The LS3/5A

[arnoldc]

moz, dalhin mo kina jm mamaya yang LS mo, andun yung 300B ko, let's see if it works.

[mozilla]

Uy oks yan! SMS tayo later.

[mozilla]

Update: KL A/V show is scheduled for July 25, 26
and 27th July at the JW Marriott.

There is an LS3/5A room being planned for the next A/V show in Kuala Lumpur. It will be held at the Marriott Hotel, date to be announced.

Rough programme being proposed is the following:

Day 1 - Demonstrating the sound 'progression' of LS3/5a in the past 3
decades ( Audiomaster, Rogers 15R, Rogers 11R, Stirling 11R, in that
sequence).

Day 2 - Talks on adding subwoofer(s) to LS3/5a

Day 3 - Demonstrating limited edition of various LS3/5a.

For more info, follow this thread at the ls35a forum.

[XLR_silver]

There's your answer XLR silver!

What sayest thou? I don't mean to ask rude. But you've actually made a good point in raising that question. The discussion page that Grant refered is chockfull of information about the issue of impedance curves of speakers. And yes they used the Rogers LS 3/5a as an example of a tube friendlier speakers. I know several who are using 300b's for their LS 15 ohms versions. It works. So that should inspire you to get an LS 3/5a maybe? Good luck.

actually, the LS3/5a's impedance chart i posted earlier came from that same website that Grant referred to.

one thing i noticed is that despite the pick-up in bookshelf supply due to the "home-theater boom," high impedance/"tube-friendly" speakers are still quite difficult to find, specially here in Manila. among the locally available brands, the one with the highest minimum impedance i've seen is so far is from PSB.

anyway, i think the bottom-line message of that "symphonysound" article is that you can only do so much with technicals specs. testing/auditioning the LS3/5a with our own equipment would still be the best way to decide.
too bad i missed the last shootout.

[ichabod]

You're as right as tomorrow's rising sun!

Just getting a speaker is not the end of it all. Just as looking at how they measure is not the end of it all! We can see how they measure alright, but there's only a subjective correlation between sound and specs. Music is not measured or quantified by any sweep or technical specs and data from computers.

Still, the best judge is your ears. That's the reason why most of us stay with our preferences, and while they're pretty close say to your next audiophile friend, there are things that vary always depending on one's perception (hearing and otherwise) , and most assuredly the type of music that one prefers to listen to.

Not that we hear differently. Some even would want to debate that. Wejust happen to listen differently depending on our type of music. Can't expect an LS to play rock since they're just good for voice, acoustical intstruments done on the concept that they must be recorded as natural as one gets to hear them live. I go and live under that philosophy of recorded sound. I get epidermal sensations hearing an acoustic instrument played as though vicariously it is fleshed out by the feelings and expressions of that person playing. Yo Yo Ma is subliminal as well as corporeal in his cello playing on the LS. I'm sure not the LS only, but many other speakers out there if you like. There's the psychological aspects to hearing that can bring out the subconsciousness, and I borrow the term "subliminal seduction" to the fore in matters we chose to hear as oppose to those that are real in our conscious mind. One can hear a bright sounding tweeter, and say it's not bright is what I'm trying to say here. We often times dictate at what we wish to hear specially so if we have invested in something expensive and justify to the utmost before admitting that it's indeed a bright speaker to contend with.

In the end, I guess it is what pulls your heartrings that matters! But still there are speakers designed to naturally capture the essence of music (holistically I mean) as oppose to those that are designed to produce sounds and good specs alone aptly describe in some circles as "hifi."

To choose that speaker helps make this hobby a worthwhile activity!

[mozilla]

Congratulations to prcnpilot for bagging a Rogers 15ohm version with s/n 34236AB!

Welcome to the club!

[jetm]

I've been following the discussions on the 3/5 since the Yahoo-Group days. To be honest, I've always felt that these speakers were overhyped. In particular, they were overhyped by their most devoted advocate, our good netbuddy James (Ichabod) as he consistently lauded the Spendors. And still being as honest as I can be, I've always felt James's biases were just too strong for my taste. I deferred commenting, as I had never heard the 3/5s, and besides, I also have to come clean and mention my equally strong biases, specifically toward planars/stats and floorstanders. The Spendors, of course, are neither.

Now I can comment, as I was able to listen to the S3/5s over at Ferdie's the other day.

I'll be succinct: James has undersold the virtues of these speakers.

[ichabod]

Hi Jetm,

As much as I wanted to avoid Harry Potter's wizardry on the spendor sound, I'm intrigue by what you said: that I undersold the virtues of these speakers. Maybe it's time you give as your impressions of the spendor sound.

Give it the throttles and fire way!

[jay_cee_em]

Had a visitor from Cagayan De Oro over the weekend who gave a brief listen to my pair of Spendor S3/5. The S3/5s were hooked up to a Plinius 8150 integrated and an Exposure 2010 cd player.

He was particularly quiet the whole time, just noticed that he kept nodding (presumably in appreciation ? ) every now and then.

....latest word I heard from him was that he had finalized his order for a similar pair from Ferdi, and he's excited awaiting for its delivery by tomorrow.

Boy, that was fast....

Have invited him to sign up and join the fun in this forum

[mozilla]

Great JCM,

The July issue of Stereophile features a review by Art Dudley of the S3/5se. Has anyone read it?

[jetm]

Pardon me, James, if I implied that I could describe the S3/5 better than you have. I don't think I can. The motivation for me to be succinct is that the usual audio language (frequency response, PRAT, soundstage, etc.) is not adequate enough to describe my observations about the Spendors. Indeed any review I've read about them is an academic exercise that is ultimately futile, in the face of the much more practical activity of just being engulfed in the music they create.

Let me just say that they join the handful of speakers to which I can attach the word "magical." And perhaps the first box speaker in that very personal list. (I emphasize the "very personal" as I don't mean to start a brand contest, which is also why I haven't mentioned any other brand.)

For anyone shopping for a speaker in this price range, or even below and above, and darn, in any price range, I would recommend giving a well-set-up pair of S3/5s a listen.

[ichabod]

C'mmon Jet. I know you're just being modest about your experience as an audiophile. From whence you come from, there must be something rather peculiar or odd about speakers that does not meet the eye when listening to the spendors.

I've just took a quick visit to Ferdie's, and we've managed a better set-up on the S 3/5 using the same amp Mcormack, and a tube preamp, the BC 2 or 3 not so sure. We also moved the speakers further away, closer to the front wall. Ferdie also changed the stock jumpers to silver cables, and boy what a world of difference. The S 3/5 sounded more like it's older brother the LS 3/5a but like a younger blood appears to be gutsy,
energetic, and brazen in good measure to the tune of music.

Boy, you should hear these speakers with organ music. Nothing comes quite like it! Such a small speakers with such a big sound! Unbelievable at times! But true!

Many though have mistakenly observed that they sound rather "boxy." But the truth is, those who do are simply reacting to the difference between a "point source" speakers which the spendors are, and those that directly project its sound.

The BBC orientation to rcording and propagation of sound takes a more holistic approach to listening so much so that it must include the space around where recordings take place.

A good example of this is that virtual recording of the Jazz at the Pawnshop where this recording differs much in projecting its natural setting from mundane recordings. This is the whole idea of a point source speakers as oppose to those that directly fire at the listener.

Next time you're around please drop by my place too for a listen.

James

[XLR_silver]

I've been following the discussions on the 3/5 since the Yahoo-Group days. To be honest, I've always felt that these speakers were overhyped. In particular, they were overhyped by their most devoted advocate, our good netbuddy James (Ichabod) as he consistently lauded the Spendors. And still being as honest as I can be, I've always felt James's biases were just too strong for my taste. I deferred commenting, as I had never heard the 3/5s, and besides, I also have to come clean and mention my equally strong biases, specifically toward planars/stats and floorstanders. The Spendors, of course, are neither.

Now I can comment, as I was able to listen to the S3/5s over at Ferdie's the other day.

I'll be succinct: James has undersold the virtues of these speakers.

What about the Stirling LS3/5a? did you get to listen to them? what are your impressions?

i understand ferdie hooks them up with a foreplay preamp/dynaco ST-70 combo?

[jetm]

James -- looks like I went back to Manila a couple of days too early! Catch you guys next time.

XLR_silver -- No, I didn't hear the Stirlings. The S3/5s were driven by an FT passive and a McCormack modded amp. In his post above, James says they switched to a Blue Circle preamp.

[ichabod]

I'm glad XLR mentioned about the LS 3/5a. But the S 3/5 is closest, if not "the closest," in sound to its predecessor.

All you need is good amplification (a powerful amp as well) to give it a neck to neck performance with the LS 3/5a.

The moderator of this topic knows both speakers as well since he owns a spendor LS 3/5a, and listens to mine and Ferdie's when he comes for a visit. I think it's okay with him if we discuss matters pertaining to the spendor S 3/5 and maybe the other classic spendors like the BC I, II, III in this forum. There's a egroup (yahoo) on spendors.

Any of you guys might wanna look out for these speakers. They still are in use in BBC studios by btw.

[Audio_Tyro]

Btw, there is now a new modification of the Spendor S3/5, and its called the S3/5e recently reviewed positively by Stereophile (sorry I forgot the issue/volume number). That Stereophile magazine was still sealed so I wasn't able to read it, but I overheard someone saying that the new S3/5e now has a Scanspeak tweeter instead of the Vifa. Take note, many Sonus faber models use the Scanspeak brand tweeter, along with Scantech and Vifa.

[mozilla]

That's the S3/5se (special edition) reviewed in the July 2003 issue of Stereophile.

[marty_e]

Bringing this up since there's an 11 ohm version for sale at Pinodvd.

Given the history of these speakers as mini-monitors for studio recording, are they terribly unforgiving with poorly recorded or redbook CD's?

What character do these monitors take on when paired with less than reference or class A electronics? I've only heard them paired with ST70's and Krell's but never with anything like a TS34.1 or NAD 320BEE.

Any comments on their performance when paired with less than ideal gear?

[mozilla]

The TS3.4 + LS3/5A is a good combo. but... the TS, being an 8wpch SE amp can only deliver so much for the 81.5 db/w/m LS3/5A. Yes 81,5db sensitivity..

What this means is your volume level and source material will be limited to light classical, jazz, vocals with simple accompaniment & the sort.

The LS was designed as a near-field monitor for small rooms. It is not design to play loud and pairing it with a low wattage amp should be taken into consideration.

If you don't play loud and dont play rock stuff then the TS34 is a good one. Make sure you audition before you buy.

I haven't heard it with the NAD but James had a Nad once running his LS3/5A.

The common amps used for the Ls3/5a are the Dynaco St-70, Quad II, Leak TL12 etc.

[marty_e]

Have you tried these with your Fase? I ask because some reviews cite SS amps to produce less than transparent treble, sometimes even grainy.