Acoustic Research was a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company that manufactured high-end audio equipment. AR's line of acoustic suspension speakers were extraordinary for their time, as they were the first loudspeakers with flat response, extended bass, wide dispersion, small size, and reasonable cost.
Acoustic Research, Inc. (AR) was founded in 1952 and incorporated on August 10, 1954 by audio pioneer, writer, inventor, researcher and audio-electronics teacher Edgar Villchur and his student, Henry Kloss. The company went into liquidation in 2004 and the name was bought by Audiovox.
AR also produced a low-cost ($78) belt-drive turntable, a type of phonograph, using a cast aluminum 3.3 lb (1.5 kg) turntable platter suspended with a spring-suspended T-bar (sub-chassis) that greatly reduced acoustic feedback. A 24-pole hysteresis-synchronous, permanent magnet Hurst AC motor propelled the platter via a precision ground rubber belt to produce very low wow and flutter, exceeding the NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) standards for turntable measurements.
Many AR turntable models are still sought after today. In particular, the mid-1980s models are highly modifiable to become first-rate vinyl playback units. George Merrill and Anthony Scillia of M/S Research have together designed and refined a series of modifications that bring these units to a level which often exceeds contemporary turntables.
