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AR18 speakers - info on their history please

ex brickie

ex brickie

pfm Member
I've just acquired a pair of AR18 BX speakers which - as usual - need new bass unit surrounds to replace the disintegrating sponge. Around 30 years ago when I bought my first hifi I had AR18S speakers (loved them) and wondered if anyone could explain the history and changes to different models? Is there a website anywhere? I can recall:

AR18s
AR18LS
AR18BX

My AR18s speakers had spring terminals and a paper cone tweeter. The BXs seem to have the same bass driver, completely different tweeter and banana posts.

Can someone tell me what the differences were through the different incarnations please, whether they were real improvements (!) and finally whether it is worth rewiring the inside (Grahams rewired my originals 30 years ago - if i have to repair the drivers it might be the time to put better wire - if so what - inside?)

Thanks
 
The originals are the best IMO, though as mentioned above the AR6 is nicer as it's effectively the same thing but in a nice vintage veneered cab rather than the cheaper vinyl-wrap finish of the 18. Both are a format the loudspeaker market desperately needs to rediscover IMO, a nice affordable sealed bookshelf speaker with a proper sized bass unit and reasonable efficiency. I heard a pair of freshly re-foamed AR18s round at Rob's a couple of years back and they humiliate many of todays tiny driver & ported box speakers. Another friend has a pair of AR6 and they are great too.

Tony.
 
I still rue the day late last decade that I folded in an auction IRL on a minty pair of AR18s with the cone tweeter... haven't seen a pair since! :mad:
 
ex brickie said:
Thanks guys - but what were the changes to the design between the models (just 18s I'm interested in)?
Click to expand...

earlier AR 18 had paper cone woofer (& tweeter?), later BX the one I had had placcy cone, and a placcy thing over the tweeter/ placcy cone too maybe but memory hazy- ie basically why the 18 was considered superior. Im pretty sure thats right- where's Robert when we need him..?
 
Yep Captain - your memory hasn't deserted you! Plasticky woofer and tweeter - although the box says yhey were still What Hifi 5 stars though!

Any views on rewiring inside?
 
A friend has two kinds of 18BX, one with a doped paper cone woofer and the other with a polypropylene woofer. Both had a plastic tweeter shared with the cheaper models.

This mate got me back on the hi-fi roundabout by lending me a pair, together with a Myst TMA3 amp & Rotel 965 CD player.

I'd hazard a guess that the paper cone version sounds better, but both had quite a distressed midrange (even after refoaming).
 
Mmm.... shame if the paper version sounds better seeing as I've got the alternative! Mind you I did get them free so can't complain!:D

If anyone has a battered pair where the paper drivers are OK though I could do a canniabls jon on them!
 
the 18BX from memory was around 1985, they were just fine, used to be sold down here in many systems comprising Rega Planar 3.Grace F9-E + A&R Cambridge A60. that system had great synergy and just played music.

Given a choice I'd take a pair of AR7's, but that's just me.
 
I recently bought a denon d-m 38 cd player and the speakers that were paired to it. A reasonable sound. I am not an expert in audio and only know what my ears tell me. I have a pair of AR18s lying about which I bought about 30 years ago to match a tape deck. I assumed they would have been outdated and bought the newer speakers. Inspired by this thread I tried them with the Denon. Better than the Denon speakers and a lot better bass when matched with the Wharfedale 150 sub. You live and learn!
 
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