A delicate project: $1300.0000 on the line

Tweet

I bought a pair of Acoustic Research AR-3a loudspeakers for $280 about seven years ago. They are classic speakers, made in 1968 or so, and designed in part by Audio Hall-of-Famer Henry Kloss. A minty pair commands about $1300 on eBay. Over the years, I've refinished the wood, had the problematic midrange and tweeter controls repaired in compensation for some wood refinishing work, and made screens for the speakers that match the originals. But I recently heard some distortion on bass note in one speaker, and discovered that the "surround" of the woofer on that speaker has separated from the metal frame that supports it. I am about to embark on a major project: I am going to glue the surround back to the metal frame. I am going to use Gorilla Glue, a powerful adhesive. If I fail, I will have a pair of AR-3as in need of an expensive early woofer. If I succeed, I will have a pair of minty AR-3as worth $1300. I will still have to listen and decide whether I want to sell these speakers or keep them as part of my permanent collection. A single of an earlier version of this speaker is actually in the Smithsonian Institution. Please take a deep breath with me and wish me luck.