Acoustic Research, one of the greatest speaker manufacturers ever, would have been 50 on August 10th 2004.
Following are product introductions and milestone dates during the first years of AR through the end of the “Classic AR” period:
August 10, 1954 AR founded and incorporated
1954 Introduction of the AR-1, AR-1U and AR-1W
1957 Introduction of the AR-2; departure of co-founder Henry Kloss
1958 Introduction of the AR-3
1959 Opening of the AR Music Room in Grand Central Terminal, NYC
1959 Introduction of the AR-2a; AR sales increased 217% in 1959
1959 Introduction of the AR-3t and AR-3st
1960 Opening of the AR Music Room on Brattle Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts
1960 Beginning of AR Live-vs.-Recorded concerts (AR-3s) with Fine Arts Concerts
1961 Extension of the AR guarantee from one year to five years (retroactive to 1956)
1962 Introduction of the AR-TA Turntable
1963 Introduction of the AR-XA, two-speed Turntable
1963 Books *Reproduction of Sound* and *High Fidelity Systems* made available
1964 Introduction of the AR-4, AR-2x and AR-2ax
1965 Introduction of the AR-4x
1965 Live-vs.-recorded concerts (AR-3s) with Gustavo Lopez, Guitarist
1966 Live-vs.-recorded demonstrations with the 1910 Nickelodeon (AR-3s and AR-4xs)
1967 June 20th, AR acquired by Teledyne, Inc., a large aerospace conglomerate.
1967 Introduction of the AR-3a
1967 Introduction of the AR Amplifier
1967 AR extended the Turntable warranty from one to three years
1968 Introduction of the AR-5
1969 AR opens manufacturing plant in Amersfoort, Holland
1969 Introduction of the AR Receiver
1970 Introduction of the AR-Deutsch-Grammophone GmbH Contemporary Music Project
1970 Introduction of the AR-6
1970 Introduction of the AR-2x and AR-2ax new versions
1970 Introduction of the AR Tuner
1970 Introduction of the AR-8
1971 Introduction of the AR-LST
1971 AR opens manufacturing plant in Bedfordshire, England
1973 Introduction of the AR-7
1973 Introduction of the AR-4xa
1973 Closing of the Music Room on Brattle Street, Cambridge, Masachusetts
1974 Introduction of the AR-LST-2
1974 Introduction of the AR-XB Turntable
1974 Closing of the Music Room in Grand Central Terminal, NYC
