advertisement


What price LS3/5as?

Radfordman said:
I presume that they have the Black Chartwell labels on the back of the cabinet.
Click to expand...
They do! Complete labels too. As far as I can tell the units have never been opened. I use them for nearfield and love 'em to bits! Was amzed when I saw the pair go recently on ebay. I knew they were a bit 'special' but ...
 
simonpearce said:
They do! Complete labels too. As far as I can tell the units have never been opened. I use them for nearfield and love 'em to bits! Was amzed when I saw the pair go recently on ebay. I knew they were a bit 'special' but ...
Click to expand...

There were some kit ones sold by Chartwell to staff. They were called Project Symphony, they could not call them LS3/5a probably because final test was not done at the factory. One might think that they would not be worth so much, however, due to the rarity, they are also valuable.
 
Radfordman said:
There were some kit ones sold by Chartwell to staff. They were called Project Symphony, they could not call them LS3/5a probably because final test was not done at the factory. One might think that they would not be worth so much, however, due to the rarity, they are also valuable.
Click to expand...
Given that my pair say 'Chartwell LS3/5a" on the black labels does that mean they are genuine ones. I know nothing of the history of the units.
 
simonpearce said:
Given that my pair say 'Chartwell LS3/5a" on the black labels does that mean they are genuine ones. I know nothing of the history of the units.
Click to expand...
Project Symphony kit build ones have a small Chartwell address label fitted to the bottom right hand corner of the rear panel but no large centre label
 
Remembering the first demonstration of LS3/5a speakers given to me in 1977 or 1978. Most probably Rogers. Quite fine, not great; driven by a huge Audio Research tube amplifier. Not forgotten...so must have impressed.

Then in 1978 I purchased a pair of JR-149s...my main speakers for perhaps three years...mostly driven by a GAS Son of Ampzilla and later by a Marantz 8B. This was such a fine speaker for the kinds of music I was listening to back then...mostly acoustic instrumental...jazz, bluegrass, classical recital, etc. Imaging to die for, scaled beautifully, much better bottom than the LS3/5a. They did suffer a peaky nasal quality that compromised voice. (About 5 years ago I picked up a pair second hand for about 30 days -- all the glories and limitations remained - then quickly sold, that midrange was no longer acceptable ;).)

Spendor 15 ohm LS3/5a found their way into my household in 1982. Remained a fixture in 1st and 2nd systems well over 20 years. That's quite a long run for this audiofool.

Reviews of Spendor 3/5s were so over the top ten years ago that I was persuaded to give them a try. It took about a minute to conclude they were a far superior monitor to the LS3/5a. Real technical advances over 25 years.

Finally, about 18 months ago I took a flier on the newer Spendor 3/5R -- and these were better still. Greater dynamics; better balance and tone; and it scales so beautifully in the right sized room -- a most impressive audio magic trick. I love 'em...a ridiculous affection.

In addition I've short listened to the comparable shoe box sized Harbeths -- also just extraordinary in their presentation. And I assume there must be a half dozen other little monitors that have their champions.

So the vintage speakers are fun ... a little like looking at pictures of old girlfriends (or wives...).
By analogy the current units are the most refined trophy wives...minus the terrible expense, of course!

WTS
 
Recently posted on Canuck Audio mart; asking $3500 for a pair of 15 0hm early Spendor LS3/5a. :rolleyes:


Personally, I've only heard various modern iterations of the basic approach; Harbeth, Spendor, Stirling. I've enjoyed them all, each has its own flavor. Difficult for me to imagine the originals sounding sufficiently superior to warrant that kind of pricing; but sentiment has its value.

On another tangent, what have classic LS3/5a lovers found to be the best modern restatements; not trying to mimic the original sound so much as build on its strengths and improve? Perhaps something that captures the naturalness of the vocals and imaging, but offers a fuller frequency range.

I asked that question of a dealer, who suggested the Spendor s5e (I know, a small 2 1/2 floorstander, so different, but then again similar size drivers, suitable for similar rooms & music). I must say I found it an excellent suggestion; works the vocal magic, adds some meaty bass, gives up nothing of significance to my ears....

Other ideas, or is this all impermissible in the Classic corner?

-paul-
 
Martyn Miles said:
I have noticed the price of '3/5as rising on eBay. Early Rogers? I recall £1,300 recently. Spendors? About £500. Goodmans? About £800. Audiomasters ? About £1,200. RAM ? Over £1,000 . What IS the logic ? New Rogers LS3/5a £1,499. Are enthusiasts buying them ? Perhaps I shouldn't ask, as I never found a sensible reason given previously. Martyn Miles . Here I am again... I've recently purchased a pair of mint Harbeth LE 'Alan Shaw' LS3/5as for just over £800. What quality. I've never seen such an immaculate pair of speakers. They also sound sublime. I've sold my Audiomasters to someone in France who is very pleased with them . I wouldn't have changed, except the Harbeths came available locally. I have often wondered if there was a small difference between builders of the LS3/5a, as is often said. The Harbeths are marginally brighter, on my system. The bass doen't quite 'flow' like the Audiomasters. Some say they need using. I understand they haven't bee used much. What I will say is I could happily live with either pair...
Click to expand...
Out of interest I looked up that, much quoted, LS3/5a 'shoot-out' conducted by Hi Fi News. It seems to be quoted, in part, by many sellers of LS3/5as. It was interesting reading. I didn't know the Harbeths came 'first'. ( Whatever that means in the context of speakers) A little like Martin Colloms quoting ( in HI FI CRITIC, if I recall correctly) the 11ohm LS3/5a models as 'boring' (!) I didn'trealise a speaker could be boring. I've heard some speakers ( human ones, that is) who have been very boring. Old ones, Chartwells, next. Then all this discussion re. the BBC 1 & 2, etc. etc. And so on. To finish my ramble, the panel concluded that there wasn't a bad one ( LS3/5a, that is!) amongst them. Actually, in the end I recall how much I loved music through my Audiomasters and still do so through my Harbeths. A conclusion of sorts ? I really don't know... Martyn .
 
If you haven't heard a 'boring' speaker, then you have never heard the Celestion SL600. It somehow managed to be paceless, lacking in any rhythm and timed like a dry waterclock.

The LS3/5 mystique probably has much to do with the fact that they pioneered certain trends and traits that were oft copied, but never matched-although they have been bettered. In a way they embraced their obvious departures from linearity and became the Golden Rectangle to the Quads musical sphere.

Similar hyperinflated value has become attached to the original Nait and the Linn Kans, both of which sounded anything but neutral and and sometimes sounded better than the real thing. But usually not.

In the end, the LS3/5a were rather ordinary drivers, in a somewhat ordinary box (which by virtue of its size pushed resonances into less intrusive frequencies and allowed closer approximation to a point source) with an ordinarly crossover. Yet the sum of those ordinary parts seemed rather extraordinary.
 
rontoolsie said:
If you haven't heard a 'boring' speaker, then you have never heard the Celestion SL600. It somehow managed to be paceless, lacking in any rhythm and timed like a dry waterclock.

Now, this is interesting '...paceless, lacking in rhythm and timed like a dry waterclock.' What does all THAT mean? Every speaker I've ever heard helped me get in touch with the music. If it had a beat I tapped my foot. That's rhythm. 'Timed' ? MY Father was an Horologist. He knew about timing. I have a pair of JBL Control 5s I use on a PA system. Loud, forward & exactly the speaker for the job. I alo record the human voice, with very high quality mics. I've replayed it through various loudspeakers. Remember, I know the voice(s). My BC1s gave a very true reproduction. The LS3/5as give a superb quality to the voice. With a Choir, the music too. Issues of 'boring', 'lacking in any rhythm'' and 'timing' (!) just don't come into it. It sounds like what I've recorded. Martyn .
Click to expand...
 
rontoolsie said:
In the end, the LS3/5a were rather ordinary drivers, in a somewhat ordinary box (which by virtue of its size pushed resonances into less intrusive frequencies and allowed closer approximation to a point source) with an ordinarly crossover. Yet the sum of those ordinary parts seemed rather extraordinary.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't call the LS3/5A crossover "ordinary" at all. Especially when you consider that, for a nominal 3.5KHz crossover frequency, the low-pass attenuation starts at about 300Hz or so.
 
from what I have read, most of the LS3/5a speakers that are bought from the far east are mainly used for home cinema/tv setups ... I have only ever heard a pair once (the Rogers version) and was impressed, although the bass was lacking ... I have been told that the Chartwell version were better?

as for BC1's, they are good, and have seen prices rise considerably over the past year ... however ....

I have compared BC1's side by side with the old B&W DM2 ( the 1st version that were handbuilt) .... The DM2 have the same tweeters and supertweeters as the BC1's, but are much better with bass as they are transmission design

BC1's sell for approx £400-£500+ on ebay ....

B&W DM2 sell for well under £200 (paid £53 for mine, and recently saw a pair in mint condition sell for under £30) ... the last pair that was sold in the UK on ebay went for £57

add a decent amp with a bit of grunt (100 watts@8 Ohm minimum) and you have a keeper IMHO

if you want to 'step up a few notches', nothing new (that I have heard) that costs under £3k-£4k comes even close to the old IMF TLS80 ... (4 way transmission design) .... a good pair in mint condition can be bought for under £800 ... prices of these will continue to rise as they become rarer ... there is a pair at the moment on ebay for £1300
 
I have been lucky enough to own/compare a number of the LS3/5a speakers and was quite impressed with the Stirling Broadcast which were approximately £800 a pair new.

My favorites are the JR 149 Mk2 with the 15mm thick plate at front onto which the Focal drive units are mounted. The bass on the JR 149 Mk2 is deeper and tighter than the Mk1 versions. I had an ex BBC engineer build a pair of crossovers with carefully selected components of much higher quality and tolerance.

The sound is now very dynamic, fantastic imaging and holographic rather like electrostatic speakers. I really can hear differences in the miking of recordings on the same albums. Definitely worth grabbing a pair if you find the Mk2 versions.

I would happily put them up against any of the LS3/5a variants and feel that based upon my experience, the LS3/5a speakers sound boxy and generally lack bass. It was pointed out to me that after a period of approximately 20-30 years some components in the crossover will not perform to their full potential so I kept the original crossovers from JR149 Mk2 just in case anyone wanted proof.
 
BC1's sell for approx £400-£500+ on ebay ....

The 4 in our local rag for £20 was somewhat of a bargain, one owner from new ....and yes I missed them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top