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small monitor speaker choices

regafan

regafan

pfm Member
Been looking to try a BBC style speaker. decided to go new. Candidates are Spendor S3/5r, Stirling V2, Harbeth P3 esr. Maybe you have another suggestion? Interesting the price differences between the 3.The Spendor sounds tempting at the price if it competes with the other 2. Has anyone compared all 3?
 
Have recently heard Rogers "revival" LS3/5a's (i.e. modern components but engineered to replicate the classic LS3/5a character) vs. my Harbeth P3ESRs. Not a serious comparison, but enough to give a feel for their similarities & differences.

Both very good speakers, able to go surprisingly loud for such small boxes. Harbeths seem to have better bass, but mini-monitor bass is an illusion so you may prefer the Rogers version of the illusion.
 
At the price real LS3/5a's command in the used market, it is strange that Kef do not re-introduce the Bextrene B-110 woofer and T-27 tweeter. Perhaps there is some toxic ingredients in the making that would not be allowed today? Anyways, imagine Kef selling another batch of 50,000 pairs at £1500 each!
 
I thought about having a 'proper' Rogers. But unless you can be certain of the provenance ie one owner examples, then you never know how hard a life a speaker has had how many drops and bashes it has endured! Some of the ebay examples certainly have battle scars. Also the drivers, one needs to be sure theyre working to spec; unless you're prepared to get measurements done how will you know?
 
TLS said:
At the price real LS3/5a's command in the used market, it is strange that Kef do not re-introduce the Bextrene B-110 woofer and T-27 tweeter. Perhaps there is some toxic ingredients in the making that would not be allowed today? Anyways, imagine Kef selling another batch of 50,000 pairs at £1500 each!
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They were asked to do so a few years back but refused. The reason is quite simple as all current KEF drivers are made on automated production lines (in China I believe) and the B110 has to be hand made. They are no longer interested in UK hand made drivers.
 
canonman said:
They were asked to do so a few years back but refused. The reason is quite simple as all current KEF drivers are made on automated production lines (in China I believe) and the B110 has to be hand made. They are no longer interested in UK hand made drivers.
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No surprise really, good news for Wilmslow Audio and the like.

OP: Wilmslow can make a LS3/5A clone for around £400, worth a thought...
 
Good idea re Wilmslow, but looking for one that would hold its value in future if I did change it. I am tempted by Stirlings as look most authentic LS3. however a lot of votes for Harbeth...
Not ruling out Spendor. Also didn't really want to go over £1K.
 
canonman said:
They were asked to do so a few years back but refused. The reason is quite simple as all current KEF drivers are made on automated production lines (in China I believe) and the B110 has to be hand made. They are no longer interested in UK hand made drivers.
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As above and also, I believe, that Harbeth bought the tools to manufacture the B100 driver some time ago.
 
regafan said:
Been looking to try a BBC style speaker. decided to go new. Candidates are Spendor S3/5r, Stirling V2, Harbeth P3 esr. Maybe you have another suggestion? Interesting the price differences between the 3.The Spendor sounds tempting at the price if it competes with the other 2. Has anyone compared all 3?
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I think the BBC concept works better with a larger cabinet.
Are you limited to LS3/5 sized cabinets or would you consider something larger if within budget?

Personally I would opt for something like the Rogers Studio 1 or Spendor SP1 if you want that BBC sound. Even restored Quad ESLs would come it at the budget you are planning.

Just be patient and buy carefully - find s nice clean, well look after pair.
I've a pair of Rogers Export monitors in lovely condition (based on the LS3/6) and those cost me £300 IIRC. Preferable in every way to a Roger LS3/5. Same middle but with scale, ease and a dynamic freedom that just isn't possible from the smaller variants on the theme.
 
I've a pair of Rogers Export monitors in lovely condition (based on the LS3/6) and those cost me £300 IIRC.
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Were they the speakers you used in the microphony test?

If so they look remarkably similar to my SHL5s.
 
Basil said:
Were they the speakers you used in the microphony test?

If so they look remarkably similar to my SHL5s.
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Yes that's right.

They are, along with the BBC/Rogers LS3/6 and Spendor BC1 the direct ancestors of the HL5. Same driver format of 8" bass, main tweeter and upper tweeter in 2cu Ft thin wall cabinet.

Lovely things and very like ESL57s but with a bit more heft at the bottom - really nice on big orchestral works where the 57 can be a bit light.
 
Robert said:
I think the BBC concept works better with a larger cabinet.
Are you limited to LS3/5 sized cabinets or would you consider something larger if within budget?
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Have had larger boxes but not much WAF. In all honesty had grown tired of constant upgraditis when found I was perfectly happy with smaller equipment both amps and speakers provided it was fun and musical. My impression of the small LS3 style boxes from fora was they were small but threw out a seamless soundstage that belied their size whilst not getting in the way in a room.
 
I'm very impressed with a pair of LS7Ts for about £150. Not exactly small monitors though, a lot bigger than I expected. Not sure what drivers they use but they sound very nice.
 
matt j said:
I'm very impressed with a pair of LS7Ts for about £150. Not exactly small monitors though, a lot bigger than I expected. Not sure what drivers they use but they sound very nice.
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The woofer was made in-house by Rogers (the real Rogers co. not the Asian interests who bought the name, trying to cash-in on a reputation) and the tweeter is a MB Quart double magnet titanium dome from Germany.
Enjoy!
 
lol, that means nothing to me, but thanks anyway. Bit different to what I'm used to but not in a bad way, I'll see how they sound with a better amp.
 
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