Acoustic Research AR-1 (1954)

Name: Acoustic Research 1
Brand: Acoustic Research

The AR-1 was Acoustic Research's first product, introduced in 1954. It put the company on the map, and the acoustic suspension principle with it. It was the first loudspeaker to use two separate drivers in a sealed, or acoustic suspension, enclosure. As Audio noted in May 1960, the AR-1 and AR-2 altered the course of loudspeaker design (Audio, May 1960, p. 29). The woofer was a radically different design from the moving-coil speakers of the day. It had a very heavy cone by contemporary standards, a suspension of great compliance, and an unusually heavy magnet and voice coil. Instead of relying on the stiffness of the suspension alone, the compliance of the sealed cabinet provided most of the restoring force. Everyone who heard it was amazed, according to Stereophile's retrospective. The tweeters were conventional cone units, and their quality was considered outstanding in their price range (High Fidelity, June 1960, p. 19).

The AR-1 was expensive at $185, but not out of reach of the average buyer. It measured 15⅝ × 30 × 14 inches and weighed 80 lb. The driver configuration is where the record gets a little fuzzy. Most sources describe a 2-way design with a 12-inch woofer and a paper-cone tweeter. Hi-Fi Classic lists a 3-way, 3-speaker system with a 12-inch woofer, a 5-inch cone midrange, and a 2.5-inch dome tweeter. The 2-way description appears in multiple sources and the 3-way in only one, so the 2-way account seems more likely. Frequency response is given as either 30-13k or 38-12,000 Hz (±4.5 dB), depending on the source. Nominal impedance is 8 Ω, power handling 25 W, and sensitivity 87 dB/W/m.

Known specs:

- 12-inch woofer, acoustic suspension (sealed) enclosure

- 15⅝ × 30 × 14 in; 80 lb

- Original price: $185 (1954)

- 8 Ω nominal impedance, 25 W power handling, 87 dB/W/m sensitivity

- Crossover frequency: 3 kHz

The AR-1 was discontinued around 1958, but no exact end date is documented. A current eBay listing shows one in good condition at $1,200, though no date for that listing was captured. Beyond that, the record is thin. There are no production volumes, no finish options and no common failure data.