Below is a brief history of AR through the years. This information was taken from a product manual that was created in 1997 by the Recoton Corporation.
In 1954, Ed Evillchur developed the AR-1. This was the world's first acoustic suspension speaker system. Ed Villchur's breakthrough allowed Acoustic Research to become the only loudspeaker manufacturer to offer high performance at affordable prices for home use.
Three yeas later, AR's engineering group introduced the AR-2, the industry's first bookshelf loudspeaker. This was followed by the AR-3, which combined a revolutionary soft dome tweeter and midrange with a 12 inch long-throw woofer. This unique design greatly improved the speaker's dispersion, frequency response and power handling capabilities.
While AR continued to make history in the loudspeaker arena, equally exciting developments were taking place in other audio product lines. In 1963, the AR XA turntable was introduced, incorporating a belt drive with a low RPM motor -virtually eliminating wow and flutter. Other milestones followed...the world's first high-current amplifier in 1969 and the AR AT Tuner a year later, which set new standards for sensitivity and performance.
The mid 70's brought forth new loudspeaker firsts: AR's 10Pi featured environmental controls to allow for a variety of room placements, and the ar-9 incorporated their exclusive Acoustic Blanket feature, which minimized defraction and interference patterns, enhancing tonal accuracy.
The first self-powered, compact high-fidelity speaker system, AR's Power Partner, was introduced in 1985 and came with its own amplifier and AC/DC capability, making it flexible enough for portable CD players and personal computers.
Another decade of research and innovation came to fruition in 1996, when AR unveiled the High Output Series loudspeakers and subwoofers specifically created for home theaters and compatible with the very latest digital technologies. The next year, the Hi-Res series was introduced. This series was based on the HO series, but featured Sunfire powered amplifiers designed by Bob Carver.
In July of 2003, Audiovox acquired AR, Advent, and Jensen after Recoton’s bankruptcy. This transaction combined with the already substantial market share of Audiovox, creates one of the largest U.S. audio suppliers of mobile and home products.
For more than 50 years, Acoustic Research (AR) has revolutionized audio technology through engineering research and development. Today’s AR focuses on driving the digital lifestyle market with high style, high-performance home speaker systems. You can find more information on new, exciting products by Acoustic Research, Advent, and Jensen by visiting Audiovox's website by clicking here.
