Oh gods, the sound they make. After almost 30 years of owning these babies I still have not heard anything to match them at the price.

Not a vast amount of bass. My advice? Live with it. Stand-dependent, with absolute intolerance of wall mounting.

Has there ever been a better mini speaker made than the LS3/5a? I came across them in the mid 70s when my best mate was working as a sound engineer at the BBC. In their studios, with a Quad 303 power amp each, they were sublime. In my (serial) living rooms, with one 303 between them and Quad 33 or Audiolab 8000C preamps, they are blissful. They were built for classical and spoken word and work best on that, but will cope with jazz. If you listen to Metal or Dance, buy something else. BTW, they need to be suspended in air (not on a stand) at least 50 cm from a wall. Failing that, the QED spiral spiked stands are OK. If you want to buy LS3/5a, take them home and take a day to move them around to find the best location for them. You might need to change the furniture (I nearly had to change the wife) but it will be worth it.

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Assorted speakers. System described in review.

Musical.

No low bass, but you probably won't mind once you hear them.

The Rogers LS35a is somewhat of a legend. The small cabinet is especially convenient, and the sound is very musical, provided decent electronics are used. The LS35a is superb for classical and accoustic jazz music. I have used mine for over fifteen years without regret. They will work for electronic music, but rock and roll listeners may be better served by Bose or Klipshe. It seems strange that such small boxes and drivers can create such wonderful tone. My understanding is that small- diameter drivers and boxes display less accoustic problems. (Small-diaphragm microphones also exhibit similar advantages over large-diaphragm items, i.e. less coloration). Much has been written about subwoofers for the LS35a. From what I have heard, my advice is to avoid them, with one exception that is no longer available. The LS35a is a compact, musical speaker all by itself. There is a slight mid-bass exageration designed to mimick true low-bass that is adequate to "fool the ear". A passive subwoofer will work the amp too hard; a single subwoofer will alter the excellent imaging characteristics of the speaker; bi-or tri-amplified systems need to be carefully designed to work with the existing crossover in order to be effective. Incidently, despite writers of ongoing LS35a reviews over the last 30 years lamenting the design of a really good subwoofer system for the LS35a, there actually was one built. It is called the Rogers Reference System. Made by Rogers, it included an active crossover, two huge subwoofers, and complete electronics. I understand that a limited production of only ten or so were made. I own this system, and have been so far unable to find any other surviving example. The Rogers Reference System is truly amazing. The only way I can describe it is that the loudspeakers seem to vanish, and you are left only with music. However, I have also used the Rogers LS35a all by itself, and it is a wonderful speaker just as it is. If you have never had a chance to listen to a pair, try to find an opportunity. If you like accoustic music and need speakers, you could buy a set of these and be very satisfied. They are quite musical for a little box, and very inexpensive considering what they can do for the most expensive electronics. And you can laugh at me on moving day (the Reference System is heavy and big!)

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Kef, various electrostatics, etc.

Midrange is magical. If you can live without sound pressure and stay close to the speakers, it is some sort of perfection.

If you are used to big speakers, you may drive these speakers too loud and have a strained sound.

My strange and wonderful experience with Rogers LS35a: I bought these speakers in the eighties, hungry for musical details after living with Bose 901 series Vs. I was stupid at the time and just believing reviewers, bought a Pink Triangle pre-amp and Adcom power amp without thinking about system matching. The sound was horrible, and because I was still used to the sound pressure levels of Bose, drove the Rogers so hard I blew out one of the tweeters. The musical experience turned sweet when I got Mission Cyrus 2 amps which were a better match for the speakers and provided adequate power (I am sure there was a mis-match between the pre and power amps too). These Rogers are hard to drive as their impedance drops to 2.5 etc. depending on the music... can't believe people really listen to them with 300B tube amps! When the Missions burnt up one day (really!), I had Arcam Delta 60 amps which were even better with the Rogers (very musical and smooth sound). OK, what was so strange about my experience was that when I moved to Japan and had no hi-fi space (high rent, wife...), I had to sit in a tiny space in the corner of a room with the Rogers on the wood floor (Linn Kan stands left un-used)! Somehow, the close proximity, the added tonal body from the speakers on the floor (at the expense of imaging etc. when used like this), the low volume and the aging of the speakers (they just get better and better over time like good wine), resulted in some of the best reproduction of jazz vocal music I have ever heard in my life. Once, I even placed the speakers on the floor in my long, echo-ey hallway, and my apartment was converted in a horn speaker (detailed, natural of sound that makes you forget about the machines and just listen to the music). I remember an audio dealer who once said that LS35a deserves amps like Naim and Mark Levinson and will show off the different sonic signatures of these amplifiers, and I believe him. My Arcam amps have died (these speakers outlive the electronics), and my 30 year old tube Luxman amps (a cat with many lives as good tubes tend to be) are under-powered for my Rogers, so I hope to buy a powerful Linn amp for them soon (second-hand Klout?). Meantime I am listening to my vintage tubes and Dali Menuet Royals, which are also a treat (different sound totally).

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Dali Menuet Royals.

Beautifull middle and hight tones! Simply enaugth bass whith a good amp! Best realism in reproduction of voice and all other instruments...............Mythic!

Below 50 hz lake bass, like a mini monitor. (But is it!!!)

Simply the best !!!! ....in the mini monitor and quality/price ranges. Alert:you must used whith prope/rigth partners. I've tried whith my old system: CD NAD 515 Amp. Cambridge P15 And feel good! And whith current system: Marantz CD 17 MK2 Amp. Myryad Cameo And feel very very good!!! Somebody say that whith tube is the best!!!

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Sonus Faber concertino home. Klipsh Heresy (If cud be similar).

Musical, most importantly non-fatigue

dated looks - and that all

I used to play piano for leisure and i am amazed that LS3/5A can easily reproduce piano better than other moni-monitors 2-3times their price. So I finally sold off others and keep this gems. I realised this loudspeaker is so musical that it can reproduce "music" even with simple, econimical set-up. My current set-up: Marantz 63 SE Audio-lab 8000A VTL 2.5 Manley Mono-175 x 2 Marantz 11 wired by MIT

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Minimonitor from Proac(over-rated), Dynaudio(Analytical), Jmlab(Bright), Epos(Boxy), Spica(permanent hall effect on).

Natural uncolored midrange, soundstage, imaging

No bass below 50hz

I'm actually reviewing the JR149 which is similar to the LS3/5a, but in a cylindrical, aluminum enclosure with a different crossover. It uses the same drivers as the original LS3/5a. Jim Rogers produced them after he lost control of his company as well as the license to produce the LS3/5a, so they may be considered by some an improvement in certain areas. I've been using these speakers for over ten years and am constantly amazed at what they can do. Due to their enclosure, there is no boxy coloration.The presentation is very faithful to the source in musical timbre. All instruments sound very realistic with a total lack of coloration. They have much of the qualities of a good electrostatic speaker in the crucial midrange. The soundstage is very wide, deep and transparent. Usually, the speakers simply disappear. Due to the small woofer however, there is not a lot of bass below 50hz, but they are flat to 50hz in my room. I've heard many speakers costing over $10,000 that do not have the seductive midrange of these special monitors. If you can find a pair, they are really worth considering especially considering that they sell for much less than the 3/5a.

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Various small monitors

Big loveable sound you cant stop listening to. everyone should own a pair no matter what else you have. The woodwork and build quality is an artistic achievement.

Not as coherent as newer designs, bass is a little slow, high end lacks the extension of modern high end speakers. If Anything happens to my Stirlings I will be devastated.

Not as coherent as newer designs, bass is a little slow, high end lacks the extension of modern high end speakers. If anything happens to my Stirlings I will be devastated. I must tell you all about the Stirling LS 3/5a. This is the ultimate retro speaker taken to the highest evolutionary form. The workmanship and handcrafted beauty is in itself a joy to behold. In Cheerywood these speakers will easily get spousal approval, I heard Rogers LS 3/5''''s when they first became available in the USA. I has owned KEF speakers and always liked the T27 and B110. The first time I heard the LS 3/5 I felt at home but that first impression of the transparency shaped my tastes for decades to come. I own the Signature Versions of the Harbeth LS 3/5a''s that have garnered such praise. The bottom line of my personal findings in comparing Stirling Broadcast Ls 3/5a with upgraded enclosures as well as Circable Cross overs is (my guess at least) that the upgraded screwback enclosures alone make a fair comparison impossible. I would guess it''s the same logic that caused the committee of experts at hi-fi News And Record Review to remove the prototype BBC 3/5a''s serial number 1 from the comparison as it sounded so much better then all the rest of the group..`The dramatic reduction in bass coloration seems to let many other qualities of the monitor shine through. The slightly exaggerated bass in the standard Harbeth sounds somewhat colored whereas the Stirling sounds like a more modern mini monitor creating an impression of a speaker that gives up less of the lowest octave as well as improved transparency. It makes a soundstage to write home about. The Harbeths are actually in my reference system with better supporting components that you might think may offset some of the advantages of the custom Cicible cross overs and upgraded enclosures but it''s not the case at all. The circibles create a more unified sound and tonal balance that sounds more like a small higher end speaker from the 90''s with imaging that is a Quantum leap better then Harbeths (I''m still very fond of my Harbeths). Compared to newer mini-monitors that are faster, more extended and efficient like an enigma the Stirlings are just more lovable. They retained the llistenability and compelling balance that has endeared the LS 3/5a''s to several generations of music lovers. Since getting the Stirlings my

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Totem Model 1, Quad 988''s, Kef 105

Perfect mid-range, excetptional stereo imaging.

Lack of bass, I use a large sub-woofer remedy this.

I have listened to my fathers Ls3/5a''s since I was born! I have always been amazed at the quality of its music and voice reproduction, it is faultless! I have tried to find a speaker that matches, or betters the Ls3/5a, and have failed. This meant there was only one option, build one! It has taken me 3 years of experimentation to match the Ls3/5a''s mid-range! This was only possible by modifying modern drive units, this illustrates how good the Ls3/5a is in comparision to modern speakers!

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Leak sandwich, Spendor BC1, Quad ESl 63, Yamaha NS10

Great liquid midrange, small size, a great value.

Poor efficiency, but poor power handling too. Somewhat directional. No low bass. Very dated appearance.

How many of you can say that you purchased speakers 20 years ago, and sold them recently for more than you paid for them? I can. They were, of course, a pair of Rogers LS3/5As.

This is truly a legendary speaker that has provided great sound for the last 20+ years. However, the rest of the audio industry has caught up. I don't know if I would buy another NEW pair, but I would not hesitate to buy a used pair.

The midrange can be to die for, especially when driven by really great electronics. Highs are okay, perhaps a bit rolled off at the extreme, Bass is what one should expect from a box this size, except that there is a slight mid-bass bump that gives an effect that compensates for the missing bass. Detail is acceptable. Imaging is superb, both right to left and front to back. Perfect for chamber music; less inspiring for full orchestra. Wonderful for folk music, vocals, and acoustic music in general; acceptable for rock but you will never be rocked. LS3/5As can sound compressed when overdriven, so they are much better suited to small rooms or offices where the listener doesn't move around too much. In my experiece, when paired with subwoofers, some of that wonderful imaging that this speaker is known for traded off for the additional bass. A must-hear for devotees of acoustic music who appreciate good audio. A great parlor speaker.

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PSB Stratus Mini, NHT etc.

Incredible vocals and imaging. Surprising bass!

None really! Not a head bangers monitor.

I bought a pair of these used on a whim. They are the Harbeth version and beautifully made. I had always heard they were a legendary monitor still competing with the best modern designs. Frankly, I think they are better! I have never heard vocals delivered so naturally and the imaging rivals my Proac 1sc. These are so good I can't see keeping the Proacs when I can sell them for a premium and find a used pair of LS3/5a for my other listening room. Outstanding!!

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Proac 1sc