LS3/5a's
Posted by: Arthur Bye on 09 December 2002
Anyone know the negative aspects of matching 15 ohm rated LS3/5a's (Rogers) with Naim kit. Right now I've got them fronted with a pair of 135's and they sound pretty good for what they are.
Other than the lower wattage(and I assume lower SPL's) available with the higher impedance are there any other problems I need to exercise caution about?
Arthur Bye
Other than the lower wattage(and I assume lower SPL's) available with the higher impedance are there any other problems I need to exercise caution about?
Arthur Bye
Posted on: 09 December 2002 by Stuart M
I used to have a pair of LS3/5A's and sold them to my neighbour when I switched to IBL's
Would still go for the IBLs over the LS3/5A's on the whole BUT I wish I had never sold them. On KAN stands well into the room listening to the BBC was perfect, the IBL's may have fantastic PRAT but on some sources the LS3/5A's just were......well they just were.
To err is human; to really foul it up requires a computer.
Would still go for the IBLs over the LS3/5A's on the whole BUT I wish I had never sold them. On KAN stands well into the room listening to the BBC was perfect, the IBL's may have fantastic PRAT but on some sources the LS3/5A's just were......well they just were.
To err is human; to really foul it up requires a computer.
Posted on: 10 December 2002 by Anders
My regular speakers are NBL's but I use Rogers 15 ohm LS3/5a's on Linn Kan II stands together with the AB1 "base extenders" as back-up.
Driven properly (CDS2/52/500) and in the right room the are truly amazing speakers, particularly on voice and string instruments. However, they can deliver on large orchestral music as well - last night I listened to Prokofiev's Romeo & Juliet Suite played by Chung on DG (one of my all time favourite CD's by the way) and I was amazed how much insight and tension the LS3/5a's brought to the performance.
On the second hand market expect to pay GBP 350-450 for the 15 ohm LS3/5a and GBP 350-400 for the AB1.
I doubt you get better music transducers for less than that.
Regards
Anders
Driven properly (CDS2/52/500) and in the right room the are truly amazing speakers, particularly on voice and string instruments. However, they can deliver on large orchestral music as well - last night I listened to Prokofiev's Romeo & Juliet Suite played by Chung on DG (one of my all time favourite CD's by the way) and I was amazed how much insight and tension the LS3/5a's brought to the performance.
On the second hand market expect to pay GBP 350-450 for the 15 ohm LS3/5a and GBP 350-400 for the AB1.
I doubt you get better music transducers for less than that.
Regards
Anders
Posted on: 10 December 2002 by Arthur Bye
Mark Russell wrote:
Mark:
I did get the Brik's/6X135's/Snaxo/Scap up and running but I had to take them down for family visits over Thanksgiving and Xmas. Having 15+ black boxes in your living room has a very low WAF. The beauty of the Brik's didn't exactly impress the wife either. I liked a lot of what they did, but the tweeters are over the top. Way too harsh. Switching over to the new style 135's only made it worse. I figure my next step is to try the neodynium(sp?) tweeters. The DBL's are sitting in my garage too, waiting for the end of the holidays.
The LS3/5a's are just a side diversion in between. They really do a lot of nice things and work pretty well with a Linn Sizmik sub. The 125 Hz bump is actually kind of nice, in a round earthy kind of way. They also can do a great job of disappearing. I actually bought them for a tube system I have but I thought they might be worth a listen on Naim kit, at least for a while. Yes, Naim kit can do the Round Earthy thing and quite well too, if that's what you're into.
I can't imagine how anyone can make a comparison between LS3/5a's and Kans either. They both make music in entirely different ways with a completely different sound. Like apples and oranges.
Arthur Bye
quote:
This is unrelated, but I was wondering if you ever got a six pack up and running into either the Briks or the DBLs that you bought?
Mark:
I did get the Brik's/6X135's/Snaxo/Scap up and running but I had to take them down for family visits over Thanksgiving and Xmas. Having 15+ black boxes in your living room has a very low WAF. The beauty of the Brik's didn't exactly impress the wife either. I liked a lot of what they did, but the tweeters are over the top. Way too harsh. Switching over to the new style 135's only made it worse. I figure my next step is to try the neodynium(sp?) tweeters. The DBL's are sitting in my garage too, waiting for the end of the holidays.
The LS3/5a's are just a side diversion in between. They really do a lot of nice things and work pretty well with a Linn Sizmik sub. The 125 Hz bump is actually kind of nice, in a round earthy kind of way. They also can do a great job of disappearing. I actually bought them for a tube system I have but I thought they might be worth a listen on Naim kit, at least for a while. Yes, Naim kit can do the Round Earthy thing and quite well too, if that's what you're into.
I can't imagine how anyone can make a comparison between LS3/5a's and Kans either. They both make music in entirely different ways with a completely different sound. Like apples and oranges.
Arthur Bye
Posted on: 11 December 2002 by Anders
Stefano,
I use the so called "KI method" (named after its Asian "inventor"). The objective with the "KI method" is to add the low frequency extention of the AB1 without sacrifying the transparency of the LS3/5a (a typical problem the the normal LS3/5a + AB1 setup in which the signal feeding the LS3/5a goes through the AB1 crossover).
1. LS3/5a on Linn Kan II stands well into the room (approx. 1.5 meters from the back wall).
2. Significant toe in - speakers angled so you don't see their sides from your listning position.
3. AB1 positioned 8 cm behind the stands with their ports turned inwards (towards each other).
4. The LS3/5a is connected directly to the amplifier (not via the crossover in the AB1).
5. The AB1 is connected to the LS3/5a's input terminals via 1m of Naca5 "jumper".
Works like a wonder
Regards
Anders
I use the so called "KI method" (named after its Asian "inventor"). The objective with the "KI method" is to add the low frequency extention of the AB1 without sacrifying the transparency of the LS3/5a (a typical problem the the normal LS3/5a + AB1 setup in which the signal feeding the LS3/5a goes through the AB1 crossover).
1. LS3/5a on Linn Kan II stands well into the room (approx. 1.5 meters from the back wall).
2. Significant toe in - speakers angled so you don't see their sides from your listning position.
3. AB1 positioned 8 cm behind the stands with their ports turned inwards (towards each other).
4. The LS3/5a is connected directly to the amplifier (not via the crossover in the AB1).
5. The AB1 is connected to the LS3/5a's input terminals via 1m of Naca5 "jumper".
Works like a wonder
Regards
Anders
Posted on: 11 December 2002 by Anders
Siginificant!
Much better dynamics, slam and body. Much more enjoyable to listen to large orchestral music and rock. For me, the AB1 is a "must" if you like to use LS3/5a as your only speaker choice and if you listen to larger/more complex music.
Regards
Anders
Much better dynamics, slam and body. Much more enjoyable to listen to large orchestral music and rock. For me, the AB1 is a "must" if you like to use LS3/5a as your only speaker choice and if you listen to larger/more complex music.
Regards
Anders
Posted on: 11 December 2002 by Anders
Stefano,
I typically listen nearfield (sitting 1.5 meters from speakers) when I use the LS3/5a which explains the strong toe in in my case. As a comparison, I sit about 4 meters from the NBLs.
Anders
I typically listen nearfield (sitting 1.5 meters from speakers) when I use the LS3/5a which explains the strong toe in in my case. As a comparison, I sit about 4 meters from the NBLs.
Anders
Posted on: 13 December 2002 by Rockingdoc
Does anyone know if the new ones from Stirling are any good? I'd like a pair, but have had my fingers burned with s/h speakers in the past so prefer new.
Posted on: 13 December 2002 by Anders
Rockingdoc,
Both Stirling Broadcast (email: stirBro@aol.com) and Richard Allen (email: sales@richardallenaudio.com) manufacture new LS3/5a's and AB1's. Both are considered very good by LS3/5a fans. Stirling offers a range of upgrades as well including thinner "reference" cabinets and the outboard Ciscable crossovers.
Regards
Anders
Both Stirling Broadcast (email: stirBro@aol.com) and Richard Allen (email: sales@richardallenaudio.com) manufacture new LS3/5a's and AB1's. Both are considered very good by LS3/5a fans. Stirling offers a range of upgrades as well including thinner "reference" cabinets and the outboard Ciscable crossovers.
Regards
Anders
Posted on: 13 December 2002 by Arthur Bye
Rockingdoc:
I've had an extending listening session with a pair of 15 ohm Reference Stirlings with external Cicable crossovers. They are a good bit different than my Rogers LS3/5a's. They use the same drivers but the crossover seems to present a much flatter sound without the 125Hz "bump" There is also a much greater level of resolution and even more transparency. A bit less "pretty" in the sound.
The closest description would be that they are very much an LS3/5a in overall sound, but it's like they are on steriods. You know "veils lifted", "jaw dropping", "epiphany" and that type of thing. It was all quite nice, but I think the one thing I noticed the most is that there was a good bit more PRaT, in a Kan like kind of way (but without the ear assault). I was impressed, and this was on a 300b tube system.
I don't know if it was because it was the newer drivers, the reference cabinet, or the Cicable crossover. My guess is that it was the crossovers, which are huge. Definitely worth a listen though.
Arthur Bye
I've had an extending listening session with a pair of 15 ohm Reference Stirlings with external Cicable crossovers. They are a good bit different than my Rogers LS3/5a's. They use the same drivers but the crossover seems to present a much flatter sound without the 125Hz "bump" There is also a much greater level of resolution and even more transparency. A bit less "pretty" in the sound.
The closest description would be that they are very much an LS3/5a in overall sound, but it's like they are on steriods. You know "veils lifted", "jaw dropping", "epiphany" and that type of thing. It was all quite nice, but I think the one thing I noticed the most is that there was a good bit more PRaT, in a Kan like kind of way (but without the ear assault). I was impressed, and this was on a 300b tube system.
I don't know if it was because it was the newer drivers, the reference cabinet, or the Cicable crossover. My guess is that it was the crossovers, which are huge. Definitely worth a listen though.
Arthur Bye