LS3/5A pairing with Sugden?

[rabski]

I'm going to throw the cat among the pigeons here. I've heard LS3/5a a few times and remain extremely underwhelmed. Sorry to those that love them, but to my ears they are dull, flat and undynamic. In a word; boring. If I had £1000 and a pair of free LS3/5a than I'd sell the speakers and buy a decent amp/speaker combination for a lot less money.

If they are loaners, they why bother? If it's short term and you've got a grand to throw around, there are many alternative combinations that would work far better.

[radiant red]

The Sugden A21SE is more forward than the a21a S2. I have had in the past both and prefer the latter.

[frankyc2003]

I am using a pair of 11 ohm late Rogers LS3/5A with my SET 845B tube amplifier, and it's the biggest size soundstage I have ever heard being produced by my system... around 30W of power...
Very solid stands are a must... Dreadnoughts or filled Atacamas... They are so good in the midband, I am not even worried about the lack of deep kick in the bass register...

[doug2507]

Not interested in other speakers. As said they are a short term loan and i'd rather just find a decent amp to pair with them so it's only one bit of gear i need to sell on down the road. I may or may not like the rogers but i'd rather have a go with them than go for something else. 'Work far better' is all in the opinion of the listener and their tastes i reckon. At least i'll have tried something different and be able to say yay or nay after a short while.

Just missed out on the AVI stuff which really had my interest. Think i'll just go for a sugden and if it doesn't float my boat move it on try something else. Thanks to all for the responses, got a few ideas to try now!

[enbee23]

Sorry to be blunt but I think that may be a mistake. As Rabski says above and I hinted in post #16, LS3/5a are marmite. I have been messing around with mine a good bit since my first post and my opinion has firmed up considerably:

If you are after a speaker solution that will work well in a temporary location without huge effort in terms of room and equipment compatibility, the LS3/5a is NOT it.

If you have a budget of £1k, you will easily buy a speakers/amp combo that will completely hose the little Rogers. If you buy the right kit, it will be financially painless. A Sugden A21a is a good start (sonically and for future resale) but do yourself a favour and buy other speakers too.

Whereabouts are you?

[bencat]

My opinion for what it is worth is that used in their (very narrow) band of ability the LS3/5A is one of thebest speakers there is but they are very limited. They major on mid band and in you listen to female vocals for much of your choice then there is little to touch them .

However I would agree with much that has been stated before and say that they need top class stands , really careful placement in a room and they need a fiar bit of welly (power) to make them sing . Given the high impedence of these speakers they willwork very well with lots of valve amps of quite low power rating Quad II units do a very good job with just 12 watts.

However as an advice for something you can buy and use and then sell on when your circumstances change I would suggest a Quad 909 or even for less money a 405 which will both work very well . You can then choose a pre from anything you want that will either spice up the sound (Michell Argo) , increase the mid band strength (Croft / Audio Note One ) or even increase the detial (MF Pre pick a number any number or ATC ) . Both of these will work and give you years (and I do mean years) of faultless service and they will still have a a good high retail sale value when you want to move them on.

[doug2507]

Up in Aberdeen Nick. Gather your Edinburgh-ish?

[George 47]

I'm going to throw the cat among the pigeons here. I've heard LS3/5a a few times and remain extremely underwhelmed. Sorry to those that love them, but to my ears they are dull, flat and undynamic. In a word; boring. If I had £1000 and a pair of free LS3/5a than I'd sell the speakers and buy a decent amp/speaker combination for a lot less money.

If they are loaners, they why bother? If it's short term and you've got a grand to throw around, there are many alternative combinations that would work far better.

+1

[enbee23]

Up in Aberdeen Nick. Gather your Edinburgh-ish?

Stirling but in Edinburgh a lot. LS3/5a available for listening if you're ever passing this way.

[doug2507]

Cheers Nick, got a pair here!

[enbee23]

Mine will be for sale very soon!

[Nagraboy]

I used to own Stirling Broadcast LS3/5a V2 speakers. They were fine with an old Quad 306 in a room slightly smaller than the OP, but then I don't play loud.

I have to say, it took me a while to adjust to the sound of the LS3/5a after living with small ProAcs for 5 years, but eventually I got it. But when I moved to Harbeth P3ESR they were comprehensively beaten. Now, I really can't understand the fascination with them in the face of the clearly superior Harbeth P3ESR.

Ken Kessler even said that they won't put them back into production because it would be to admit that Harbeth can't better a design from the 70s. I find that a bizarre way of looking at things, when I demoed the P3ESR they were just better across the board.

[flatliner]

I dont understand the fasination with ls3/5a either they have moved on and been bettered and people will pay silly prices for them.If youre on a budget I think the avi neutrons 5 are worth a mention think they were 400 new

[HectorHughMunro]

I totally understand it though most people who like that sound signature would actually prefer Spendor BC1. Better balanced and far easier to set up. A lovely treble which is something the LS3/5a lacks.

[la toilette]

I totally understand it though most people who like that sound signature would actually prefer Spendor BC1. Better balanced and far easier to set up. A lovely treble which is something the LS3/5a lacks.

Or even B&W DM4, which you can pick up for less than a £100 and which people compare favourably to the BC1.

[Huntergatherer]

I have a pair of ls3/5a's and must admit I have never managed to make them deliver anything above the norm,and they sit boxed in the back room.
But I have heard them do fantastic 3d soundstaging and musical involvement in the right system ,that was spacedeck spacearm,lyra,Croft pre.Art audio el34's.
Also seem to hit the mark with Quad11's but boy is that synergy thing really important. Have you tried the LS3/5a Club site.

[HectorHughMunro]

It took ten years before I got the best from mine.

[It Cost How Much!?!]

The best I have heard them with are in two systems;

1st - Denon top of the range DVD player into a Arcam 8, sounded really good perched ontop of some B&Ws, not sure why as the Arcam stuff is a bit meh.
2nd - Marantz CD11 into a Audio Innovations S500 on a shelf in a bare room (you know all white with minimal furniture and wood floor).

I have some Spendor ones and I struggle to get them to sound good. The best so far has been the Art Audio EL34 integrated from the Transrotor Fat Bob/Koetsu Rosewood. I have found big heavy stands to be the best with a dab of blutac.

[Yomanze]

With speakers like the Spendor S3/5R out there I would be very reluctant to go for an 'original' LS3/5A.

[Idlerman]

I've got a pair of Stirling V2s. Find they sound good with 30+ watts a side up 'em. Best sound so far from NVA Ap30. Probably better up the range too. Saying that an Ap10 at about 15watts a side gives them a good run as well. Worked well also with Quad 303 and 405. And a Creek 4040 gives them a good kick too, not refined but bashes the tunes out in an appealing way.
Haven't tried the originals with KEF drivers, had heard these don't go as loud. Tempted to try Harbeth p3ESR at some point, but these are a good deal more expensive.
Always something better out there; just a question of knowing when to jump off the ladder!