Top of the line from AR!
Written: Jan 28 '00 (Updated Jan 28 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Internal Sunfire amp - 500 watts!
Cons: Expensive
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| tfung's Full Review: Acoustic Research AR1 Speaker |
The new Hi-RES speaker series from Acoustic Research replaces the company's successful High Output line. The flagship of the new fleet is the AR1, a three-way, floorstanding tower. Like the other models in the Hi-RES line, the AR1 has a 1-inch titanium tweeter coated with diamond via some arcane process Acoustic Research terms plasma transfer. The increased rigidity provided by the coating purportedly expands the driver's frequency response.
The tweeter is centered between two midrange drivers, each of which couples a 1-inch copper voice coil to a 5.25-inch cone fashioned from an aluminum-magnesium alloy.
Last but far from least is the AR1's 15-inch woofer, featuring a paper cone and a sealed-enclosure design. The driver is powered by an internal Sunfire amp delivering 500 watts, and a roll-back circuit prevents the voice coil from overheating during prolonged use. Between the woofer and the tweeter, overall frequency response for the AR1 exceeds the limits of human hearing on both ends, going from 18 Hz to 23 kHz.
Externally, the AR1 is conspicuously high-end, starting with the gold-plated five-way binding posts in back.
The AR1 is available in Black and Cherry Woodgrain finishes.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID: tfung
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Member: Terence Fung
Location: Brighton, MA
Reviews written: 93
Trusted by: 31 members
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