Hi Earl, 15 OCTOBER 2011
My name is Rob, I'm living in Auburn, California, and I'm the proud owner of an AR-1500 (I think it's the 1500A version, if I recall correctly) that my uncle built in northern New Jersey in 1974 (just a few years before my birth). It's shelved at the moment, but I see it just about every day and it's calling to me to get it up and running. Needs to have its electrolytics replaced, and I think a couple of the output transistors (haven't opened it up to test it yet, so that's my best theory), but up til about 10 years ago it was running in fine form and sounded like solid gold. I'll have some workbench space come Spring, so I'm looking forward to giving it some TLC.
In googling to try to learn more about the unit and its history, I found your website and read you page talking about designing it. I enjoy history, and so getting to read what you wrote was a real treat for me. Thank you for posting that! I'm wondering if you have any other recollections or documentation from the project. If you've got anything in PDF format, I'd love to get copies. I still have the original assembly manual that went with the unit, and I read through that a couple weekends ago from cover to cover, just for fun. Doing so helped me understand the unit a lot better, and really gain an appreciation for how you designed it. But, if you have anything else around related to it (in PDF form, or even that could be photocopied), I'd love to see it. I'm happy to pay for copying or mailing costs, though of course PDFs are free all the way around. Whether or not you've got anything like that, I'd love to read any other recollections you have of the design project... that sort of thing fascinates me.
I hope you are doing well, and thank you again for giving the world the gift of the AR-1500. My uncle has fond memories of building it. My mother remembers watching him build it and being inspired by the electronic landscapes of the various boards, and how the transistors stood up off the boards, and so on. She is an artist, so watching him build it was fascinating to her. And, for the last almost 20 years I've enjoyed it and have been inspired by it. It's a gift that keeps on giving. So please accept my gratitude for creating it.
Best wishes for a happy, peaceful, and productive Autumn,
Rob Sims
Auburn, CA