Soundstage, midrange, reproduction of the human voice

Lack of deep bass. Limited efficiency.

Fantastic little speaker. Had mine for more than 20 years. Sold them today for the same amount of money I paid back then. Miss them allready.

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B&W DM12, B&W 601S2, QUAD ESL 63

I own an apartment not for human being to stay but just to house my audio system. I have two major set up currently. One is my reference using Avalon Ediolon speakers driven by Jadis JA-500, CAT SL-1 ultimate as pre-amp, VTL DAC (out of production), and CEC transport or Esoteric P-2 transport. The other set up is the KEF LE LS 3/5a driven by Manley SE 300B, Sunfire Vacuum tube pre-amp, and Audio note CD player. I sincerely advise those who do not want to spend a lot of money yet be able to attain to the same level of musical enjoyment is to own a pair of these speakers.

I don't quite agree that the old 15 ohm BBC LS3/5a is really that much superior to the newer 11 ohm versions. It is just that this speaker take an extremely long time to run-in. In my experience, it takes more than 3 years for the speaker to start to sound right and at least 10 years to achieve its steady performance state. Since most 15 ohm models have been used for more than 15 years, that is why they sound great today. If you found a 15 ohm LS3/5a that has seldom been used for all these years, you will find they sound much the same as the new 11 ohm versions.
A well run-in LS3/5a has a very relax presentation, a much extended treble and richer bass. One of the best book-shelf speaker ever made at any price.

Just take a listen to these speakers and decide whether you like them or not. As for me, I've owned my pair for 24 years and I enjoy more now than when I first purchased them. These are not the ultimate speakers, but for what I have invested in them, they are worth every bit and more, much more.

Beautiful mid-range, tonal quality, vocal reproduction, acoustics are amazing, stellar longevity.

Power hogs

I've had these since 1989 and I've loved every minute of them. I've gone from Adcom to Classe for power supply and I'm very happy as long as I have at least 100W. These are the perfect apartment or "studio" speaker. I've slowly upgraded my system to the best I can afford and I honestly don't think I'll need to upgrade these speakers. I even recently noticed that I have an unmatched pair and in eleven years I haven't noticed a problem. My unmatched pair is one 11 ohm and one 15 ohm. They were manufactured in 1988 and 1989 respectively and I stole them for $350 as floor samples and I've never looked back. These are the type of speaker that will make a believer out of even the most pessimistic listener. You know the kind, the fool who stops by and says, "wow that system looks cool, I'm sure it was expensive but you audio nuts are getting taken to the cleaners for spending big money on this stuff when SAMS club sells a 6000 watt boom box that will rock most of Miami". I've had many a fool become engulfed in the music, ready to invest a pretty penny on an equal system--well I credit mainly these speakers. I can't give you any special physics equations and scientific mumbo jumbo I can just tell you that these speakers never fatigue me and always make me feel as though the musicians are about 8 feet away from me playing their tunes for me and only me.

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First and only speakers

The most realistic reproduction of the human voice I have ever heard. Startling imaging and limited but surprising faux-bass.

They stopped making them!

These are legendary speakers with tons written about them. Why say more. It's too bad they are listed under Rogers name only since they are really a licensed design of the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation). Frankly, I would rate the Harbeth's as the best constructed LS3/5a followed by Spendor and then KEF with Rogers bringing up the rear. Performance-wise, they all sound the same to me including the 11 versus 15 ohm versions but I'm sure the owners of 15 ohm will disagree. Actually, hears a direct quote from an email reply I received from Alan Shaw the MAnaging Director of Harbeth regarding the 15 ohm question:

"We (Harbeth), and the BBC, have never recognised the
term '15 ohm' version. This seems to have come
from a hi-fi magazine, who perhaps could not
read or interpret technical specs."

I agree with Alan!

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Sonus Faber Concerto, NHT Super Zero, Spendor S3

Natural rendition of the human voice and acoustic instruments.

Hard to drive

I use my Rogers built pair in conjunction with an Audiolab 8000 integrated amp and until recently, a Mission DAD 7000 CD player. My turntable is a Systemdek plinth with a Lynn tone arm - a combination which sounds magical to this day. I have had this configuration for a long time and am changing the CD player (to a Rega Jupiter/IO) only because a "bone-headed" mover destroyed it.

I am a committed devotee of the LS3/5a and hence have had it since 1985! Technological advancements have done nothing to displace this masterpiece from its mantle. I listen to Jazz and classical and find these speakers do an excellent job of projecting the sound stage and delivering the recorded sound in an unexaggerated manner. In other words, in remaining true to the recording they do not try to reproduce what is not there. Therefore poor quality recordings remain - poor quality recordings. Listen to the Jazz in the Pawn shop LP (a superior recording accomplishment in its own merit) and you'll know what I mean. The LS3/5a's reproduce a class of audio quality that much larger and more expensive speakers simply don't.

They sound best when placed close to the wall, on metal speaker stands with spikes that penetrate the carpet. After many years I forced myself to invest in a mid-grade subwoofer, as I was lacking the very low end of the sound spectrum. I listen to music played on the pipe-organ. I am so pleased I did this, as it has not taken anything away from the LS3/5a's. For now they deliver their sound at a more comfortable volume and don't need to be pushed hard for the lower frequencies to be heard.

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Various, over the years. Mainly larger speakers

Human voice, sweetness of tone

no real/tubey bass, need good source/amplification and long long burning it.

The best transducer of the human voice up to 5 times their price point, absolutely succulent with tubes, especially 300Bs. A real joy for the hi-fi nut in its ability to reveal any change in set up. Have heard and possess all made of this marvellous little speaker including early 15 Ohm, 11 ohm, single and bir-wire versions. One of the very few products that you rarely loss money selling and is always sought after before and after ceasing production. There is no mistaking that the older versions sound much better- be it a result of more running in or the difference in the material used, there are different versions of the KEF B110s and varied made-up of the coils. A must to at least listen and experience despite their limiting physical attributions and the fact that you will always want to have a bigger pair of speakers. Always imitated but never equalled.

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ProAc, Mission.