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Subwoofers and LS3/5As

Here’s a pic from first lockdown, Spring 2020. Time on my hands to try BBC minis, positioning and sub integration.
This positioning worked beautifully for Falcon LS3/5as and BK xxl400 sub. Not domestically harmonious though…

3YhrKpx.jpg
 
Super set up. I'm afraid my house isn't so flexible. Now I have put my Audinotes on Classifieds I have three set ups of approximately 2 MTR triangles. For string quartets and small group jazz I have bags of bass. My two valve amps had to go, due to my inability, through limited driving capacity and COVID to get them serviced.

I envy what seems to be your situation of great comfort. A friend of mine says I live in a house not fit for human habitation with £30,000 worth of audio equipment.

Thanks for info and pic.
 
TheDecameron said:
Here’s a pic from first lockdown, Spring 2020. Time on my hands to try BBC minis, positioning and sub integration.
This positioning worked beautifully for Falcon LS3/5as and BK xxl400 sub. Not domestically harmonious though…

3YhrKpx.jpg
Click to expand...
Hope you have some decent decoupling under that valve amp!
 
ToTo Man said:
Upper-mid shoutiness could be a sign of B110s that have gone off-spec, this is something Jerry discussed in his RMAF presentation, IIRC. I've owned multiple pairs of mk1 JR149 over the years and some have been more 'shouty' than others, but I can't say for sure if this was due to off-spec B110s. The two pairs of mk1 JR149 I currently own are quite similar to each other but, without resorting to EQ, I prefer the tonality of the 'green' pair:
Click to expand...

Interesting to read KK's opinion here: http://www.g4dcv.co.uk/ls35a/shootout.html

"Then a sane voice pops up, 'But all of the 15 ohm models are by definition older, and therefore likely to suffer from age!' To which we must reply, 'This may be arguable in their defence, but the hands-down best-ever LS3/5A is the 15 ohm BBC model we used as a reference, which was so good that we took it out of the running. And that's one of the oldest LS3/5As on earth. And the No. 2 speaker after the Harbeth is a 15 ohm model. So age is NOT a factor.'"

Of course JB does have a motive for encouraging people to doubt their drive units.
 
TheDecameron said:
Here’s a pic from first lockdown, Spring 2020. Time on my hands to try BBC minis, positioning and sub integration.
This positioning worked beautifully for Falcon LS3/5as and BK xxl400 sub. Not domestically harmonious though…

3YhrKpx.jpg
Click to expand...

I now have an very similar setup - stereo 20 and MJ Pro 50 sub with 11ohm LS3/5as and domestic disagreements as cables are traipsing across the dining room. Rest of kit is in the office next door. Sounds superb, getting a sub is definitely worth it. Crocs well and truly out of shot.

515-ECB0-C-63-F7-498-E-884-F-E5-F65-FB82-B06.jpg
 
Whilst searching the forum, I happened upon this thread.

I have a pair of Falcon LS35a, and I have integrated a Yamaha subwoofer into my system, to add a bit more at the bottom end.

I'm quite pleased with the results, the volume on my Yamaha has to be barely raised to deliver 'enough' bass for my needs, and I do feel as though it has integrated well.

On the rear of the Yamaha, is a High Cut dial that ranges between 40Hz and 140Hz. I currently have it set to 60HZ.

Would you recommend that I change that, or am I in the correct area with 60Hz.

I connect to the subwoofer from the 'red' of my Cyrus i9-XR amplifier's pre-out, and then into the LFE input on the subwoofer.

 
I already had the subwoofer, as it wirelessly connected to a Dolby Atmos Yamaha soundbar. Though I have to disconnect the connection between the wireless receiver and the subwoofer when I want to listen to music.
 
Tony L said:
A sub, no matter how good, would just wreck what I like about the LS3/5A. They are an astonishingly good and coherent little nearfield speaker. No sub is ever going to integrate in the nearfield. Just not possible. For mid/far-field listening I’d buy a larger speaker of similar heritage (e.g. any of the Spendor, Graham, Stirling etc BC1 equivalents). I’ve certainly never liked the AB1s at all, and whenever I’ve heard mono subs in nearfield systems it has taken me less than a couple of seconds to spot their detrimental effect to soundstage, imaging, coherence etc. LS3/5As are special things, but only at being LS3/5As. Try to get them to do anything else and they won’t IME.
Click to expand...

Well said, Tony.
I prefer LS3/5As nearfield and no sub. of any sort.
My BC1s give me the deeper bass and bigger imaging.
I can understand the idea of using a sub. if your only speakers are ‘3/5As.
 
luxury_scruff said:
I connect to the subwoofer from the 'red' of my Cyrus i9-XR amplifier's pre-out, and then into the LFE input on the subwoofer
Click to expand...
I haven't had great results connecting like that. Your control settings look similar to mine.

As your sub has high level input options I would be trying those. It just sounds more right with my MJA Pro 50 subwoofer.
 
I added an SVS sub to my V3s a year ago and regarded it as an experiment, since I thought had adequate bass with the speakers closer to the back wall. My history with V2 bass extenders and another company's sub wasn't successful. I was surprised to find the SVS became a major enhancement to my listening. It works really well, and near-field or far-field the benefit is sustained, though I prefer far-field positioning. The sub also works great with my Kans and the MAD 1920S speakers.
 
Minio said:
I haven't had great results connecting like that. Your control settings look similar to mine.

As your sub has high level input options I would be trying those. It just sounds more right with my MJA Pro 50 subwoofer.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the tip-off Minio. I've changed the connection and it sounds much better now.

I'm pleased with the integration of this sub/Falcon LS35a. The bass volume is set very low (level 1 out of 10), but there's enough there to fill in what I felt was lacking.

These LS35a's eh? Amazing on vocals. I'm hearing things in familiar tracks that I didn't know was there.
 
luxury_scruff said:
Thanks for the tip-off Minio. I've changed the connection and it sounds much better now.

I'm pleased with the integration of this sub/Falcon LS35a. The bass volume is set very low (level 1 out of 10), but there's enough there to fill in what I felt was lacking.

These LS35a's eh? Amazing on vocals. I'm hearing things in familiar tracks that I didn't know was there.
Click to expand...
Yes.

I can imagine the little LS3/5a's would work very well with a sub.
They are great speakers with amazing strengths. Sub bass not their forte though, so -
good choice.
 
Tony L said:
A sub, no matter how good, would just wreck what I like about the LS3/5A. They are an astonishingly good and coherent little nearfield speaker. No sub is ever going to integrate in the nearfield. Just not possible. For mid/far-field listening I’d buy a larger speaker of similar heritage (e.g. any of the Spendor, Graham, Stirling etc BC1 equivalents). I’ve certainly never liked the AB1s at all, and whenever I’ve heard mono subs in nearfield systems it has taken me less than a couple of seconds to spot their detrimental effect to soundstage, imaging, coherence etc. LS3/5As are special things, but only at being LS3/5As. Try to get them to do anything else and they won’t IME.
Click to expand...
A pair of proper stands is a better investment than the AB1 and of all the other subs I listened to!
 
Just noticed this thread. I've used my LS3/5as with a Linn Sizmik for many years, and have found that, to my ears, it usefully augments the sound.
 
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