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LS3/5A: The Immortal Legend (Book)


See Rating of LS3/5A's & pics from the book below

Ah Ming, one of the famous hi-fi reviewers from Hong Kong has contributed more than a dozen of articles on the subject which won widespread admiration. All his writing is based on his personal experience with different brands of LS3/5A, which have lasted for almost three decades.

This book tells the saga of LS3/5A, from the era of 15 ohm to the epoch of 11 ohm, covering most topics that fascinate every LS3/5A fan.

Content
Introduction
1. The family tree
2. CHARTWELL My beloved Chartwell
3. 'Rogers' The Saga of Rogers
4. 'Rogers A Closer look at the 'Gold Badge' Rogers
5. Rogers ' Chartwell
The ultimate encounter - ‘Silver Badge’ Chartwell Vs ‘Gold Badge’ Rogers
6. 15 Ohm - Audiomaster, Goodmans & Spendor
Audiomaster, Goodmans and Spendor
7. 15 Ohm LS3/5A An almost original DIY project
8. BBC - LS3/5A LS5/9
Grade Two Vs Grade One --- LS3/5A Vs LS5/9
9. 15 Ohm - JR149, KEF101 & LINN KAN
3 successful clones - JR149, KEF 101 & Linn Kan
10. LS3/5A - 11 Ohm
The world of 11 ohm version
11.LS3/5A- Rogers LS3/5A Classic LE
A review --- Rogers 50th Anniversary Limited Edition
12. The quest for the perfect match --- amplifier, subwoofer & stand - LS3/5A

A rating table

LS3/5A
Appendix - Chronology

The special feature of this book is its finale and appendix. There is a rating table for various versions from all licensed manufacturers, it classifies different LS3/5A into 9 grades (from AA+ to B-), as a guide for you to determine the value of numerous versions. There is also a chronology that makes the saga of LS3/5A clear and simple, from 1974 to 1998. You can locate the rise and fall of any related brand name in seconds.

Grade AA+:
early gold badge (emblem) Rogers, aluminum paper tag 15R
late gold badge Rogers with rosewood veneer
silver badge Chartwell 15R
black badge Chartwell with rosewood veneer 15R
Grade AA:
mid and late Gold badge Rogers 15R
early black badge Rogers (serial ＜ 10000) with rosewood veneer 15R
black badge Chartwell 15R
Grade A+:
early black badge Rogers 15R
mid and late (serial ＜ 10000) with rosewood veneer 15R
silver badge Audiomaster 15R
Grade A:
mid and late black badge Rogers 15R
Rogers-made Chartwell 15R
white badge Rogers with rosewood veneer 15R
Audiomaster 15R
Grade A-:
white badge Rogers 15R
RAM 15R
Spendor 15R
Goodmans 15R
50th anniversary Rogers 11R
black badge Harbeth with ebony veneer 11R
Grade B++:
letter badge late Rogers 15R
gold tweeter cover Harbeth with ebony veneer 11R
Piano wood KEF 11R
Grade B+:
Harbeth with ebony veneer 11R
Harbeth with rosewood veneer 11R
Rogers with ebony veneer 11R
Grade B:
Spendor with bird-eye veneer 11R
Rogers with rosewood veneer 11R
Spendor with rosewood veneer 11R
KEF with redwood veneer 11R
Harbeth with walnut, teak and black ash veneer 11R
Grade B-:
all other brands with walnut, teak and black ash veneer 11R
Rogers psudo-15R 11R

To complement the above, this book is illustrated with more than 100 colour photos, mostly from the valuable collection of Ah Ming. The reader can actually witnesses the early and the last generation of Rogers LS3/5A, both externally and internally. One can also identify the difference between most major brands. Reading this book is like visiting the museum of this BBC mini monitor.

Note that the ratings are for value of the unit and not in terms of sonics

We gotta buy this book.

mva should have this book

mva wrote the book. He's secretly chinese.

The book sells around HK$80.00. in most Chinese booksellers that carry them.

Bai, when was this published? First time for me to notice it. Is this a purely chinese publication intended for the HK chinese who are obsessed (possessed?) by these speakers.

I'm glad the grading of A, B etc. is not about sonics or I would have objected. To have this book, how?

Bai, Paul Whatton & the some on the LS3/5A group have bought themselves a copy already.
The 1st ed was published Nov 2005.

It's on ebay Buy it now $9.99
http://cgi.ebay.com/LS3-5A-The-Immortal ... dZViewItem

Thanks. I assume it's the English version they bought.

It was the Chinese. Richard offered to translate it for Paul when he's in the UK this month.

Ha, ha, ha! La! I can't just look at them pictures without reading some text. Chinese is Greek to me! NOt even the Chinese here I guess can read mandarin. I remember Ferdy had to impose on her mom to read a write-up comparo between the Spendor LS ltd. edition and the Raymond Cooke ltd. edition by some HK guru.

Oh how I wish we it could be written in English or Pilipino someday! Maybe a bai can do it!

Thats a scary x-over for a 2 way system....

qguy,

The xover is indeed very complicated as the BBC engineers were looking for the correct sound from this small passive design. getting bass extension sacrifies some mid sensitivity that''s why it's rated at 82db/wm. The xovers also set system impedance. The theory behind it is discussed in section 2D of the BBC paper found here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/rd/pubs/reports/1976-29.pdf

On top of this, the xovers were also modified from time to time to compensate for the variations in the quality of the KEF drivers.

mozilla wrote:
On top of this, the xovers were also modified from time to time to compensate for the variations in the quality of the KEF drivers.

Hmmm, I would assume that is what the various taps are for

This is the only "Immortal Legend" that's still alive and kickin....

Are there any new owners of these vintage speakers who may what to restart this thread? Please post your audio experience with the LS3/5A.

My first pair of LS3/5a
I cannot resist the temptation of the limited series.
Its not a vintage pair, but I guess I can grow old with it.
Sharing with you some photos, I am open for comments and suggestions!











driven by dynaco pas 3 and quad 405. I guess the tube power amp will be the next purchase.

Nice! How did you bring it into the country?

pareng jbl4311, ang ganda talaga. sayang at nasa pinas ako ngayon. sana masilayan ko sa linggo.