2003 LS3/5A shootout

[Moz]

I happened to be looking for something in my office drawer when I found a folded piece of paper that turned out to be my notes of the February 8, 2003 LS3/5A shootout held at Vintage Dog's pad.

This brings back a lot of memories and I'd like to share the notes and scores here.

What we did was round up some LS3/5A speakers and a bunch of audiophile friends one Saturday. The way we conducted the shootout was to play a track and immediately discuss the sound right after playback. The same track was then played through another speaker and comments were thrown around immediately thereafter. A voting by choice of model was done among the listeners, after the same track was played through all the LS3/5A units.

Here is a summary of the session.

LS3/5A's on hand:
Spendor Black Ash 11ohms
Rogers Walnut Limited Edition (LE) 11ohms
Rogers 11ohms
We could not play the Rogers 15 and the Kef units as there seemed to be some distortion in the drivers.

CD Player: Fully tweaked MF CDT


Preamp: Audible Illusions Modulus 2 (photo from Audiogon)


Amp: Eico HF-87 (photo from urban radio)


1st track:
Nora Jones, Cold Cold Heart from the Come Away With Me CD


Rogers 11 ohms: grainy
Rogers LE: smoother than 11ohm Rogers
Spendor: more dynamic contrast, more control, smoothest of the 3

Votes:
Rogers 11ohms: 0
Rogers LE: 3
Spendor: 5

2nd track:
Shirley Horne, If You Go from the You Won't Forget Me CD


Rogers 11 ohms: grainy, harsh
Rogers LE: warmer, more relaxed, pleasing to listen to
Spendor: more detailed, more bass extension

Votes:
Rogers 11ohms: 0
Rogers LE: 4
Spendor: 5


3rd track:
Dave Brubeck, Time Out


Spendor: more dynamic and controlled bass

Votes:
Rogers 11ohms: 0
Rogers LE: 0
Spendor: 7

Other songs played were:
Trio Jeepy, Brandon Marsalis
Come to Find, Doug Mcleod
Blame it on my Youth, Holly Cole Trio
Songs of the Beatles, Sarah Vaugh

TOTAL SCORE:

Spendor: 16
Rogers LE: 7
Rogers 11ohms: 0

[splendor]

This shoot-out should be done again in 2008. Maybe we can vary it a bit by letting some other speakers compete with the LS3/5A ala KK shoot-out. I'm willing to bring my studio 3 from Rogers. It would be nice to have ProAcs, Spendor, Harbeth, and Kef Cresta, B &W, Sonus, PMC's DB1, and the likes to listen to against the old LS3/5A.

We can do this in summer perhaps?

[mossback]

Looking forward to your findings. Wish I could attend.

[odaey]

splendor said:

This shoot-out should be done again in 2008. Maybe we can vary it a bit by letting some other speakers compete with the LS3/5A ala KK shoot-out. I'm willing to bring my studio 3 from Rogers. It would be nice to have ProAcs, Spendor, Harbeth, and Kef Cresta, B &W, Sonus, PMC's DB1, and the likes to listen to against the old LS3/5A.

We can do this in summer perhaps?

This would be a nice gathering for the group, any idea where the venue would be?

[splendor]

An opportunity to meet each other? Why not? Also, to meet others who use or prefer other good brands as well. While I am a dyed in the wool LS fan-- minus the "atic" I also am always looking for other good sounding speakers, specially those affordable ones.

[joki]

Is an interesting gathering if at all such event could be arranged. Its always is uniquely LS3/5A due to many licensee and types available. I always have profound interest in comparing one pair to another and look for my favourite. I have constantly been doing that in my own listening room whenever I swap them.

In the light of what has happened to me recently, I do find the matching of impedance a critical criterea in any form of comparison. Also, there should have different "weighing" on some over the other for eg. musicality should weigh more than bass extension, emotional content should weigh more than image clarity, etc... If such categorisation were applied to KK's shoot out, we may see quite a different results of line up.

Just my 2 cents.

[mossback]

Joki, Could you please expand upon the impedance matching? I am fairly ignorant to do with amplifier dampening factors and speaker impedance. Is this the critical factor you speak of? Sorry for so basic a question.
Thanks Dan

[splendor]

Yes, I think the admin would take note of Jo's suggestions for the criteria when comparing speakers in a shoot-out. I also feel the same about the emotional impact of the sound of speakers. There's got to be that factor. I think it is key to imparting nuances of expression and tone to the music. "Feelings" if you like.

[shushu]

There should be soon another "ls3/5a shoot-out" with members and speakers of the french forum, to celebrate the forum anniversary. It will be performed in the House of David Manley in France (he is british, but he is living in France). D Manley is the constructor of the VTL tube amplifiers.

[splendor]

Maker of the Manley tube amps using an LS 3/5a, wow!

If I not mistaken, Windham Hill records uses Manley VTLs for their recordings.

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[rappaport]

In december 2017 me and a buddy, he also a Falcon Acoustic LS 3/5A owner performed a shootout at the audio shop where he works.
The shootout comprised the following speakers:

Rogers LS 3/5A 15 ohm
Spendor LS 3/5A 11 ohm bi-wire
Falcon Acoustics LS 3/5A 15 ohm
Graham Audio Chartwell LS 3/5 (thrown in for laughs)

To cut to the chase, the Spendor LS 3/5A 11 ohm bi-wire annihilated the rest.
A bit like the above shootout.
Most chocking to realize was the heralded Rogers 15 ohm ended dead last.
This particular (untampered) pair sounded bland and totally uninvolving.)
With the Falcons taking the middle stage.
The eye opener also, were the Graham Chartwells LS 3/5 (w/o the "A".)
Despite them having a peculiar matte upper treble lacking sparkle, it more than made up for this, when they became augmenter by their own dedicated Graham sub woofers. Suddenly the GAC LS 3/5's top end seemed satisfyingly open and airy.
The old psycho acoustic phenomenon at play here?:
The one, where you augment an existing pair of speakers - wheter it be by super tweeter
- or by sub(s). Where not only top and bass improve respectively with the addission of a super tweeter or sub woofer. But where you also experience the TOP END improving when adding a SUB! (and vice versa)
That was the case here, to a great extent than anything I've experienced before, by improving the Graham Chartwell LS 3/5 anomalies in the treble no end. And really made the whole Graham set sing. BUT:
Also by doubling the price tag of the GAC's.
Tried to buy this set fabulous Spendor 11 ohms from the shop keeper. But couldn't agree on price.
So eventually went and cooked my own.
Seems there is a rather consistent SQ superiority to all the 11 ohm Spendors, over most other LS 3/5A's old and new.