Acoustic Research AR 302
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I picked up a pair of these on fleabay a little while ago and have been listening to them in the man cave rig.
So, these are a Ken Kantor (NHT) redesign of the iconic AR-5 which was very similar to the AR3a....but sported a 10" woofer instead of the 12" woofer and the AR3a.
So, I've been listening to them for a couple of weeks and I'm of mixed minds on them.
First, for unamplified classical music....these are the heat. It's one of the most natural sounding speakers I've ever heard. I find I keep playing one classical record after another. Strings and pianos sound as realistic through these speakers as I've ever heard. Bass? The only speaker that I've had that has done bass this well is the AR9. The Thiel 3.6's are very close....they go as low but the tone is just a little bit better with the AR's.
If you are looking for pinpoint, holographic imaging.....these aren't your speakers. The soundstage is very natural with good width......depth, eh, not so much. But, if you've ever listened to classical in a live environment, the AR's bring you pretty darn close to that experience.
Treble and midrange is clean without glare or grain. Like the AR9's.....the treble didn't have the airy quality of, say, the Polk LSi ring radiator tweeter but it isn't a wet blanket either.
So, my quibbles......vocals. This is the one area where the Thiel's are simply in a different category. Vocals just sound a little dark for my taste. Not bad but they just don't sound *quite* right. Listening to Aimee Mann's Lost In Space.....her vocals just seem a little to recessed and dark for my tastes.
That said, the sum total....these are GREAT speakers. You can't beat the bass tone of a well designed acoustic suspension loudspeaker. Will they remain in the big rig long term? Hard to say....it really depends on what I'm listening to and right now, I'm listening to a LOT of classical so I'm happy as a puppy with two Peters.
BDT
So, these are a Ken Kantor (NHT) redesign of the iconic AR-5 which was very similar to the AR3a....but sported a 10" woofer instead of the 12" woofer and the AR3a.
So, I've been listening to them for a couple of weeks and I'm of mixed minds on them.
First, for unamplified classical music....these are the heat. It's one of the most natural sounding speakers I've ever heard. I find I keep playing one classical record after another. Strings and pianos sound as realistic through these speakers as I've ever heard. Bass? The only speaker that I've had that has done bass this well is the AR9. The Thiel 3.6's are very close....they go as low but the tone is just a little bit better with the AR's.
If you are looking for pinpoint, holographic imaging.....these aren't your speakers. The soundstage is very natural with good width......depth, eh, not so much. But, if you've ever listened to classical in a live environment, the AR's bring you pretty darn close to that experience.
Treble and midrange is clean without glare or grain. Like the AR9's.....the treble didn't have the airy quality of, say, the Polk LSi ring radiator tweeter but it isn't a wet blanket either.
So, my quibbles......vocals. This is the one area where the Thiel's are simply in a different category. Vocals just sound a little dark for my taste. Not bad but they just don't sound *quite* right. Listening to Aimee Mann's Lost In Space.....her vocals just seem a little to recessed and dark for my tastes.
That said, the sum total....these are GREAT speakers. You can't beat the bass tone of a well designed acoustic suspension loudspeaker. Will they remain in the big rig long term? Hard to say....it really depends on what I'm listening to and right now, I'm listening to a LOT of classical so I'm happy as a puppy with two Peters.
BDT
I plan for the future. - F1Nut