were two below them in the range.

Off you go... ;)

[Audio Al]

As alluded to in the eBay thread, I have purchased yet another pair of loudspeakers (that makes...er...22 pairs in the Smith household at preset, rather alarmingly). However, these have been high on my "wanted" list since I heard them many years ago at a hi-fi show, and this is the first pair I have ever seen for sale.

Unfortunately, as I'm bored, I thought it would be mildly entertaining to see if anyone can guess (or care!) what they are. First clues below, more will follow if you're all struggling!

(1) Seller bought them new in 1989 for £600
(2) 12" bass driver
(3) A certain gentleman of this parish has a pair of the models that were two below them in the range.

Off you go... ;)


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Harbeth-hl-monitor-mk3-speakers-great-with-linn-/271102043989?pt=UK_AudioVideoElectronics_HomeAudio HiFi_HiFiSpeakers&hash=item3f1ef0e755

:D

[chelsea]

12" bass driver hmmmmmmmmm

[hifi_dave]

Heybrook HB3.

[chelsea]

Tannoy dc 4000

[Beobloke]

Some good guesses so far but all wide of the mark. To help I'll add:

(4) Three way
(5) Infinite Baffle

:eyebrows:

[hifi_dave]

How can they be "good guesses" when they're wrong..:scratch:

How about a big ol' KEF ?

[Beobloke]

I was being nice. If it helps I can tell you that your guess was rubbish...;)

[chelsea]

Celestions?

[hifi_dave]

£600 with two models below..:scratch:

Monitor Audio ?

No, second thoughts, they didn't do a 12 inch bass. So, big and cheap - Cerwin Vega ?

[chelsea]

Yamaha ns 1000?

[spendorman]

Ditton 44

[technobear]

Spendor S100 or SP100 ?

[Beobloke]

So, big and cheap - Cerwin Vega ?

They didn't do infinite baffle AFAIK.

Interesting - I didn't twig Yamaha NS1000s fitted the description but no, not them!

OK then,
(6) At that hi-fi show in the 80s, I heard them on the end of a complete system made by the same manufacturer.

Answer tomorrow....

[DSJR]

ARC101's?

Oh hang on, they only made the speakers - duh!

Arcam 2's?

[The Grand Wazoo]

Hehehe....Dave, you're the closest yet (twice)...........but somehow, yer miles & miles away!

[synsei]

Leak 2075's ;)

Ah, just discovered these have 15" bass drivers and that Adam already has a pair :doh:

[Rare Bird]

Whole system as in Turntable/Amp/Speekerz? I thought of Russ Andrews 'Olson', he did amps aswell but nor Turntable.

[The Grand Wazoo]

British made.......in the place where the owner of NVA eats his dinner.

[Rare Bird]

& they made amps & speaker?

[walpurgis]

Andre,

my guesses are either Celestion Ditton 66 or 25, or as a rank outsider, Chartwell PM400 (very nice, I had a pair).


Geoff.

[Rare Bird]

Andre,

my guesses are either Celestion Ditton 66 or 25, or as a rank outsider, Chartwell PM400 (very nice, I had a pair).


Geoff.

S'ok ive been scratching 'heard them on the end of a complete system made by the same manufacturer' so those two are out...

[Mr Kipling]

British made.......in the place where the owner of NVA eats his dinner.

Is the manufacturer still going? And is he still working out of Richard Dunn's kitchen?

[hifi_dave]

Adam said 12 inch and infinite baffle, plus the manufacturer did a complete system.

[The Grand Wazoo]

That clue is incredibly cryptic Andre.
Geoff's incredibly close, like Dave, but still miles & miles away, just like Dave.
I ain't saying no more!

[The Grand Wazoo]

.........except it's not NVA

[hifi_dave]

Redheko ?

[Rare Bird]

Mission '730'

[technobear]

Pioneer?

Technics?

[Rare Bird]

Acoustic Research 'AR9' ?

[The Grand Wazoo]

Correct manufacturer.

[Beobloke]

Well I'm pleased that it was Andre that got closest! They're actually a pair of Acoustic Research AR66BXs, bigger brothers to Chris's (The Grand Wazoo) AR44BX.

As mentioned, I heard them on the end of a complete AR system in 1988 or thereabouts. It was one of those audio life-defining moments when I realised that big speakers were the way I wanted to go!

They need some cabinet TLC and re-foaming but as the first pair I've ever seen for sale I had to have them. Who knows, if work on them is successful and I get my backside into gear they might even make it to Scalford 2013...

[Rare Bird]

'AR-11'?

[The Grand Wazoo]

I hope they work out well for you Adam. If I'd have been nearer, you would have had a bidding war on your hands!

So who knows the answer to my cryptic clue then?

[Rare Bird]

AR 66BX they were made in UK?

[The Grand Wazoo]

Oh yes indeed.

[Rare Bird]

Thank the lord for that
I'm guessing the system then was AR 'legend'/ 'C1' Pre/ 'P10' Power/ 'AR '66BX'..

[Rare Bird]

Well I'm pleased that it was Andre that got closest! They're actually a pair of Acoustic Research AR66BXs, bigger brothers to Chris's (The Grand Wazoo) AR44BX.

As mentioned, I heard them on the end of a complete AR system in 1988 or thereabouts. It was one of those audio life-defining moments when I realised that big speakers were the way I wanted to go!

They need some cabinet TLC and re-foaming but as the first pair I've ever seen for sale I had to have them. Who knows, if work on them is successful and I get my backside into gear they might even make it to Scalford 2013...



AR 66BX they were made in UK?

:lol: I wasnt closest i guessed right I was that engrossed, i never saw you post the answer :rfl:

btw: '55BX' below '66BX'

[Beobloke]

Thank the lord for that
I'm guessing the system then was AR 'legend'/ 'C1' Pre/ 'P10' Power/ 'AR '66BX'..

No, it was the later electronics, so was, as I recall:

Legend turntable
A-06 Amplifier (might have been an A-07)
T-04 tuner
RD-06 cassette deck
CD-06 CD player
66 BX speakers

The ones that look like the attached picture. I have a Legend turntable so I can feel a worrying urge creeping up on me to have a crack at assembling the whole system... :mental:

[Rare Bird]

Na didnt like that line of electronics.. The 'Legend' was nice tho..

You ever see the AR 'LST' speakerz come up for sale?

[DSJR]

One or two LST's I've seen for sale in past times always fetched mad money..

Didn't ex-reviewer David Berriman have summat to do with the BX series of AR's? I thought the 8 and 18BX pretty darned average to poor in all honesty, since the magic of the old 7 and others from the early 70's gone. The in-between AR18 was a screamer I just couldn't live with unless it was on the end of a Nad 3020 and a deck with treble-less cartridge ;)

The AR90's could sound fab though in the right environment. They need re-foaming now (probably the second go by now), but I liked them.


Did the AR "The Turntable" come before the Legend version? The first version had a cr@p bearing, just as the previous 77XB did, but the later one got that sorted and the sonics became really serious after that I remember.

[Jonboy]

Rotting Foams are their downfall

I run a Legend TT with a Linn arm, very musical and underated me thinks

[Rare Bird]

Dave the AR TT was mid 80's the British 'Legend version late 80's.. The 'XB-77' you mention was around 1977!

I keep saying i'll buy another AR 'XA' for old times sake.. But one of my fav AR products has to be the mid 60's AR Amplifier & matching tooner..

[dowser]

...

But one of my fav AR products has to be the mid 60's AR Amplifier & matching tooner..

Is that the A&R A60 & T21? I have early versions of both, but they were late 70s/early 80s?

Richard

[DSJR]

Dave the AR TT was mid 80's the British 'Legend version late 80's.. The 'XB-77' you mention was around 1977!

I keep saying i'll buy another AR 'XA' for old times sake.. But one of my fav AR products has to be the mid 60's AR Amplifier & matching tooner..

Ooooh yes, but the amp and tuner are rare as hens teeth and I wonder just how good the amp would be these days - tiny transformer coupled and all.....

Yeah, I remember the first experiences of "the Turntable." The main bearing wobbled alarmingly with truly dire consequences to the sonics. The XB77 I hated did exactly the same thing...

A few years later, a client bought in a "Legend" for me to set up, with new UK? bearing. MUCH better in every way and the deck reminded me of a PT Anniversary in the best sense of the word. We were too happy with the fruitier sounding Biggleswade made Manticore alternative to bother :(

[The Grand Wazoo]

Is that the A&R A60 & T21? I have early versions of both, but they were late 70s/early 80s?

Richard

No, the company under discussion is Acoustic Research - AR, not A&R Cambridge, Arcam or combinations thereof.

[Macca]

Are we going to see a piccie anytime soon?

[Beobloke]

Yes, I'll see what I can manage tonight...

[Rare Bird]

Ooooh yes, but the amp and tuner are rare as hens teeth and I wonder just how good the amp would be these days - tiny transformer coupled and all.....



They are good to my ears & eyes datz orl dat matturs ter me.. & the reciever

[DSJR]

Do you have any of these Andr'e? The tuner performed very well sonically as I remember.

[Rare Bird]

I've owned all three Dave, some of my biggest regrets were selling them.

[dowser]

No, the company under discussion is Acoustic Research - AR, not A&R Cambridge, Arcam or combinations thereof.

Thanks - they look interesting from the photos.

Richard

[Beobloke]

As requested, piccies!

[The Grand Wazoo]

Ah yes, that reminds me - I have a little job to do for you Adam.

[Macca]

As requested, piccies!

Now that's what I'm talkin about:). From a bygone age when men were men and loudspeakers were big three-way jobs that properly rocked :cool:. I'm a bit jealous.