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Downsizing to P3ESR, LS3/5A or similar?

Tony L said:
I’d been led to believe by some internet folklore etc that they were in the lazy ‘pipe ‘n’ slippers’ class, but on the end of a really good valve amp and with something like a good ECM CD upstream they can do a remarkably punchy drum kit etc.
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For the past year I have been using the Sound Artist LS3/5a in my nearfield system. Now these are cheap(ish) Chinese knock offs, but then you get the for a cheap(ish) knock-off price, £600.

I could damn them with faint praise, but I won't - I feed them with a Hugo TT > Nap 140 and have loved the result .....BUT, two days ago I slotted in a Chord Etude. Now allowing for inflation this amp is still twice the price of the 140 at 2021 prices, but it is as though the amp has taken the speakers by the scruff of the neck and told them to stop monkeying around. Truly capable, no pipe 'n' slippers here .....does make me curious to hear what proper LS3/5s can achieve.
 
Having heard the Harbeth and the Graham LS 3/5a in my room with a Lavardin IT I thought the Grahams were sublime. My favourite small speakers. Having said that I still prefer my Graham LS 5/9s. Other than the amount of floor space (the only downside) I don’t think the bass would be too over powering. Although if the floors are timber they may well be a bit too large.
 
slavedata said:
take any 2 off the shelf they will work and match. So any that conform to the BBC spec should work....So any properly made LS3/5A modern or vintage should suit.
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That may have applied when they were new but after 30+ years KEF T27 and B110 drivers can age in unpredictable ways and throw both the spec and pair-matching of vintage LS3/5As off significantly.
 
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ToTo Man said:
That may have applied when they were new but after 30+ years KEF T27 and B110 drivers can age in unpredictable ways and throw both the spec and pair-matching of vintage LS3/5As off significantly.
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I'd certainly go for as new as possible
 
novak said:
Thanks for the input, great to read. The descriptions of the Falcons and Stirling sound spot on for what I'm looking for.

Based on feedback, and recent reviews, I think my shortlist is:

Falcon LS3/5A (Gold badge or standard?)
Sterling LS3/5A (V2 or V3?)
Graham LS3/5A
Graham LS3/5

And possibly...
Spendor 4/5
Harbeth P3ESR again (perhaps try XD?)

Probably not the Proac Tablette 10 sig, they were very good but preferred the Harbeth at the time.

Amp is a Jadis Orchestra Ref SE.

I'm sure I can't go wrong with any of them. Ideally, I would demo all of them ( but it's going to be tricky in the middle of moving )... which would you go for?
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I tried the Graham Chartwell LS3/5as, mainly as an experiment, having owned a few LS3/5as over the years.
From ( alphabetically ) Audiomasters to Stirling V2s & V3s.
They were all very good indeed, but I do prefer my Stirling V3s.

There’s something ‘just right’ about the V3s, with the type of music I listen to.
Just recently I acquired a Nait 2 to try out and I find it suits the little Stirlings very well indeed.

I’ve found over the years that all the LS3/5as ( and their close cousins ) I’ve owned have offered
different approaches to reproducing music.

As a long time Spendor fan ( BC1s since 1976 ) I would love to hear the Classic 4/5s.

All the best with finding speakers that suit you.
 
I had never heard the LS3/5a speaker until last year, when I got the new Rogers version. These speakers, in nearfield, are the best I've ever heard for vocals and acoustic music. I'm powering them with a Belles Aria (about 70wpc) to great effect.
 
A while ago I was in communication with Andy Whittle of Rogers about some Rogers Studio 7s I was refurbishing
and ( somewhat inevitably ) we got on to the Rogers LS3/5a Classic.

He told me some interesting facts about the new model and its connection to the original Rogers LS3/5a.
The cabinets Rogers are using are of superb quality, matching anything from Harbeth, Rogers, Spendor, etc.

I have total confidence in this new LS3/5a and I’m pleased how it’s been accepted.

I’m pleased you’re pleased with your Rogers LS3/5as.
 
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novak said:
Based on feedback, and recent reviews, I think my shortlist is:

Falcon LS3/5A (Gold badge or standard?)
Sterling LS3/5A (V2 or V3?)
Graham LS3/5A
Graham LS3/5

And possibly...
Spendor 4/5
Harbeth P3ESR again (perhaps try XD?)
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Good list. If I were you I would stick with the shortlist(Falcon, Sterling and Graham). Although the Harbeth P3ESR is rather competent, I find the sound to be slightly reticent particularly the upper mid to treble region. Perhaps the XD version has been tweaked to sound brighter and more open in the treble, that I m not sure. In the end it will depend on what you are looking for (as usual) as everyone hears differently and prefers different things.
 
Proac Tablette Ten (or Ten Signature) with a really good subwoofer is the way to go.

I've owned more 'LS3/5a' variants than I can remember including P3ESR's (two pair), Stirlings, Falcons, etc.

The LS3/5a doesn't really blend well with a subwoofer, but the Harbeth and Proac's do fine. The Harbeths are insanely over priced these days. I love my Proac/sub setup.

The Falcon is, by far, the best modern LS3/5a I've heard what with having real KEF drivers (that they manufacture). If you don't want to go subwoofer I'd get the Falcon's.
 
Martyn Miles said:
A while ago I was in communication with Andy Whittle of Rogers about some Rogers Studio 7s I was refurbishing
and ( somewhat inevitably ) we got on to the Rogers LS3/5a Classic.

He told me some interesting facts about the new model and its connection to the original Rogers LS3/5a.
The cabinets Rogers are using are of superb quality, matching anything from Harbeth, Rogers, Spendor, etc.

I have total confidence in this new LS3/5a and I’m pleased how it’s been accepted.

I’m pleased you’re pleased with your Rogers LS3/5as.
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NO ONE and I mean ABSOLUTELY NO ONE will tell me WHERE THEY GET THE DRIVERS FOR THIS OVER-PRICED NONSENSE. It's just a nice Chinese clone and no way worth over three thousand dollars.
 
At the bristol show the falcons were playing next to big floorstanders. A number of people thought the big speakers were playing when the babies were in fact playing . Surprised what they can do
 
Jodet said:
NO ONE and I mean ABSOLUTELY NO ONE will tell me WHERE THEY GET THE DRIVERS FOR THIS OVER-PRICED NONSENSE. It's just a nice Chinese clone and no way worth over three thousand dollars.
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KK rated it (together with the Falcons) as the best ever LS3/5a he’d heard apart from the limited edition Falcon Kingswood Warren version.

Whether Chinese manufacture of the drivers makes it not worth the price, I suppose that’s up to the buyer.
 
Jodet said:
NO ONE and I mean ABSOLUTELY NO ONE will tell me WHERE THEY GET THE DRIVERS FOR THIS OVER-PRICED NONSENSE. It's just a nice Chinese clone and no way worth over three thousand dollars.
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Andy W. imparted information on the new LS3/5as to me, knowing I wouldn’t share it.
Intellectual property is valuable.

Some time ago, just before the original Falcon LS3/5a was released, I was at Falcon Acoustics.
Jerry Bloomfield gave me a fair bit of info. on the soon to be released ‘3/5a.
Jerry B. trusted me.

No way was I going to compromise things for him.


I had long drawn out issues with some innovative apparatus I designed at the Chemistry Dept. in Oxford, so I have
first-hand experience about sharing valuable information.
 
I recently purchased a pair of Rogers ls3/5a's from 1982, they were in amazing condition, and had clearly been cherished. I partnered them with my Leben 600, and i was floored just how good these little boxes are. The piano sounded like it was in the room, and the urge to close my eyes was unstoppable. Vocals were a delight too, even Fleetwood Mac's Rumours had a snap to it, with Stevie Nicks sounding as sultry as ever. As has been said, give these little boxes a top source, and you'll be rewarded with a sound that belies their size.. happy shopping.
 
Blue Belle said:
I recently purchased a pair of Rogers ls3/5a's from 1982, they were in amazing condition, and had clearly been cherished. I partnered them with my Leben 600, and i was floored just how good these little boxes are. The piano sounded like it was in the room, and the urge to close my eyes was unstoppable. Vocals were a delight too, even Fleetwood Mac's Rumours had a snap to it, with Stevie Nicks sounding as sultry as ever. As has been said, give these little boxes a top source, and you'll be rewarded with a sound that belies their size.. happy shopping.
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Leben CS600 (EL34 Sophia Electric valves) with Falcon LS3/5A Gold badges is my favourite combo I have tried. Class A amplification such as Sugden and Primare i35 also works very well.
 
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