Acoustic Research AR-3t (c. 1980s)
Little is documented about the Acoustic Research AR-3t. The AR-3 was introduced in 1959, and Hirsch-Houck Labs praised it as producing sounds more true to the original program than any other commercially manufactured speaker system they had heard (Audio, December 1967, p.57). The AR-3t is a later-1980s speaker system that Acoustic Research apparently designed with the Japanese market in mind, where space was at a premium. It uses a 10-inch woofer, smaller than the 12-inch driver in the AR-3 and AR-3a, and a dome tweeter similar in type to the AR-3a's. The cabinet is smaller than the AR-3a's, and the crossover is different. Sensitivity is said to be around 87 dB, and the speaker can handle up to 150 watts. Enthusiasts generally consider the AR-3t a step down from the AR-3a, and it can be harder to find today.
The AR-3t arrived long after Acoustic Research's original acoustic-suspension work. The company introduced that technology to the high-fidelity world with the AR-1 and AR-2 in the 1950s (Audio, May 1960, p.29). The AR-3, introduced in 1959, remained the reference for many years (HiFI-Stereo, April 1968, p.23). The AR-3t appears to have been a later, space-conscious variant aimed at a different market. No period reviews or detailed manufacturer specifications are known to survive.
Known specifications
- Type: Two-way loudspeaker (10" woofer, dome tweeter)
- Sensitivity: Approximately 87 dB
- Power handling: Up to 150 watts
- Cabinet: Smaller than AR-3a; size not documented
- Design notes: Different crossover from AR-3a; reportedly aimed at Japanese market for space-saving
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