Amplifiers with holographic soundstage? (For LS3/5A)

[chebby]

Looking for amps with excellent imaging capability and the ability to handle speakers with a nominal impedance of 11 ohms and 82.5db efficiency.

I am not interested in deep or 'cavernous' bass because the speakers I am thinking of are not interested either! (Stirling Broadcast BBC LS3/5A V2)

Neither am I interested in very loud volumes. Just moderate levels in a medium sized room at about 8 feet distance. (I listen across the width of the room and will have the speakers on stands and well out from the walls.)

Budget up to £1000 (but preferably well under). No valves.

Suprise find during 'research' so far is the NAD C372 (and even the C355BEE!) reputedly having big imaging capabilities and enough grunt to drive inefficient/high impedance loads. However I cannot see it. A NAD and LS3/5A's just does not seem right somehow.

Any ideas please?

 

[Anonymous]

You can get Cyrus PreVs2 AND 8 Power from Moorgate Acoustics for 899.00 at the moment. Stunning value if you like the sound.

http://www.moorgateacoustics.co.uk/index.php?product_id=2029957&option=Prod_detail&image_id=602972

I have no affiliation with this site btw

 

[John Duncan]

Well I'm big on imaging and my Creek Classic was good, as are both Primares.....

The issue with any of these on their own could be that load, which might strain the Creek and the lesser Primare. You can add power amps to both though.....

 

[Anonymous]

Is this system for a hobby and nostalgia?

I know you said no valves, but consider a hybrid integrated.

The "holographic" ones I've heard were Copland integrateds. Valve pre, but solid state power. No glowing lightbulbs for kids to touch, so practical.

 

[Anonymous]

Sounds like you need an amp with plenty of volts! Personally I'd recommend a Netaudio conversion on a Quad 303 or 405. I went for the 405 because I'm rather fond of them but I think the 303 may suit your needs better.

Go onto ebay, get a 303 and get Netaudio to do a full conversion. David Pritchard is very helpful and knows his stuff. For the sound you want I suspect you'll struggle to find anything that fits the bill so well for the price.

Next you need a pre. You could get a Quad one and get it rebuilt by Netaudio but there's probably better options. You could get a passive pre such as the Creek OBH22 (includes 2 inputs and a remote) for under £300 new. Alternatively you could buy an Icon Audio Passiveline for £250 (£330 for a remote version).

A final option, and one that keeps on tempting me. Find a Musical Fidelity XT100 and Triple X PSU package. On it's own you will get a very good valve pre and 50W power (integrated). Apparently very, very good amp indeed. It can even be upgraded to 80W with the Triple X170 PSU, but these sell for stupid money. Lintone Audio have one of these amps on ebay for £400 starting. Try it and if it meets the bill then job done. Failing that, use the valve pre and add the converted Quad.

Some food for thought...

 

[Anonymous]

PS, I know you said no valves, but in a pre-amp such as the XT100 they last for a very, very long time.

 

[chebby]

Eddie Pound:Is this system for a hobby and nostalgia?

Not really. I am not a huge 'bass hound' and I don't enjoy music played too loud. I enjoy music playback that is faithfully rendered in detail and staging (dynamic slam is not a holy grail either) that I can listen to for long periods. Oh, and I hate heavy metal

I guess it WILL be quite nice to have a little bit of hifi/broadcasting history whilst it is still being made properly (and available brand-new) but the recently re-launched anniversary Rogers LS3/5A's are £1500 which is silly money. The Stirling's are £764 + VAT which is much more reasonable.

The reason I need adaquate power in the amp is because of the speaker's impedance and low efficiency but NOT for playing loud. I have always found high volumes unpleasant to listen to. (Even on far better systems than my own.)

Another thought was the Yamaha A-S1000. Built to a high standard, lots of welly and even has a 1970s look to it!

[Edit] Sorry Igglebert I was typing and eating breakfast whilst you added all that. I was thinking of Musical Fidelity. They have resurrected - and brought up to date - the MF A1 with 36 watts of solid-state pure class A power. (Remote control, decent phonostage built in etc.) But MF A1 reliability was always shaky and 36 watts per channel (even pure class A watts) will probably not do the job. (I need to research the correlation between class a/b watts and class A watts.)

 

[Anonymous]

I don't know how the Stirlings compare to the current Spendor 3/5 Classic, but I've heard the latter quite a bit and wouldn't say it was particularly detailed.

 

[Anonymous]

BTW, if the budget stretches, audition the Spendor SA1. They've been coined as the LS3/5 replacement and sound superb. More open, better dynamics, detail and range, and are more neutral (very in fact) than LS3/5s but still with a natural sound. These things are very addictive. They should come with a warning as you'll burn hour upon hour listening to them.

I know they're just over a K but you'll never buy a pair of small speakers ever again. Best unnecessary purchase I've ever made, bar a special bottle of Amarone that I bought and drank in Lago Di Garda, on the bank, in the evening sun, with my wonderful girlfriend.

 

[Anonymous]

The SA1 are definitely an improvement over Spendors current 3/5.

 

[Anonymous]

hi i also use the rogers ls3/5a and bought them in 19,82, and they are still working fine i never had any problems
with them, they still sound great i use them with musical fidelity x-a50 mono power amps and nva passive pre amp
this works fine with the ls3/5a these speakers sound better every time you upgrade your system and ruthlessley
reveal any shortcomings in a less than top notch system and bad recordings, but feed them some norah jones or
some classical music then they sing..so i would try some musical fidelity amps with them

 

[Anonymous]

Eddie Pound:I don't know how the Stirlings compare to the current Spendor 3/5 Classic, but I've heard the latter quite a bit and wouldn't say it was particularly detailed.

The thing with the LS3/5 (generally) is they don't seem very detailed due to their smoothness, but they're far more detailed than many realise upon first audition. This is all relative though!

 

[drummerman]

John Shearne phase 1 or 2. A friend and part time musician (voice, guitar) still uses one even though he manages a superb hifi outlet and has access to many current premium products. He used it for a long time with LS3 5A's and has now switched to spendor. He regards it as one of the best small monitoring systems there is. I used to own the phase 1 back in the nineties and often wonder wheter to get one again. Just an idea and they a bit hair shirt (no r/c) and rare but look gorgeous.

 

[chebby]

Had a nice talk with the chap from Stirling Broadcast today.

He demo's their LS3/5A speakers with a modest Denon amp. (Did not know which model but about 40 watts per channel.)

He recommends (ideally) a valve set-up of around 25 - 40 watts per channel (or class-A solid state amps like the Sugden A21.)

He also reckons the budget-end NAD amps would be fine and warned against any amp much over 40 - 50 watts per channel for fear of damage to the speakers. (Strangely, a certain journalist - initialled KK - wrote very highly of the NAD C315BEE partnered with LS3/5A's!)

He also (Stirling Broadcast bloke not KK) recommended the original Audiolab 8000a but NOT the recent versions.

So plan (a) is to buy Stirling Broadcast LS3/5A speakers and try them powered by my Solo-Mini and borrow a NAD C315BEE and compare. If the NAD is much better with the LS3/5A's then I will keep it, sell the Solo-Mini and the R3's and put the proceeds towards a Sugden A21a. (Eventually)

Despite the encouragement towards valves, I cannot get into that scene. I want a set-up that will last 20 years not until the next 'bulb' goes!

Now, Thorens TD-160-HD with SME M2-9 and..... (ok, ok that is a waaaay off yet.)

 

[Anonymous]

I have never understood the point of the ls3/5as - why don't you just get some uber-active studio monitoring speakers?

 

[the record spot]

Very interesting Rogers LS3/5A site with an interesting article from Ken Kessler about halfway down - see the HFN article link. The last paragraph in the Test Result section should answer Hughes question to some degree...

http://www.ls35a.com/

 

[chebby]

Hughes123:I have never understood the point of the ls3/5as - why don't you just get some uber-active studio monitoring speakers?

I don't need to argue the 'point' of the LS3/5A's. They have argued their own point most eloquently for the last 35 years.

 

[Anonymous]

chebby:Hughes123:I have never understood the point of the ls3/5as - why don't you just get some uber-active studio monitoring speakers?

I don't need to argue the 'point' of the LS3/5A's. They have argued their own point most eloquently for the last 35 years.

I'm not saying you do, I'm just stating my opinion, if it is any help (evidently, it is not). Have you actually heard any studio monitors from the likes of Genelic or Adam or Yamaha?

 

[chebby]

Hughes123:Have you actually heard any studio monitors from the likes of Genelic or Adam or Yamaha?

NS1000's a few times (awesome) and JR149's and LS3/5A's (Goodmans) and some Harbeth two-way monitors with 8" woofers (forget their name) with big Croft valve amps and some little Dynaudio Active speakers (the domestic versions of the BM5A's) in my local Audio-T a couple of years ago. Quad ELS (57's and 63's) with all Quad amplification and custom built, active, LS5/8's demonstrated at Bush House on a visit some years ago. (Magnificent).

 

[Anonymous]

I found my Quad 33/303 set up worked very well with mine and had them for many years, playing records on a Thornes 160/Hadcock 282 export/AT MC.

A complete refurb one should be well within budget.

 

[the record spot]

chebby:Hughes123:Have you actually heard any studio monitors from the likes of Genelic or Adam or Yamaha?

NS1000's a few times (awesome) and JR149's and LS3/5A's (Goodmans) and some Harbeth two-way monitors with 8" woofers (forget their name) with big Croft valve amps and some little Dynaudio Active speakers (the domestic versions of the BM5A's) in my local Audio-T a couple of years ago. Quad ELS (57's and 63's) with all Quad amplification and custom built, active, LS5/8's demonstrated at Bush House on a visit some years ago. (Magnificent).

...you forgot the "eye of newt"...!

 

[drummerman]

chebby:Hughes123:I have never understood the point of the ls3/5as - why don't you just get some uber-active studio monitoring speakers?

I don't need to argue the 'point' of the LS3/5A's. They have argued their own point most eloquently for the last 35 years.

Have you actually heard a pair buddy?