jcmorrison
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Why can't AR quality be reproduced today at an equivalent price?
Kal Rubinson
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I am not sure there is a real reason to do this since I believe that the overall quality of performance can be exceeded today by modern speakers at the same price.  With modern materials/drivers and what we learned about acoustics, the ARs are fairly dated.  I would much rather have a pair of PSBs, Revels, etc., for that money than the ARs you mention.

jgossman
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JM Labs/Focal Chorus line. 

PSB/NHT/Polk..

Many made in the east, some made in EU/USA.  Not are they just inexpensive, they are for the most part all better than most of our favorite vintage speakers, save some Tannoy, JBL, Jensen, Martin Logan, etc., which were all pretty expensive in thier day.  Rose colored glasses aside, I think you'll find that modern entry level stuff, not just measures better, but sounds better and plays music better.

This can also be said of all but the absolute least expensive of audio electronics, tube or solid state.  It turns out engineers really do keep learning as they go, and we are the benifitiaries of thier hard work.  The good old days weren't always all that great.

jcmorrison
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Kal,

I'm glad that you know of some brand names that meet the criteria I have in mind, but actual models for all of those price points aren't obvious.

Does the Wharfedale Diamond 10.1, at $350, compare to the AR-4x, with respect to both accuracy and frequency coverage?

What $700 speaker today does what the AR-2ax did, and still does?

Is there a $1400 full-range speaker today that compares with the AR-3a in what it did, and does, best?

I'm willing to believe, but having looked for such values among the many speakers Stereophile has reviewed in the past 15 to 20 years, I'm at a loss.

Josh Hill
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I had a pair of AR-11's when I was a kid. They were good for the time, but the $600 MMG's make them sound like a joke, and it just gets better from there, whether you like a planar or dynamic presentation.

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