LS3/5a speakers

[jedd]

I keep seeing these old LS3/5a speakers selling on eBay and elsewhere selling for silly money.

All I know is that they were made (a long time ago by the look of them) by various UK speaker manufacturers under licence fromthe BBC.

They look pretty old hat to me. Okay I'm sure they must have some special sonic qualities but are they really worth the money?? (£500 - £1000). Surely loudspeaker technology has moved on a great deal since then. Are they being boughtfor nostalgic reasons or can they really compete with todays speakers in their price range??

 

[Davewhityetagain]

A good speaker and now being made again

They where and something like them still used by the BBC and many others as monitors they sound great

Stirling make them as do I think Spendor (thats to BBC specs)

Introducing the new Stirling BBC LS3/5a (V2), designed by Stirling Broadcast to meet the exacting requirements of the BBC LS3/5a specification. This version uses the new Stirling SB4424 + SB4428 drivers, and a very hi-grade 'SuperSpec' crossover, all housed in thin-walled 'Reference' matched veneer cabinets. The cabinets feature 9-mm birch plywood construction, removable veneered rear panel, fitted with double layers of bituminous pads. These cabinets are modelled after the famous LS3/5a serial number 001/002 pair featured in Hi-Fi News and Record Review. The 'legendary' sonic character of the original LS3/5a has been retained, with the new model having the added benefit of a five-year warranty and the assurance of the future availability of spare parts.

 

[Davewhityetagain]

here is spendors version

Stirlings is £600 to £1000

Spendors is £1750.00.

 

[Ant]

Glorious sounding in my opinion. Love the Sterlings, would be perfect for a second set up.

 

[Crustyloafer]

How about a pair of these instead for £850 a pair.

http://www.acoustic-energy.co.uk/Product_range/Reference_series/AE1_classic.asp

 

[Leonard Smalls]

They're ideal for folks who:

a) don't like bass

b) don't like it loud

c) don't like rock music.

You won't find much better for Radio 4 listening, though!

 

[jedd]

Ah, I see - they are for the Radio 4 brigade. Fair enough.

 

[Lucifer]

Dave said:

"A good speaker and now being made again

They where and something like them still used by the BBC and many others as monitors they sound great

Stirling make them as do I think Spendor (thats to BBC specs)"

They were used by the Beeb but I wonder if the Beeb still has the same specs today. Technology has surely moved on a bit and at £600 to £1750 is kinda expensive for monitors.

Would you really buy a pair of Spendors at £1750? Personally I'd spend that sort of money on something else. A party, CDs or something that doesn't depreciate by 20%when paying the invoice!

 

[lilolee]

I'll be bringing a pair of Rogers 15ohms LS3/5a's with me to the bake off on Jan 14th for you to find out.

 

[JamPal]

lilolee wrote:

I'll be bringing a pair of Rogers 15ohms LS3/5a's with me to the bake off on Jan 14th for you to find out.

My bet is they fair well against stuff ten times the price. I have mentioned here before about a colleague that runs a Leslie derivative through Mark Levinson CDP, EAR pre and a pair of Jeff Rowland mono blocks. and FUCKING HELL it's good.

The obvious question to him from all audiophools is Why not upgrade those speeks. And he invotes you round for a listen and you HAVE to concede. Yes he could do better, but wherever he won he would loose in another area. You are lookiong at 10 or 12k to do any better.

i should point out tat these aren't Rogers specials. They are a one of set buily by a BBC eningeer pal of his into soem Mahogany floor standing units with a 1 order x over. they are gooooodd. not heard emotions buit when I do that will be the bench mark, and of course the WEgg3 Stellar.

 

[lilolee]

I know some quite sane people who have some pretty good kit. The only speakers they prefer to LS3/5a's are some Quad ESL57 or Yamaha NS-1000.