LS3/5as. I can't leave them alone...

[Martyn Miles]

I own what are considered to be one of the best small loudspeakers, the Harbeth P3-ESR, but still love the LS3/5a.
Having built a Falcon Acoustics LS3/5a Kit for a friend, plus LS3/5a Clones, I am now building another pair.

I have acquired a pair of removeable back cabinets, along with a pair of matched B110s. T27s are on their way and Stirling and Falcon are supplying other parts.
A choice of LS3/5a crossovers are available from Falcon, so I have decided on the 23aB.
The FL6/23, as used in the new Falcon LS3/5a, is expensive.

Even though the LS3/5a is considered by some as an old design ( which it is, of course ) I still love its particular capabilities, especially in the midrange.

Long live this venerable BBC design.

[Jimbo]

They are certainly a magical little speaker, I think Spendor also built them under licence. I remember auditioning them when I bought my SP2's, another fabulous BBC design. Pity Spendor did not keep these speakers to the original design but went and changed the drive unit cone material etc and they drifted away from the magical sound they created.

After this period when companies like Harbeth and Rogers build speakers with natural tonal qualities along with Spendor there was an arms race in so called speaker design where new materials and methods came in which has resulted in speakers with ever stiffer construction and space age driver materials which for me lost the natural realistic tonal qualities.

It all became Hifi boom and tizz with an eagerness to impress the listener straight away but with longer listening the sound becomes tiring. Midrange in many modern designs seems to be forgotten in the boom and tizz arms race but for me this is where a lot of the magic happens especially with vocals and instrumental texture.

The LS3/5a did this on a miniature scale very well.

Interestingly there seems to be a move back to materials of the past by companies such as Devore, Wilson Audio and Audio note but I think it will be a long time before a company is brave enough to build a speaker with the design principles of the original SP1 or SP2.

I believe older JBL's and Tannoys also sounded good because they were also voiced by humans with natural sounding driver units and not designed by a computer and built by a robot!

[Wakefield Turntables]

Great to hear your getting so much joy from your kit, it certainly beats the various derogatory comments and arguments which usually pop up in the various Fora.

[Macca]

Most modern small speakers tend to go for a flat response and extended bass - usually via a port but the Ls3/5a instead bumps up the bass around 100Hz and then drops off, no port shenanigins.

Measurement of some various types of Ls3/5a here:

http://www.stereophile.com/content/b...RW1hDy3ow06.97

I think subjectively this gives a better sound, the hump adds a bit of body to bass instruments, giving the sort of bass sound and feel that is subjectively pleasing to us. I think that is a better way of voicing a small speaker than to have it attempt the lower octaves in 'stunt' style. On most music it will subjectively have 'more bass' than a speaker that will go lower but has no bass hump. Not accurate to the source. But no speaker is, in any case, so what does it matter?

[walpurgis]

I believe older JBL's and Tannoys also sounded good because they were also voiced by humans with natural sounding driver units and not designed by a computer and built by a robot!

I reckon you are right. I'm sure the same applies to many older speakers, big Altecs and Kilpschorns spring to mind.

[Martyn Miles]

The parts I need are starting to arrive.
I'm getting excited about starting to build them.

Do I need counselling ?

[Jimbo]

Like your enthusiasm Martyn.

[drSM]

U need ECT Martyn . just kidding

Excellent Martyn. Do post pics of the build
I have read some American reviews of the LS3 5A as having a typically British upper bass bump or sort of accentuation.
is this true?
I love my 15 ohm Rogers.

[spendorman]

The parts I need are starting to arrive.
I'm getting excited about starting to build them.

Do I need counselling ?

No Martyn, you're just a well paid up member of the club.

[Barry]

Martyn,

You might find this of interest: http://www.kef.com/html/gb/explore/about_kef/kef/, as well as the BBC research report on the development of the LS3/5a.