Stirling Broadcast BBC LS3/5a V2/ Harbeth P3ESR

[basnas]

Hi
Any who have compare the Stirling Broadcast BBC LS3/5a V2 and the Harbeth P3ESR.
My amp is croft micro 25RS and a Series 7.

best jan

[DSJR]

Either should be a wonderful combination, but the P3ESR is now a far cry from the original P3 which showed the Harbeth LS3/5A the door way back when both models were made side by side at Harbeth. Having said that, the V2 is a very different animal to the old 3/5A's as well and I'm told by a fan that some BBC engineers who love their old-uns really like the V2, which I understand has/had a lot of work done on it by Derek Hughes (citation needed here), who I understand has had a huge hand in the NEW LS3/6 that will be sold first by Walrus Systems (who says I only shill for my mate Dave?). The voicing of the 3/5A shouldn't be so different to the original, but consistancy of drivers should be in a different league, as those pesky old KEF drivers were a pain in the backside I remember.

How the new 3/6 incarnation compares to the Spendor SP1/2R series (also originally designed by Derek H I think) for a few hundred quid less will be very interesting and of course, there's the cheaper Harbeth SHL5 to consider as well

[Martyn Miles]

Hi
Any who have compared the Stirling Broadcast BBC LS3/5a V2 and the Harbeth P3ESR.
My amp is croft micro 25RS and a Series 7.

best jan

I have just bought a pair of V2s ( at a very competitive price ) to compare with my ‘ESRs. I thought if I don’t like them
I could sell them on without losing money, or even make a small profit.
I’ve owned various LS3/5as over the years, Audiomasters, Falcons and Harbeths, so I know the ‘3/5a well.

After setting the V2s up in place of the ‘ESRs, I’ll admit I was rather apprehensive. I shouldn’t have been, the V2s are
superb.
The famed LS3/5a midrange was there, but there seemed to be a subjectively deeper bass with a slightly brighter and smoother top. Piano sounded gorgeous, just as it does on the P3-ESRs.

It’s easy to be enraptured by a pair of speakers, so I linked up the Harbeths again.
They were smoother, with a deeper bass and an unobtrusive top end. The image was bigger than the V2s.
Piano sounded just that bit more realistic, with more ‘body.’
Where the V2s came in to their own was with a Linn LP12 and a Denon 103. The Denon can sound bass heavy with
some recordings when using Spendor BC1s. With the Stirling V2s, that bass end worked perfectly giving a beautiful
balance.
In conclusion, I feel the Harbeths P3-ESRs are the superior speakers but I could easily live with the Stirling Broadcast LS3/5a V2s.

[Ninanina]

I had the standard Stirling Broadcast LS3/5a's and they sounded wonderful with the right amp so I would guess the V2 is probably even better

[hifi_dave]

I've done several demos of the various modern incarnations of the LS3/5A against the Harbeth P3ESR and not a single customer could find anything they did which could equal the Harbeths.

To my ears, the Falcon LS3/5A had slightly more body and weight to the others but still not a patch on the P3ESR.

[Martyn Miles]

I've done several demos of the various modern incarnations of the LS3/5a against the Harbeth P3ESR and not a single customer could find anything they did which could equal the Harbeths.

To my ears, the Falcon LS3/5A had slightly more body and weight to the others, but still not a patch on the P3ESR.

I wouldn’t disagree re. the P3-ESRs, but there is something about the Stirling V2 I like.
It seems to improve on the ‘Kef drivered’ models of which I’ve had experience.
They were Audiomasters, Harbeths & Falcons.
I would agree the Falcons were the best of the bunch.
The ‘ESRs are my most used speakers.
By the way, Dave, I bought the Harbeths from you via. David Rance.

[hifi_dave]

Hi Martyn. Yes, I remember, thank you.

[graham67]

I would also highly recommend listening to the Graham Audio Chartwell LS 3/5, the predecessor to the 3/5A. I haven't done a side by side comparison with other 3/5As but I really liked these. There was a real generosity to the sound and what surprised me was they could really rock out.

[Martyn Miles]

I was planning to go and listen to a pair of Grahams at Hidden Systems in Hampshire, but events took another turn.
I’d still like to hear a pair sometime.
On the Pink Fish Media Classic section, under ‘Falcon v Graham ( and Stirling ? )’ someone who has bought a pair of Graham 3/5s has posted his findings.
Very interesting...

[Martyn Miles]

I am hoping to listen to the Stirling V3s in the New Year, at home.
Could be interesting...