Talk:Acoustic Research

Brief Company History
While I don't know the "Articles for creation" process, I pasted this section verbatim from.

From my personal knowledge, I know some of this information to be correct. Searching on the net yields no match for snippets of this text. Let's assume the submitter, perhaps (ARHPG_2006_TomTyson), wanted this included. Perspective 20:38, 14 March 2006 (UTC)

Rubbish?
"The company went bust in 2004 and the name was bought by Audiovox. The high quality speaker systems they once made are no more. Of AR, only the name remains. The current speaker systems are nothing short of rubbish."

While this may be true, it certainly sounds like opinion to me. I'm proposing to delete this paragraph. (Though the part about the name changing hands may be worthwhile, if reworded.)Bshea 03:20, 8 September 2006 (UTC)
 * Just wandered onto this article today. I honestly agree with the point of view represented there, but POV is POV... thing is, I got about halfway through the edit before deciding that I just didn't have the heart to cut it out. Maybe it would be possible to edit it so that it's clear that the opinion given there is in fact an opinion (albeit one held by most of the audio community)? 128.113.228.186 07:53, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Promotion, not objectivity
I have a great deal of respect for AR and the products it produced. But this is hardly an objective article -- it comes off more as a puff piece.

One of the points it fails to discuss is that there are two ways of viewing how an "acoustic suspension" woofer works. The second view -- that a highly compliant driver permits a much smaller cabinet -- is not covered.

I see no factual errors I'm aware of. However, calling the AR turntable "a kind of phonograph" is, to say the least, quaint. It sounds as if the writer knows nothing whatever about audio.

76.104.146.26 00:00, 4 July 2007 (UTC)


 * This article needs more work to remove POV and promotion of George Merrill. — CZmarlin 17:59, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Agreed. AR was one of the most-significant firms in the history of hi-fi, but this is hardly an in-depth or critical view of the company or its products. For example, there is no discussion of the controversy over the operating principles of "acoustic suspension" woofers, or for that matter, the question of whether a live-versus-recorded demonstration really proves much about a speaker's absolute quality.

There is also a bald mis-statement of fact -- very few companies manufacture speakers with acoustic-suspension (ie, 2nd-order) woofers, the switch to 4th-order (vented/ducted) systems being almost complete. (There are a few exceptions, but not many.)

The statement that the AR-3a was long regarded as the most-accurate speaker available is largely true, but it overlooks the fact that many reviewers ignored both the QUADs and the KLH Nine.

The article also neglects to mention that Audiovox is not the only company that has owned AR.

WilliamSommerwerck (talk) 01:01, 17 August 2008 (UTC)

Pointless article?
This article sounds more like a marketing leaflet/web page than a proper wiki page. Regardless of whether AR are good/bad nowadays, the article should discuss things directly relating to the name (good or bad) such as history and a list of products (linking to pages describing their individual details), rather than trying to portray them as some extremely hi-tech, innovative brand (which no doubt they probably are/were). This is an encyclopaedia, not a marketing booklet.

86.137.78.89 (talk) 23:20, 10 August 2010 (UTC)

Yes we all agree the page needs help.
I will contribute if I can with a few facts that maybe someone with more wiki experience can build on to help improve the entry. In Nov or Dec 1995 a Micron computer I purchased offered a speaker upgrade that I received as AR (Acoustic Research) branded 3 piece amplified speakers. Unfortunately they had a defect and I had to return them for exchange. They sent identical speakers in appearance but branded with a Advent label instead of AR. They were/are awesome speakers I still use, the point is this was the time the brand changed names for Micron's speaker offering, removing the AR brand in favor of Advent for the same speaker.

I found a link that refers to the name Acoustic Research and Advent being used by the then parent company Jensen here.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1995_Nov_14/ai_17706932/

The article calls them powered partners, but I can not confirm that was the name when offered to me as AR speakers. 173.30.251.138 (talk) 05:21, 13 October 2011 (UTC)

Article lacks coverage of non-flagship models
The article completely omits any mention of speaker models other than the high-priced flagship models. Over its long history, AR sold many more lower-priced models, such at the legendary AR-4/4x/4xa series, which established its own niche as providing high quality for low cost. AR produced other pioneering speaker models, and also an acclaimed stereo receiver and one of the first infrared wireless volume control / remote mute accessory electronics.

There is plenty of room for improvement in the article coverage. Extensive reference material must exist in the archives of publications such as Audio, Stereo Review, and many other magazines, as well as articles and reviews in the New York Times and other newspapers.

Reify-tech (talk) 19:16, 7 April 2023 (UTC)