Help identifying Chartwell speakers

[greenhomeelectronics]

Hi chaps, just got in a pair of very small Chartwell 2 way speakers. they are smaller than LS3/5a's, they are two way units in a sealed enclosure. Anybody got any ideas what model they may be? They sound rather good, they are in a teak finish with the original grilles. I can find tons of info on the 3/5's but not mush else.
Any help much appreciated.
Dave.

[The Grand Wazoo]

Have you got any photos of them Dave?

[tannoy man]

The pm 55 is a small two way from Chartwell its a bit taller at 35.5cm but it may be a good starting point for another search.

[DSJR]

Ask Mike O'Brian (O'Brian HiFi) if he remembers, as he *was* Swisstone Electronics, who took over Chartwell/Rogers.....

[hifi_dave]

I wrote a couple of reviews on Chartwell speakers and have some info somewhere. A pic might help.

[greenhomeelectronics]

Here is a photo of said speakers. They are about 12 inches high, 7 1/2 wide and 6 1/2 deep. Lovely little speakers, they sound incredible on speech and classical. Just wish I knew what they were.... :cool: virtual beer to anybody that can advise.
Dave.

[Reid Malenfant]

Kef drivers by the look of it ;) B110 & T27, could be some form of LS3/5A?

In fact i bet they are (http://www.freewebs.com/chartwellspeakers/) :lol: If you google them you'll find that a pair sold on ebay for £3000 :eek:

[DSJR]

I can't expand the image (sonny-jim's downloading summat huge :(), but they look suspiciously like LS3/5A's to me - recessed B110 and T27 with mesh cap. If you feel that inclined, carefully remove the baffle on one and check the crossover. If there's loads of components on a board up behind the tweeter, you'll know ;)

[Rare Bird]

Here is a photo of said speakers. They are about 12 inches high, 7 1/2 wide and 6 1/2 deep. Lovely little speakers, they sound incredible on speech and classical. Just wish I knew what they were.... :cool: virtual beer to anybody that can advise.
Dave.

Whats that black plaque say on it? the sizes you gave are deffo 'LS3/5a' diamensions. What gave you the impression they wee Chartwells Dave? if they are their should be a great wacking label on the back saying so, if not what colour are the backs? could possibly be Audiomasters (Pink speckled back)!

[greenhomeelectronics]

Ah, I think I see what has gone on. Thanks Reid Malenfant, those are almost exactly what I have. I say almost because the thing with mine is that some nutter has cut holes in the backs to fit replacement banana sockets, the bit they have cut out is where that black label would be. there is a small white label on the back of each unit with Chartwell's address on and a small label on the front that just says "Chartwell". I have taken one of the speaker post mounting plates off, they are definitely LS3/5A on the inside!!
I guess the big question now is whether to sell them as they are or to replace the backs with new ones. Decisions decisions......

[Rare Bird]

Either way Dave if they have been vandalised & i noticed the Chartwell badges are missing from the grills value will be effected.You should still get a bit for em tho..

[DSJR]

The backs were fixed in place as I remember and only some prototypes had removable back panels. These speakers are totally outdated now, yet the prices they fetch is bordering on the obscene. Good Chartwell 3/5A's will be amongst the best of breed though..

[zanash]

yes seem to recall they were one of the best 3/5a's built ....I have a set of pm110 mk2 in the loft from the early eighties ..sold them on twice and I still got them back when the owner s upgraded.

[chelsea]

They maybe the project version which were sold in kit form to staff.
If you take the baffle off it should have chartwell printed on the xover.

[chelsea]

Just read the thread again.
They are not the project version as they have a plaque on the back.
The projects didn't have this just a plain back with 2 screws for speaker cable.

[DSJR]

The best of all of these 3/5A samples are the BBC ones, which were all "centre-line" spec. These usually had XLR connectors, but the few which are around may be shagged out with use by now (tweeters can change in level over the decades if used at highish levels for instance). I can vouch for the fact that Audiomaster (another of the original goodies) went to great pains with their calibration and ALL of their BBC ones were identical to the closest tolerances possible back then and if they didn't quite meet the spec, they were hauled back, the plots closely examined and the crossover components adjusted accordingly (by Robin Marshall himself) to VERY tight limits to get the spec needed.

Today of course, there does seem to be better consistency of drivers and all this faffing around is irrelevant to a large extent once the basic design is approved. I remember Robin proudly showing me a batch of bass unit plots for the ES14's. Laid one on top of each other, they were ALL identical to within the thickness of the pen-line - no mean feat since all these units were hand made - the coils were bought in I think, but I believe everything else was made under Epos' control.

[spendorman]

Just read the thread again.
They are not the project version as they have a plaque on the back.
The projects didn't have this just a plain back with 2 screws for speaker cable.


I believe some of the kit ones (Project Symphony) did have labels saying Chartwell on the back panel, but not the full label and logo as in production Chartwell LS3/5a's.

[chelsea]

I believe some of the kit ones (Project Symphony) did have labels saying Chartwell on the back panel, but not the full label and logo as in production Chartwell LS3/5a's.

Ah ok mine didn't so just guessed it was the norm.

[nat8808]

Probably were Project Symphonys - I'm sure that address label on the back is what marks them out as being so. Also would account for the lack of gasket on your photos and the badges being stuck on the baffles instead of the grills.

You may have found, if you had removed the big binding posts, that there was no real damage underneath, only screw holes and that they used the original connection holes. then it was just the celestion 2000 tweeter grill that was wrong on one rather than the modified one used on the LS3/5a.

Hmmm, sometimes I think I should be in the trade seeing as I've gathered so much gear knowledge over the years and up to speed with current values.

[DSJR]

You don't need knowledge to be in what's left of the audio industry these days, just a desire for maximum commission (if you worked for the dealer chains) and/or blind allegiance to the remaining cults out there... sad, but probably true (he says tongue in cheek)