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Acoustic Research Lst 3a Tweeter Pair of Tweeters suit AR-LST or 3A SpeakersExcellent condition. Purchased from Simply Speakers. OEMPart number 12000840 Condition: Excellent Payment Method: PayPal, EFT,Cash Region/State: (WA) Western Australia/Australia By Batty57 0 Comments Secure Ad AUD $300 Date: January 6Jan 6
This is a 1970s-era piece, so timing matters mainly because originality and driver health are everything now; replacement-model context doesn’t really help, since there isn’t a modern equivalent to benchmark against. At A$300, it looks very fair to strong for an individual AR LST/3a tweeter if it’s truly excellent and electrically correct, especially since these pieces tend to trade at a premium when original and clean.
What makes it worth buying is that AR’s dome tweeters are central to the whole LST/3a presentation: smooth, open top end and the kind of balance that suits these big sealed classics. If the surround, coil, and back plate are original and the unit tests cleanly, this is the sort of scarce parts purchase that can save a restoration or keep a matched pair alive. For this price, a tidy original driver is a sensible grab rather than a gamble.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
Acoustic Research (AR) emerged from Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1954, founded by audio pioneer Edgar Villchur and his student Henry Kloss. Villchur, an inventor, researcher, and educator, developed the groundbreaking acoustic suspension loudspeaker principle, patented in 1956, which enabled compact speakers with deep, distortion-free bass. Their debut AR-1 model, unveiled at the 1954 New York Audio Show for $185, revolutionized the industry by shrinking enclosure sizes by up to 75 percent while delivering superior performance, setting the stage for AR's rapid ascent.
The brand focused primarily on loudspeakers, pioneering acoustic suspension designs like the AR-1, AR-2, AR-3 series, and compact bookshelf models such as the AR-4, which appealed to students and families. AR expanded into turntables, including the enduring AR Turntable still prized by vinyl enthusiasts, alongside other stereo components. This emphasis on innovative speakers with flat response, wide dispersion, and extended bass defined their catalog, prioritizing engineering over aesthetics.
AR commanded peak dominance in 1966 with over 32 percent of the U.S. loudspeaker market—the largest share any hi-fi company has achieved—earning reverence for natural sound reproduction and robust build quality. Now owned by VOXX and shifted toward lower-end accessories, its vintage products remain collector icons, embodying mid-century high-fidelity excellence for discerning buyers seeking timeless accuracy.
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