AR L100 (1972)
The AR-L100 was introduced in 1972 and advertised in Stereo Review that December as "The New AR Speaker System." It was Acoustic Research's floor-standing, three-way loudspeaker of the early Seventies. It carried the company's signature acoustic-suspension (air suspension) design - a sealed enclosure with a 12-inch woofer using a foam surround.
The documented specs are modest but solid. Frequency response is 28 Hz to 23 kHz (±3 dB), nominal impedance is 8 ohms, and the suggested amplifier power range is 15 to 100 watts. Each speaker measured 14″ × 26¾″ × 12″ and weighed 51 lb. That is about all the hard data that survives in the usual databases. No sensitivity rating, crossover frequencies or finish options are recorded in the sources.
Beyond the specs, what is documented is mostly the woofer. A replacement 12-inch foam-surround woofer for the AR-L100 was listed at $100.00 (U.S.), so the surround is at least a serviceable part today. A period test report measured the speaker's output against reference power levels at half power and low power settings (HiFI-Stereo, March 1976, p.38). No complete-system original retail price has surfaced, and no production end date or unit counts are recorded.
- Type: 3-way floor-standing loudspeaker, acoustic suspension
- Woofer: 12″ foam surround
- Frequency response: 28 Hz–23 kHz (±3 dB)
- Impedance: 8 ohms
- Amplifier power: 15–100 W
- Dimensions: 14″ W × 26¾″ H × 12″ D
- Weight: 51 lb each
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