Rogers ls3 5a history book

The 12 most significant loudspeakers of all time the. Metal rogers badges to front grilles and metal rogers bbc badges to rear with serial numbers. The ls3a was able to reproduce most of the scale, the weight of the bass and percussion, and a convincing spread of instruments when playing music. He also has some history with rogers, hes a good buddy of ls3 5a maven andy whittle now md of exposure and hes a pragmatist. Choice of beautiful realwood bookmatched veneers finishes. It uses the same b110 driver as the ls3 5a in a tall, ported cabinet. There is always confusion over the two actually three types of ls3 5 and ls3 5a and the crossovers that should be considered for each version. The stories concerning the bbc, kef and the ls35a production could fill a book. I find that the rogers are picking up the harsh sound of the naim. After a long history of repairing and servicing ls35as from within both the professional and amateur arenas, stirling broadcast became involved in the manufacture of ls35a loudspeakers after purchasing and reselling the bankrupt rogers stock as nos. Since 1947, rogers of england has been synonymous with quality audio equipment.

Get the best deals on ls3 5a when you shop the largest online selection at. Slight physical modifications are made to the monacor units and a replacement crossover board is provided to tailor the monacors response to the desired ls3 5a response. Rogers, uk type ls3 6 bbc studio monitor loudspeakers, c. What is it about the rogers ls35a audiophile addicts. Rogers 1978, goodmans and spendor, 1983 retested 1984, reassessed 19856.

Ls3 5a classic 15 ohm speaker a true classic rogers international uk ltd are pleased to announce the release of the reborn ls3 5a classic 15 ohm speaker. Intrepid readers may recall a feature i wrote back in 2011 on the history of the venerable yamaha ns10. The monitor in question is the bbc ls35a, and theres a story here worthy of a soap. In the early 1970s, rogers was commissioned by the bbc to produce the ls35a. Rogers ls35a the legend of violin cd abc audiophile speaker showcase demo. The story of the ls35a begins in what many regard as. The bbclicensed ls35a help make rogers into a global brand. Although some traditionalists revere the kef b110 used in the rogers ls 3 5a, the uneven response of this driver requires the ls 3 5a crossover to be very complex. The ls35 was designed around two drivers from keftheir b110.

Aside from occasional facsimiles using nonkef drivers, the ls35a was history. Their imaging was so good that you will swear continue reading what is it about the rogers ls3 5a. The falcon bbc ls3 5a is the classic 15ohm version, featuring the britishmade falcon b110 and the falcon t27 drive units. The ls3 5a spawned many imitators, including the rogers jr 149, which incorporated the ls3 5a s kef drivers in a cylindrical enclosure. Rogers international uk ltd are pleased to announce the release of the reborn ls3 5a classic 15 ohm speaker.

History now, to understand this speaker, we really need to go back in time. Rogers ls35a loudspeakers may be small, but they have complex equalisers, realistic sound, and phasecorrected crossover networks. The preceding narrative is only a very small portion of a very large book and even now the last chapter has. Since its first introduction, this model has sold approximately 42,000 pairs under rogers. Some 50,000 pairs have been built worldwide to date. The story begins where studio managers at the bbc listened to music and speech. The ls3 5a is a tough match for a sub because theres a broad midbass hump. We wont labor the ls35a story, which began in the bbc in early 1970s, as this was covered in depth in vol1 no3 mayjune 2007. Answer many dealer selling used bbc ls3 5a have written nonsensical claims about bbc ls3 5a to sell bbc ls3 5a to trusting hi fi enthusiasts. Rogers was originally founded by jim rogers in 1947. An early example was the rogers theatrical horn loudspeaker. Grahams ls35a has the same specifications as the 19872000.

In what must be the funniest understatement in the history of the speaker, one of the kef people remarked, the ls35a suffered a bit from the not invented here syndrome quoted in ken kesslers kef. The loudspeaker is now in production both by the bbc equipment department and also by three commercial licencees. Serial numbers would place these somewhere in the mid to maybe late 70s. Pair genuine bbc ls37 loudspeakers rare no reserve a pair of genuine bbc ls37 loudspeakers rare in good working order and fair cosmetic condition. Their imaging was so good that you will swear continue reading what is it about the rogers ls35a. Genuine pair of rogers ls3 5a monitors,15 ohm version with matched serial numbers so1931a and so1931b.

Ls3 5a 15 ohm stirling broadcast bbc monitors w cicable cross overs orig ro gers ls3 5a. Rogers audio was the earliest licencee, but went out of business before producing a single unit. There are classic loudspeakers and there are classic. Indeed, the ls3 5a speaker system has gone down in history as one of the most reliable models ever introduced. The ls 36 is in many ways the predecessor to the more common ls 3 5a. I remember like it was yesterday the first time i heard a pair of rogers ls3 5as, property set up on stands well away from all walls of a well dimensioned listening room. I dont think the rogers is a very good match with the naim. New listing rare vintage roger s l s3 5a mo nitorboo kshelf speakers matched rogers ls3 5a monitors speakers in walnut 15 ohm nice condition. Get in the sweet spot, close your eyes, and you simply wont believe your ears. The ls3 5a was a bbc design, licensable to any manufacturer. Ive been told the best amps for the ls3 5a are push pull tubes. Having previously manufactured over 50,000 pairs of ls3 5a s, rogers are now once again manufacturing this landmark speaker in the uk. The top ten most influential speakers of the last 50 years.

I blew a few pairs of woofers playing music through them though. It is the only ls3 5a in production that faithfully replicates the original bbc design published in october 1976. The really good news is that they are now being reintroduced to the us market in that original version. Having previously manufactured over 50000 pairs of ls35as, rogers are now once again. Robyatt audio, new rogers ls3 5a, the story of this legendary loudspeaker, mytek digital brooklyn d. He also has some history with rogers, hes a good buddy of ls35a maven andy whittle now md of exposure and hes a pragmatist. Rogers ls35a 15 ohm with matched serial numbers monitors. At the time 1980s these things werent considered especially valuable or sought after for domestic use.

In use with bbc radio midlands radio 3 outside broadcast unit until a few years ago. Is ls35a 15 ohms speaker better than the 11 ohms ls35a. Find great deals on ebay for rogers ls3 5a and chartwell ls3 5a. It was derived from the ls3 5, which was conceived and developed by the bbc engineering department in the early 1970s, when it was under the stewardship of dudley harwood. Ive been a fan of rogers speakers since i first repaired an ls3 5a back in 1989. Used rogers speakers professionally at the bbc for many years, especially the ls3 5a which were fantastic for speech monitoring. The result of nearly 2 years development, the falcon ls3 5a is a true britishmade classic 15 ohm ls3 5a. Jul 14, 2019 after the first years a lot of things changed in the history of the ls35a chartwell broke and was bought up by rogers which delivered now ls35a speakers with a chartwell logo as a sort of high end version of the monitor, which was not really profitable, so that they stopped it after the different parts and pre manufactured crossovers. The bbcs legendary ls35a is arguably the godfather of nearfield monitors and now its back, thanks to uk company graham audio. Oct 19, 2015 i remember like it was yesterday the first time i heard a pair of rogers ls35as, property set up on stands well away from all walls of a well dimensioned listening room. That particular sample was made by kj, later branded audiomaster, under the direction of robin marshall, an exbbc. These make fascinating reading for anyone interested in the history of the ls3 5a in particular and bbc loudspeaker design in general.

Bbc designed ls35a made by rogers, spendor and goodmans. But the two are so close as to recall the great ls3 5a shootout of 2001 hfn jun 01, so the factors in choosing one over the other will be availability. Well, im at it again with another story of electro. I owned a pair of rogers ls3 5as back in the day, and truth be told, i never. The arc electronics and ls3 5a tandem seems to be not so exploited as compared with other vintage amps. However, as my office is overdamped there are thousands of books around, the sound is somewhat closedin and not. Purchased from an authorised buyer of bbc equipment. But it was the rogers version in particular that swept the usa in the late 1970s. An original pair of rogers ls35a speakers complete with original rogers. Falcon acoustics has had a long association with the ls35a which continues with the current original bbc licenced ls35a, starting with the earliest days of development when malcolm jones was at kef and. A talk here at the hangar dedicated to the ls3 5a, hosted by paul whatton from.

Rogers ls35a bbc studio monitor speaker rare rogers original. Sorry for take this a little off channel, i have heard with first ear experience with 2 model of avg horn 18ohm omega series with airtight 211 and 300b before 8 ohm and after tapping to 16 ohm. Investigation rogers ls35a miniature monitor reprised. And most ss amps are not very good with the ls3 5a. Sep 12, 2015 audio note meishu chartwell ls35a jiml. Robyatt audio, new rogers ls3 5a, the story of this legendary. Get the best deals on ls3 5a in vintage speakers when you shop the. I believe that the substand i was thinking of in my earlier post is the rogers ab1. Find great deals on ebay for ls3 5a speakers and rogers ls3 5a. The ls3 5a is a commercially produced loudspeaker driven by the need of the bbc to monitor and assess broadcast programme quality. Dec 31, 2011 i have a pair of 11 ohm rogers ls35a speakers.

Im so sorry to report that malcolm sced, the technical director and richard. See rogers newest products at the bristol hifi show 2123 february 2020 jan 31, 2020. So for example, if youre looking for the rogers ls3 5a on this list, save yourself some time and stop reading now. Rogers speakers owners clubs and forums hifi wigwam. It is nice to see that john still has his original rogers from 78, i also owned these at that time, and sees the value, musically, that still exists. Once an ls3 5a license had been obtained from the bbc, stirling broadcast commissioned the. Ken tells me that his new book on the history of kef includes previously unseen material and photographs about the ls35a.

Falcon acoustics bbc ls35a, the only authentic ls35a. Indeed, the ls35a speaker system has gone down in history as one of the most reliable models ever introduced. I first built a pair of the acoustic suspension design rogers ls35as using kef t27 and kef b110 drivers back in 1978, which is 37 years ago as i write this. In the early 1970s, rogers was commissioned by the bbc to produce the ls3 5a. Rogers international project gutenberg selfpublishing. My obsession was started by a combination of build quality, the helpful attitude of their late service department, and of course the sound quality this was long before i understood the. The ls35a is a small studio monitor loudspeaker originated by the bbc for use by outside. Its current far east owners have worked with the uk designers an manufacturers to create this bbclicensed 11 ohm revival. Get the best deal for rogers from the largest online selection at. Through creativity and innovative ideas, founder jim rogers produced a succession of consistently improved and refined systems.

Nevertheless, on the most recent listening test the ls35a scores were sufficient to retain recommendation. Ls35a crossovers and printed circuit boards pcb, hardtofind ls35a parts, ab1 subwoofer component sets, many made exclusively for falcon, are available here. The falcon ls3 5a wears deluxe multiway binding posts, while rogers uses banana plug sockets. Sep 19, 2012 this could be the last hifi speaker youll buy. After a long history of repairing and servicing ls3 5a s from within both the professional and amateur arenas, stirling broadcast became involved in the manufacture of ls3 5a loudspeakers after purchasing and reselling the bankrupt rogers stock as nos. The ls35a is a commercially produced loudspeaker driven by the need of the bbc to monitor and assess broadcast programme quality. Falcon acoustics bbc ls35a is built to the demanding bbc specification and with full bbc license. It was derived from the ls35, which was conceived and developed by the bbc engineering department in the early 1970s, when it was under the stewardship of dudley harwood. Here is the product description from the companys website.

Rogers ls5 8 studio monitors in addition to 150 rogers ls3 5a and 75 ls5 8 monitors already supplied. The bbcs legendary ls3 5a is arguably the godfather of nearfield monitors and now its back, thanks to uk company graham audio. Published on jan 14, 2016 a talk here at the hangar dedicated to the ls3 5a, hosted by paul whatton from. Pair diy kit pair speaker box for rogers ls3 5a bbc spec ebay. Small british monitor speakers were all the rage with american audiophiles back in the 1970s, and when you hear the current harbeth p3esr, youll. Interestingly, this old web address redirects to auto italia holdings limited, who appear to own many brands including ferrari and maserati, among many others.

Switching over to the other pair, it took all of three seconds to realise it was a dream come true. Other ls5 8 customers include nip pon philips japan, itn, rte, french television and ealing music studios. Spendor ls35a mcintosh c22 and thorens td124 duration. It looks like you may be having problems playing this video. Stirling broadcast ls35a v2 loudspeakers pair playstereo. The falcon acoustics classic 15 ohm ls3 5a, fully licenced by the bbc, and handassembled by falcon in oxford england. Is ls3 5a 15 ohms speaker better than the 11 ohms ls3 5a speaker. This could be the last hifi speaker youll buy cnet. The ls3 5a and ls59 would be the range leaders, providing credibility for less endowed rogers models down the range. Stirling broadcast offer an ls3 5a repair kit based on the monacor drive units that are often touted as a dropin replacement for the main drive unit of the ls3 5a the b110. More than 60,000 pairs of ls35as were manufactured up to 1988, 43,000 by rogers alone footnote 1. Yes, i know that rogers were bought by a hong kong company. John, a moverandshaker in the used hifi underground, also happens to be one of the two or three most knowledgeable and fervent of ls3 5a supporters.

Over the years i have heard many many speakers, likes of tannoy, ruark, dynaudio, sonus faber, spendor etc. Now in its 71st year, rogers are relaunching some familiar famous products as wel. Not only have wo kee hong holdings ltd spent piles of money reengineering the ls3 5a, they also ploughed significant amounts of lucre in the delightful rogers ls59. From the date i joined the corporation in 1983 i was treated daily to bc1s, ls35as, ls36, ls52, ls55s, ls58s and many numbers in between. Back in 2008 they relaunched the ls3 5a using modern drive units. So if its an ls35a that you want, then inasmuch as there are virtually no vintage pairs from any period in the designs history that meet specification and perform as theyre supposed to, falcons is likely to offer a closer approach to the original sound than anything else out there. Rogers ls3 5a bbc british monitor speaker pair used japan uk vintage kef audio. Rogers have been owned by the wo kee hong group since around 1993.

For almost half a century, the name rogers has been synonymous with excellence in the manufacture of highend audio equipment. After the first years a lot of things changed in the history of the ls3 5a chartwell broke and was bought up by rogers which delivered now ls3 5a speakers with a chartwell logo as a sort of high end version of the monitor, which was not really profitable, so that they stopped it after the different parts and pre manufactured crossovers. We should be grateful for this investment in rogers. Details about pair diy kit pair speaker box for rogers ls3 5a bbc spec. The two speakers are the the 65 th anniversary editions of the bbcs inspired designs known globally by legions of devotees as the ls3 5a and the ls59. The falcon version seems to go a tad louder while the bass in rogers ls3 5a is a hint drier. Ive been told the best amps for the ls35a are push pull tubes.