Small Secondary Speakers

[MartinT]

I'm thinking of building a small pair of secondary speakers for my computer-based system, and to perform show duties as my main pair are immovable.

I'm thinking of LS3/5a copies and am looking at these items:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1608556986...84.m1423.l2649

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1508945125...84.m1423.l2649

Any comments or experience of these?

Secondary system: Windows 8 desktop PC, optical feed to Caiman DAC, Mini-T amp.

[DSJR]

If it's any help to you, an old ex-colleague and friend has just bought some Stirling HS88 speakers (under £700 built I believe), which, apart from the screw-on cabinet backs and the lack of BBC royalties paid, are identical to the LS3/5A V2, being calibrated in exactly the same way. He's absolutely over the moon with them and rates them higher than the originals, which he still has a soft spot for. Doug has also suggested that he's never seen a pair of originals meet the spec, as the drivers have drifted off over the decades.

The drivers Doug uses lack the "quack" and iffy top end the old B110 drivers suffer from and the tweeters lack the spit and tinsel that characterised the T27 in almost all it's uses as a main tweeter. I think the bass unit saw service in the original Harbeth P3's and it was excellent in this role, going louder more cleanly than the Harbeth 3/5A's with which I compared them directly.

Give Doug a ring and discuss your requirements with him. He's another goodie I understand and you should get the hang of him with a call or two.

Good luck...

[dantheman91]

Keesonic Kubs. Suprising little things and wont break the bank.

[Yomanze]

If I were setting up such as system I'd go for the cute little Mission 760i speakers. Vifa D19 tweeter (as used on Snell / Audio Note speakers), front ported and quite easy to find on eBay. Pay no more than £50.

[Covenant]

If I were setting up such as system I'd go for the cute little Mission 760i speakers. Vifa D19 tweeter (as used on Snell / Audio Note speakers), front ported and quite easy to find on eBay. Pay no more than £50.

Agreed. I got the 780SE's off ebay for £35 and they are fine for computer duties

[Dingdong]

How's about a small pair of Ushers?

[walpurgis]

I'd second that Mission 780 SE (first series) recommendation. Remarkable little speakers with a big punch. I had mine years ago and I keep toying with the idea of tracking down another pair. One of the few Hi-Fi items I still really miss. They make the LS3/5a sound pretty weedy.

[The Grand Wazoo]

Martin actually said he wanted to build some speakers guys!

I'd think for about £400, you'd be doing OK Martin - I'm pretty sure you could move them on for that or thereabouts if they proved to not be the thing for you. LS3/5a's have significant weaknesses as I've no doubt you absolutely must know. As a proper main hi-fi loudspeaker I couldn't live with them myself, but on stands either side of a desk, fed from a decent computer system, you must be using them in an purpose close to the one they were designed for. In that application, they could sound great, I'd think.

[MartinT]

Yes, thanks Chris, I know all about LS3/5a weaknesses and my computer usage, as you suggest, is very near-field (about 0.5m). At that proximity, they should have great neutrality, fine detail and punch above their weight. I was hoping that the Stirling kit with its up-to-date drivers would outperform both the B110's slight veiling in the midrange and the T27's cool and zingy treble (I know both as I used to run Cambridge R40 speakers many years ago).

If I tell you that I am using a venerable pair of Videotone Minimax 2 speakers at the moment, that should set the scene for small monitors of higher quality. So I guess I'm asking if anyone has actually heard the Stirlings and what they think of them.

[Marco]

Interesting idea, Martin. Good luck with it!

Marco.