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PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 10:05 am
by ichabod
Audiobuds, since you've included me in your post, here 's my unqualified answer to stands and their heights respectively.

There's a lot of diverse opinion on the weight and height of stands as there are owners and listeners to theLS. Long before, foundation stands (made in HK I think) were popular and were made in a combo of wood and metal. I surmise that these were not unusually heavy stands. Heights from 24 to 29 inches were the order of the day.

To me and my set-up, I still think stands from 26 to 29 are the most ideal. Consider this that the LS 3/5a were grade 2 if I recall right monitors suppose to cut the scale of sound to fit into OB (out of broadcast) like smaller studios that received the main feed, and vans or louries as they call them in the U.K. to cover outside events and help technicians monitor their work and sound inside their cubicles. That as a consideration helps us understand the the LS can be perched on top of consoles but not certainly down below where it is far from the human ear and not in its optimum firing line -- ear level.

My experience tells me over the years that if you put them on 24 inch stands with a gutsy tube amp, they will surely produce more standing waves (due to the bass hump biult on them in the crossovers) which may translate to boominess due to floor cancellations. One wave is emphasized and the other is cancelled.

So my confortable listening height and position is at 29 inches, spread 6 feet apart from woofer to woofer, and without toe in. I listen nearfield in the context of a floor carpet and a three seater fabric sofa with curtains from the rear window not fully draped, and some other wooden stuff around them. I other words, a mixture of soft absorbing surfaces against hard ones. The idea is simply to strike a balance without disturbing the peace in your home. That's better said than done though. But this is my set-up. Room, location or position of the speakers may vary from place to place I know, so some experimentation in absorbents/reflective surface will sure differ and may contribute to a degree to the sound of your LS.

But still nothing should change except a little of the tonality up and down the scale on this set-up should be observed I think. Meaning, 6 feet apart, on not so heavy and low a stand at about 27 to 29 would I think be the most ideal positioning for the LS to get that midrange to die for, with enough of the base to support an authoritative mid band, and a treble that floats the music and suspends them long enough in the air only to be heard in the very location ( imaging) where the musicians and singers are spread across the soundfield.

The basic idea around all this is to get the LS to sound big, holographic, and tactile enough to see the living presence of voices and musical instruments within the soundfield were they were actually recorded. A good example of that are the Michael Hedges recordings on Windham Hill. I think you got these. If the recordings make your hair stand on end, gives a breathtaking space around it without losing authority, then you would have placed your LS where its sound is optimized for its own intended purpose! Nothing more!

Fire away!

PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 10:30 am
by ichabod
EF 86 glad to know that you exist! Welcome to another of several LS fan clubs worldwide. Nice to know that you have a Chartwell. Grant, another addition to the growing number of LS users.

PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 10:32 am
by mozilla
Yes indeed James.
Glad to hear from you EF86.

I'm planning to put up a Pinoy LS3/5A gallery.

PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 11:01 am
by ichabod
Let's plan for an audiophile week, summer would be ideal, and let's dispaly all the vintage amps that are in some people's collection with the LS 3/5a speakers and all its derivatives. Kefs, Advents, KLH, JBLs, Altecs, ARs, Rogers, etc. etc. I'm sure Francis will welcome this thought! He has the most vintage!

PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 2:14 pm
by ichabod
Just a rejoinder audiobuds.

The best way to know that you have set the LS properly within your listening area is when it gives you a soundstage that belies the size of these speakers. Just as you listen six feet away from a six feet apart speakers, you can almost feel the tension going on inside the recording. MOve your head a little closer forward say a feet or more, you will hear a much deeper soundfield across your ears engulfing you with the tension going on in the recording. I believe this is how the BBC engineers were always listening -- helping them for cues and proper editing -- just the way the LS was designed to compliment their jobs and the music!

On with it!

PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 3:01 pm
by EF86
audiobuds, ichabod and mozilla,

thanks for the welcome. will try to join you in an EB one of these days.

hypertriode

how did you guess it was me? am still into minis but first love never dies so im back. am glad to know that the hardwiring community has grown since time when a stock ST70 would cost you 3,.500 php, chartwells were priced less than the rogers but then again, there were only 3-4 people you could talk about cathode followers, ngayon dami na!

yup my brother is into it big time! btw, aside from my PAS he also has my voigt ala ike. talk about being nice to your brother. anyway, will see you one of these days hiram ako chassis punch i missplaced mine.

cheers,
EF86

cheers,
EF86

PostPosted: Fri Oct 31, 2003 8:48 am
by ichabod
ef 86, glad to know you've been in this all your life. Audio is as tricky as it is enjoyable. It's a mixture of knowledge, diy electronics a must, and a well-founded bias for certain good sounding products.

Your chartwells are diamonds in the rough and tumble of audio.

PostPosted: Fri Oct 31, 2003 12:49 pm
by audiobuds
mozilla & ichabod, thxs again for your valuable input and support!

‘though haven’t tried it yet i’m confident it could optimized the performance of my LS. 6 ft. apart is a bit troublesome for me due to limited space. This is positbble if speakers are positioned towards the middle of my flat alas not safe for the kids – anyway it’s worth trying for! For house furnitures, I believe this is one of my strength since they are all made of wood except sofa (‘though I understand it is not environmentally friendly). I realize creating a childproof environment (no breakable items) inside the house can be acoustically friendly too!

Foundation design II speaker is quite popular here and the original stand cost almost 1 pair of 2nd LS speaker. Aside from its robustness they all come in 24” – 4 pillars and very heavy. I’ve seen some 2nd hand 29” foundation design but need to figure out first which height would sound better for me given my listening environment.

PostPosted: Fri Oct 31, 2003 2:18 pm
by ichabod
If I may suggest. Grant and I are doing this. We just park the LS somewhere where it is safe from kids running around the house. I don't have a problem anymore with that but my place is full of speakers which I all listen to. So they must be stashed away when I'm not listening. Hope this gives you a solution to your concern of having them at 6 feet apart, no more no less I suppose. Through constant listening you'll be able to know why.

Enjoy your speakers.

PostPosted: Fri Apr 30, 2004 3:50 pm
by SoFtCliPpEr
audiobuds

Are you referring to the MISSION stancette or the standard would dwell on trying out my LS with the stancette but was hesitating coz I find it too low. Can you give feedback how it goes?
can I request for a pic on how you set it up?

Thanks