Neil C

A little research on the Internet date these speakers to 1986 -> 1989. The model was released in 1986. And AR was no longer 'Teledyne' in 1989": n 1967, Acoustic Research was bought by Teledyne, Inc., and for the next 22 years it continued development and operations in Cambridge as Teledyne Acoustic Research. Technological breakthroughs in this period included the high-current amplifier. When purchased by Teledyne, AR was the world's second largest supplier of branded loudspeakers. Although Acoustic Research had continued in product development, by 1989 AR had dropped to fifth place worldwide, and Teledyne sold the company to their major competitor, Jensen Electronics. In 1996, Jensen, including AR, was sold to Recoton Audio Corporation. Posts on various forums around 2006 still talk lovingly about them, though they often needed new foam surrounds for the 4" bass driver back then. Basically they are oldies, but good in their day.

As to there age, the fact that everything is plastic these days, and the front panel appears to be metal says 2 things. i) These are old, old, old. ii) Old items were made better than anything equivalent now. However just because they were better made doesn't mean they are better sonically than newer ones, but it's hopeful for sure. A buy it now at $25 would be fine I think, but these are not the classic 'AR' speakers of old, these are old, branded computer speakers.

I wouldn't pay more than $30 for them. Offer $20.

Baldr, I saw in a review that the ringing in the Yggy is symmetric. have you considered an apodizing Closed Form filter, with all the ringing after the sample being processed (or at least having the pre-ringing to only be a sample or two long) ? A 'simple' change of coefficients would allow the number of taps before and after the sample to be adjustable, from say the midpoint (~7,500 either side) down to a value of one after the sample? I'm sure you've played with this (a simple 15k x 15k matrix inversion will solve those equations!) - any noticeable sonic changes? I only ask because this is the Internet. Thanks, N.

Dynaudio speakers I have found, and Indeed any rear ported speaker should be much farther out than 13" from a back wall. I ended up getting front ported speakers because I have them that close to a wall.

There are reviews of the ChromeCast Audio out there, they aren't pretty. Here and on DAR I believe.

Audio Technica M50x have good isolation and sound great. For a bit more money as the Sennheiser Momentum 2 over ear are fine too, but harder to drive than the ATs. I have the ATs.

I've driven my Aerials with a Pathos Logos (110watt) and they sounded great. A Pathos Inpol 2 (60watt all Class A) very sweet but lacking the bass slam I like, and currently a Musical Fidelity KW500 (500watt !!). Both the Pathos were smoother on the top end that the MF, but I just love the MF boogie factor and the subterranean bass. The Pathos Logo however was probably the most balanced however. Ergo, I am probably not the one to ask about low powered tube amps! The Aerial were designed with McIntosh amps I have heard, so I hope to move that way in the future. Neil.

I have Aerial Acoustic (model 6), they have a wide sweet spot, far more than many other speakers I have tried. Someone mentioned ATC, you could get those too, the Model 40 being a 3 way like mine. They are also available with built in amps, lovely.

A portable choice that works well on the desktop to would be the LH Labs Gerk Out series. They have balanced out as an option. [h=1]https://lhlabs.com/products/geek-out-v2-plus-dac-family/[/h] Neil

I don't think the cable stands are for vibration control as much as they are to reduce capacitance between the cable and the floor.

I have a ZVOX sound base that sits underneath the TV pedestal. It works very well and takes optical or coax digital out from the TV.

Would not a USB CD player be an easier solution, they are more plentiful, as are inexpensive USB DACs.

Consider sennheiser momentum 2.0 usually $350 but $250 right now at musicdirect. Or some ath-m50x, currently $99 on Groupon. Both are closed, the m50x has renown isolation. The senns are more sensitive and have 18ohm impedance, great for battery life, but the M50x with better isolation probably means you need less volume, thus equalling that out. Read the reviews, I have some M50x's in the post right now. Neil