what to do with a pair of AR-9's

If you already are sonsigning them to background music, then you are saying that your taste has changed.
That presents a listening foray.
Is your wife hoping you will get smaller speakers? Probably.
Or you do have another pair of speakers you are not telling us about.
If you think you would still want them as main speakers after they were fixed ... in other words the sound will be just as good to you as before, you can have them fixed rather cheaply...new surrounds are a cinch
contact Millersound in Quakertown, PA.
not on the net.
Getting replacement speakers is not simple chore....
go to partsexpress.com
and check out its catalog...
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If it were me, I'd get the surrounds fixed, listen and if still not satisfied, sell them fixed.

Hello:

I had AR9's years ago myself. A landmark speaker in it's time. A friend saw them sitting here a few years ago and "had to have them!". I showed him the bad surrounds and hooked him up with a place to get them redone. His total investment: $300. His enjoyment of these classic speakers:
priceless. I guess I'm trying to say don't give up. Take out the woofers and lower mids and get 'em fixed! You won't regret it.

Paul

Curt, contact Steve Tidwell at Layne Audio regarding directions for proper packing and ship them to him. He specializes in these speakers, is quite honest and is reasonably priced. I've had him do drivers from my collection of modified AR's ( 9's for the mains, 90's for the surrounds and a custom built center using matching AR drivers ).

His website address is: http://layneaudio.hypermart.net/

Another site that you and any fan of "classic" speakers will find interesting is as follows. You will also notice that they too recommend using Layne Audio:

http://www.arsenal.net/speakers/index.htm

While these speakers might be "old", they were extremely advanced for their day and age. As such, doing some simple upgrades to the internal wiring and replacing the antiquated and dried up caps can net you speakers that would retail for thousands upon thousands of dollars nowadays. Feel free to email me should you have any questions. If you don't want to put the effort into repairing or upgrading them, please DO contact me. I'm sure that we can work something out. Sean
>

Ditto on the Layne Audio, I live in Nashvile, Steve has has been to my house doing me a favor that was totally uncalled for and though we don't meet or talk often,I consider Steve a pure class act. Or you can sell these to me cheap, and I will have him fix them.
Now as far as upgrading the wiring, my opinion, don't. Replacing the caps and such is fine(as long as they are the same value), but if you play with the wiring, you are playing with the load and the design of the speaker. The speaker was designed using the wire the caps and the crossover and all the other things that are currently in it. Where yes, it could and can be improved on, I doubt you(no offense) or I have the knowledge or the proper instruments to measure and do this in our homes. Plus if you do try to sell them at a later date, I think the average buyer would rather have the original product that has not been tampered with, I know I would. Your call of course, but you did ask for opinions. I also have an acquaintance/customer of mine with a mint pair of these(original) that if anyone is interested in, I will forward his e dress.

I'll take 'em off your hands...