Rogers LS3/5a Speakers BBC Loudspeakers

[hybridauth_Facebook_10153787211272396]

Hi guys , I've just acquired a pair of Rogers BBC monitor speakers LS3/5 A. I really want to get the best out of these and need some help matching an amplifier and cd player to them. My budget isn't huge and I was looking at marantz 6006 range but not sure how good a match theses units are.

Any help is greatly appreciated

/Rogers LS3/5a Spe

 

[davedotco]

It depends on what you want to get out of them.

Sure, the sainted Marantz will make a pleasant enough sound but will not come remotely close to delivering what they are capable of, it's up to you.

A big clue is the price, these are expensive speakers built for serious use, they are low sensitivity, high impedance designs that will respond well to better amplification.

If you get a chance to try them with serious amplification, do so, it will give you an idea of what is possible.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_10153787211272396]

Any recommendations regards what amps you'd go for yourse;lf?

 

[davedotco]

Any recommendations regards what amps you'd go for yourse;lf?

Not a route I would personally choose.

A Quad power amplifier perhaps, a 909 if you can find one within budget.

 

[chebby]

You will get the best from these speakers at around 2 - 4ft distance, in a very small room/study, wall (or shelf) mounted, at ear level, at moderate levels with acoustic and speech oriented content.

I suggest something around 100 watts per channel from Yamaha or Denon (more for 'grip' than loudness, because these weren't designed for headbanging).

Treat them as big 'headphones' that can do amazing things with voices and small acoustic set-ups on a very intimate scale.

 

[Mammy Nun]

+1 Chebby.

These baby's can sing, (or talk) but need a good amp to exploit their virtues.

 

[Al ears]

You will get the best from these speakers at around 2 - 4ft distance, in a very small room/study, wall (or shelf) mounted, at ear level, at moderate levels with acoustic and speech oriented content.

I suggest something around 100 watts per channel from Yamaha or Denon (more for 'grip' than loudness, because these weren't designed for headbanging).

Treat them as big 'headphones' that can do amazing things with voices and small acoustic set-ups on a very intimate scale.

Quite agree with the idea of using them as big headphones as this is what they were originally designed to do, monitors for confined spaces where the wearing of headphones was not possible.

Although of somewhat tricky characteristics they can quite happily be driven by smallish valve amps, although this is an expensive route to go down.

 

[davedotco]

You will get the best from these speakers at around 2 - 4ft distance, in a very small room/study, wall (or shelf) mounted, at ear level, at moderate levels with acoustic and speech oriented content.

I suggest something around 100 watts per channel from Yamaha or Denon (more for 'grip' than loudness, because these weren't designed for headbanging).

Treat them as big 'headphones' that can do amazing things with voices and small acoustic set-ups on a very intimate scale.

Quite agree with the idea of using them as big headphones as this is what they were originally designed to do, monitors for confined spaces where the wearing of headphones was not possible.

Although of somewhat tricky characteristics they can quite happily be driven by smallish valve amps, although this is an expensive route to go down.

They are a very old design, an old style of design too, very different from modern type speakers.

Their high impedance demands voltage rather than current, so valves are quite logical. I wonder if the New Quad VA-One would have enough to drive them? The speakers are very insensitive.

Otherwise, I would still look for a Quad power amp, a 909 or even a 606 in good condition.

 

[andyjm]

For reasons lost in the mists of time, BBC outside broadcast production vans were known as 'scanners'. The LS3/5a was originally designed for use in a scanner.

The design was popular, and it became the speaker of choice for small studio near-field monitoring.

The point made above about 'big headphones' is correct, LS3/5a weren't designed to be listened to across a room , they were designed to be listened to rather like your PC speakers - up close and personal.

When used at the BBC, they were often paired with Quad 303 amps.

 

[drummerman]

A friend and ex-Hifi shop Manager (plus a gifted Musician) uses/used a Shearne Pre-Power with his LS3/5A's. He could have had a pick of some of the best Hifi Names but I think his choice says a lot.

Even a Shearne Phase II Integrated would have been fine according to him but I couldn't afford the Rogers at the time.

 

[shadders]

For reasons lost in the mists of time, BBC outside broadcast production vans were known as 'scanners'. The LS3/5a was originally designed for use in a scanner.

The design was popular, and it became the speaker of choice for small studio near-field monitoring.

The point made above about 'big headphones' is correct, LS3/5a weren't designed to be listened to across a room , they were designed to be listened to rather like your PC speakers - up close and personal.

When used at the BBC, they were often paired with Quad 303 amps.

Hi,

This reminds me (scanner), I used to work with someone who was on the TV detector vans in the 1960/70's. There was an estate where it was known that very few people had TV licences and there were many TV's.

So, they thought they would wind up the residents, and drove in a very noisy manner upto the block of flats, tyres screeching to a halt etc., and the people all ran into the block of 12 storey flats.

The panic was palpable, and one of the residents threw out their TV (they were tube types back then), from the upper storey of the flats and it came crashing down, smashing into many pieces. Luckily it never hit anyone.

Regards,

Shadders.

 

[muljao]

Oddy, give me a bell. I'll be able to sort you out. remember the muljao that drive to Donegal for wedding

 

[Mammy Nun]

+1 Chebby.

These baby's can sing, (or talk) but need a good amp to exploit their virtues.

Big Headphones..........

Clothy.....utter fukin bollocks.......Is there any thing hifi apart from Kajagoogoo you actually know fuk all about......??????

 

[ifor]

Graham Slee uses a pair of these in his HiFi System Components design workshop. I have heard them driven by his Proprius power amps, which are only 25W.

 

[Al ears]

+1 Chebby.

These baby's can sing, (or talk) but need a good amp to exploit their virtues.

Big Headphones..........

Clothy.....utter fukin bollocks.......Is there any thing hifi apart from Kajagoogoo you actually know fuk all about......??????

Tatah!

 

[Gaz37]

Why would you need 100watts for a high efficiency, low impedance speaker that you're 2-4 feet away from?

 

[davedotco]

Why would you need 100watts for a high efficiency, low impedance speaker that you're 2-4 feet away from?

The LS3/5a are high impedance, low sensitivity models. An amp rated at 100watts into the usual 8 ohm load might drop to 50 watts into 16 ohm and in the real world, they are barely over 80dB/watt. Sitting close makes a difference, but if you want any kind of dynamics, you need a bit of power.

Valves are different, without having to supply the current needed for speakers of lower impedance, they may well drive the LS3/5a rather better than you might expect.

 

[nopiano]

Though I've heard them sound quite nice, these have to be one of the most overrated products in audio history, after the Quad 33/303. I'm sure they were fine in a van, but aren't much cop at home, unless in a tiny space

If I were the op, I'd sell them for the ridiculous price they seem to command and get something decent and modern. Or even buy a modern tribute, like the KEF LS50.

 

[Al ears]

Though I've heard them sound quite nice, these have to be one of the most overrated products in audio history, after the Quad 33/303. I'm sure they were fine in a van, but aren't much cop at home, unless in a tiny space

If I were the op, I'd sell them for the ridiculous price they seem to command and get something decent and modern. Or even buy a modern tribute, like the KEF LS50.

I wasn't going to say that and disappoint the OP but it's true quite frankly. Many attempt to use them in conditions they were not designed for and with little or no bottom end they tend to disappoint. It's no wonder all subsequent reincarnations tried to get more bass out of them. A pair of Heybrook HB1's would sound better in most modern setups.

 

[nopiano]

Though I've heard them sound quite nice, these have to be one of the most overrated products in audio history, after the Quad 33/303. I'm sure they were fine in a van, but aren't much cop at home, unless in a tiny space

If I were the op, I'd sell them for the ridiculous price they seem to command and get something decent and modern. Or even buy a modern tribute, like the KEF LS50.

I wasn't going to say that and disappoint the OP but it's true quite frankly. Many attempt to use them in conditions they were not designed for and with little or no bottom end they tend to disappoint. It's no wonder all subsequent reincarnations tried to get more bass out of them. A pair of Heybrook HB1's would sound better in most modern setups.

Thanks for the support, Al Ears. I don't want to negative but when asking how to deploy them I know problems lie ahead. Someone with the expertise and experience to get them working ideally isn't going to be asking here...

 

[drummerman]

It's been a while since I heard LS3/5A but I they do one thing better than many, midband.

We are naturally tuned to that so it doesn't surprise me they have such a following.

They are also a risk free investment if bought carefully. You are unlikely to loose money, even years down the line.

I also particularly liked Harbeths P3ESR. The same limitations apply but I would love a pair (or LS35A's)

 

[ifor]

I've heard them, with bass extenders, sound very good in a largish hotel meeting room.

 

[Al ears]

Though I've heard them sound quite nice, these have to be one of the most overrated products in audio history, after the Quad 33/303. I'm sure they were fine in a van, but aren't much cop at home, unless in a tiny space

If I were the op, I'd sell them for the ridiculous price they seem to command and get something decent and modern. Or even buy a modern tribute, like the KEF LS50.

I wasn't going to say that and disappoint the OP but it's true quite frankly. Many attempt to use them in conditions they were not designed for and with little or no bottom end they tend to disappoint. It's no wonder all subsequent reincarnations tried to get more bass out of them. A pair of Heybrook HB1's would sound better in most modern setups.

Thanks for the support, Al Ears. I don't want to negative but when asking how to deploy them I know problems lie ahead. Someone with the expertise and experience to get them working ideally isn't going to be asking here...

True.

 

[Gaz37]

Why would you need 100watts for a high efficiency, low impedance speaker that you're 2-4 feet away from?

The LS3/5a are high impedance, low sensitivity models. An amp rated at 100watts into the usual 8 ohm load might drop to 50 watts into 16 ohm and in the real world, they are barely over 80dB/watt. Sitting close makes a difference, but if you want any kind of dynamics, you need a bit of power.

Valves are different, without having to supply the current needed for speakers of lower impedance, they may well drive the LS3/5a rather better than you might expect.

Thanks I completely misread/misunderstood the comment I was referring to.