Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Sept 10, 2018 13:34:59 GMT
I’m including these because they are clearly much loved my many listeners, have stood the test of time and now have a massive following (and high used price to match). They have been re-made and also spawned many imitators over the years. I’ve never owned a pair myself, but I do think they are worthy of a place in any hall of fame. Please feel free to share your knowledge amd experiences here.  |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2018 13:37:59 GMT
I really must try some Falcon LS3/5a's before I die. Wondering if my Exposure 2010S2 will be happy driving them though?
S.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Sept 10, 2018 13:43:57 GMT
I can’t see why not. As I don’t really know the newer Exposure or the LS3/5As, I can’t evn guess at the sound. I still live in hope of seeing a cheap pair for sale somewhere so I could try them at home.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2018 13:48:21 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2018 13:49:36 GMT
I can’t see why not. As I don’t really know the newer Exposure or the LS3/5As, I can’t evn guess at the sound. I still live in hope of seeing a cheap pair for sale somewhere so I could try them at home.Sorry to be cynical, but that will never happen. You have a higher chance of killing Mike Tyson though! S. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2018 14:10:05 GMT
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Post by nonuffin on Sept 10, 2018 14:10:43 GMT
I don't see what the fascination is with the LS3/5A and it's numerous copycats, given that they were specified to be used in mobile recording studio transports where you sit around 3 feet from them surrounded by all sorts of broadcast gear, used solely as monitors with the emphasis centred on speech. To ask them to perform as hi-fi speakers in a domestic environment is like asking a Hippo to compete in a high jump tournament.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2018 14:30:31 GMT
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Sept 10, 2018 16:01:18 GMT
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Sept 10, 2018 16:13:51 GMT
I don't see what the fascination is with the LS3/5A and it's numerous copycats, given that they were specified to be used in mobile recording studio transports where you sit around 3 feet from them surrounded by all sorts of broadcast gear, used solely as monitors with the emphasis centred on speech. To ask them to perform as hi-fi speakers in a domestic environment is like asking a Hippo to compete in a high jump tournament. I don’t know enough about the speaker to defend it, but sometimes the initial purpose for something does not need to limit its future application. Just because they were designed for near field use on voice, doesn’t mean they can’t satisfy in other locations and with different material. The fact so many people love them suggests they do pull it off for some. If I can only deal with Mike Tyson, I might get hold of a pair cheaply Andy find out for myself. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2018 16:56:47 GMT
I haven't owned LS3/5a's, but did try them in my system a couple of times. They did not impress. One Rogers pair if I recall and another set from another maker. However, I have heard them sound pretty damn good elsewhere. Strange!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2018 18:17:02 GMT
Clearly they 'work' for some people in some contexts. I've never heard a pair so can't comment. Linn Kans, now there's a speaker I could never 'get', especially when I heard them with their natural partner, the Naim Nait. Horrible, just horrible.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Sept 10, 2018 18:35:24 GMT
Clearly they 'work' for some people in some contexts. I've never heard a pair so can't comment. Linn Kans, now there's a speaker I could never 'get', especially when I heard them with their natural partner, the Naim Nait. Horrible, just horrible. First time I heard Kan’s was in a shop I worked in. My first few listens were WTF moments. Then I heard them with an LP12 and Nait at a customers and they were incredible. It left me really puzzled. About 3 years later I heard them in a dealer dem and they sounded pitiful again. For some reason I just had to try them at home when I had an LP12/Ittok. They were again mighty and they got even better as I improved cart and amp. I even spent more time with the Kan’s in a 2nd system when I changed to a Rock and Glastonbury’s in my main one. In eventually sold them just before a house move, thinking I could just buy another pair. I’ve had 46 subsequent pairs. Some have come close but none have ever matched the first magical pair. There are huge variations between different vintages and also significant differences between pairs of the same vintage and apparent spec. A few were poor, most were very good and the odd pair was fab. But you do have to adjust to their very strong accent in order to let them communicate. They will definitely be getting a mention in the Hall of Fame one of these days, because when they do communicate with you, they stir all the emotions like no other. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2018 21:54:10 GMT
46 pairs? Blimey. I've only ever owned 6 pairs of speakers in the past 40 or so years. Your quest for the perfect Kans reminds me of the old W C Fields line: 'If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then give up. No sense being a damn fool about it'.
One range of speakers that I've sometimes considered buying are Quad ESLs. I'm always impressed by them when I hear them, but have never quite dared to take the plunge.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Sept 10, 2018 22:03:26 GMT
46 pairs? Blimey. I've only ever owned 6 pairs of speakers in the past 40 or so years. Your quest for the perfect Kans reminds me of the old W C Fields line: 'If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then give up. No sense being a damn fool about it'. One range of speakers that I've sometimes considered buying are Quad ESLs. I'm always impressed by them when I hear them, but have never quite dared to take the plunge. I sometimes think it would be fun to get to 50, but I’ve really outgrown the Kans I think.if anyone is interested in trying Kans, I’d say the most likely to sound good are the late Kan II. I’ve heard Quads a number of times and I had a good few sessions with a used pair we had in the shop. They do some things incredibly well but I like my pace a bit too much to contemplate using them long term. I have a mate who has a pair he is likely to sell soon as he doesn’t have a suitable room for them. I might grab them for a bit of fun but they wouldn’t be keepers for me. |
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Post by antonio on Sept 11, 2018 5:49:31 GMT
I shall wait until we get 'a true and honest' review by our Jammy.  |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2018 14:04:26 GMT
To follow asap Ant......
Plan a kind of NVA - RADFORD bake off via me LS3/5A's.
Should be interesting.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Sept 12, 2018 14:00:24 GMT
I really do need to hear a pair one day. I’m assuming a newer pair will be more likely to deliver to spec?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2018 16:28:21 GMT
Well hope you dig their merits once you hear em Andrew.
Just make sure they're fitted with B110 / T27 drivers or they aint real LS3/5A's.
Lot of fake / would be's out there.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2019 13:14:37 GMT
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Post by macca on Feb 24, 2019 14:46:43 GMT
They sold them all anorl.
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Post by dsjr on Feb 24, 2019 14:52:10 GMT
I heard some current Falcon samples back in November and little's changed in general tone since the 70's originals. Best I leave it there  |
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Post by macca on Feb 24, 2019 16:13:36 GMT
People want them to sound like the '70s originals so that's probably why they do.  Suppose it just illustrates how crazy a hobby it is. A miniature speaker designed a long, long time ago and solely to sit inside a van and monitor voice broadcasts is now a cult classic and worth £6.5K |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2019 17:09:44 GMT
We live in a strange reality.
S.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2019 17:28:34 GMT
Remember hearing Stirling Broadcast LS3/5a V2 monitors years ago at Walrus Systems in London. The V2's are not pure LS3/5a simply because they don't use KEF drivers. The sound was lovely though, nice clean midrange. The tweeter didn't grate of my hears. The amp driving them was a Puresound A30.
S.
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Post by dsjr on Jul 17, 2019 17:53:04 GMT
I heard these effin squeakers again last Friday and they're every bit as horrid to me now as they were then!
Proper LS3/5A's have a selected KEF B110 variant and a T27 tweeter with mesh cover (originally from the famous celestion Hf2000) which spices up the already lively T27 unit. Forget the Stirling ones, as they're nothing remotely like the originals - they may be better as it could be argued the current LS3/6 is over the BC1 related original 3/6, but NOT the same!
People love the 'detail' they appear to give, not giving a damn about the unmusical noises emanating from them a lot of the time. Vocals almost squeak and soprano's sound shrill, top is one-note tinsel and IT'S DELIBERATE to that distortion and hiss in the program material was reproduced in a near field situation - THAT'S WHAT MONITORS DO!!! I don't think domestic listening was remotely conceived for these things back then and 'listening comfort' never EVER came into it.
Still, if you 3/5A lovers want to suffer for your art, then who the eff am I do say otherweise... For that money and if you must have a small stand-mounter, I'd prefer the current ATC 11's with their new tweeters or the Harbeth P3ESR's which are just wonderful used with a proper amp that doesn't cream over the highs in the quest for 'more music' or over smooth and bloat up the sound as some Sugdens do...
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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2019 17:56:53 GMT
The Stirlings I heard certainly didn't sound horrid, Dave.
S.
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Post by dsjr on Jul 17, 2019 18:07:31 GMT
As I tried to say above, they're the same in name only and don't have so much the 1.5kHz peak and not the hf qualities of a T27 in full tinsel mode. Response plots can tell some things, but not all.
Thirty years ago now, I compared the Harbeth 3/5A (HFN thought it one of the 'better' versions) with the then new P3 ES and Alan Shaw himself did the dem at the factory (we were talking then). Pulled well out from any wall and on high stands, the P3 generated a proper realistic 3-D 'holographic' image between and around them where the 3/5A's sounded messy and fudged in direct comparison (Harbeth were anal about response matching too). Amp was a 34/306 (EEK!!!), speaker cables were QED 79 strand and CD player was a plastic Marantz 65 I seem to recall with all interconnects the standard 'Quad issue' RCA types we used to 'upgrade' from. Go figure...
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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2019 18:13:12 GMT
By any chance Dave. Have you heard the Graham Audio LS3/5? The company is based in Newton Abbot, Devon. Only a 20 min drive away from my location.
S.
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Post by macca on Jul 17, 2019 18:18:18 GMT
I've never heard them sounding horrid. The opposite really.
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