Any "cheap" way to clone LS3-5a?

Jump to Latest
#42
HaHa! Good one. My first root canal. Got it done. Still sore but better by a long shot. Have to go back for the rest of the crown building. Don't procrastinate on going to the dentist, m'kay kids? Thanks for the link!

I have a half brewed idea in my head that starts with a good ls3/5a kit, or something that performs similarly with a similar size and looks. AND some sort of amp kit to power said clones. Hopefully fully power so as to control them and help them disappear like a pair of Chartwells fully powered. I have some small amount of soldering skill, and am not afraid of either a Heathkit-like SS sort of project, or a tube project similar to a ST-70. Or maybe finding an old example of either of those, and working to upgrade it and bring it back to life. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I may start a thread.

Also, so it looks like if I go that route, I will be in about 900 bucks not counting time and any little bits I end up needing to buy for the project, if I get the complete kit. Hmm. Interesting. May have to see what happens if I try to put together my own kit from various parts. But in any case, something I could save toward. I would probably look to see what I could do to make them as much as possible like the Chartwell version I heard at Gig Harbor Audio.

Now, to think about what amp to pair with them.
 
#43
sunvalleylaw,

The Jeff Bagby Continuum design that I mentioned in message 5 of this thread is still my recommendation for a LS3/5 style speaker. The Continuum is an excellent improved
small LS3/5 speaker. Meniscus Audio has changed their website so the link in post #5 is not working. The latest link is:

Speaker Kits Archives - Meniscus Audio

The Continuum II kit comes with a Morel tweeter which replaces the discontinued tweeter used in the earlier design. Meniscus offers a Continuum bare bones kit, a full kit and the additional subwoofer in their listings. Essentially you build the enclosures and assemble the parts.

You can read the details about this design if you follow the above link. Furthermore, just Google 'Jeff Bagby's Continuum' for additional info on Jeff and several of his designs.

Jim
 
Last edited:
#49
Investing in your dental work may be a better investment 😀


I am attracted to the word "cheap" and based on reading this thread, other than by blind luck, you are unlikely to get a real LS3/5A type speaker "cheap." Reverse price survey on Ebay shows from $5500 (ridiculous? I would vote yes.) down to a few in the mid-100s. I've read the BBC paper where they designed their speakers. Good for a purpose, no doubt. But technology has improved in half a century, also original parts are long gone. Why would a person want to replicate something imperfect, even if it was designed with taxpayer money 🙂 Depressing for this hobby is the fact that, probably even in tax-hungry EU, you can buy modern speakers that would vastly outperform the original BBC spec boxes. Small powered monitors, anyone? E.G. Behringer and Co. ? Or, if cloning the original performance is the goal, no doubt specs for the original speaker and its parts can be had, and close substitutions made. In a similar vein, I am told that due to the car enthusiast industry, you can buy newly made parts to build an authentic Model T Ford. But no one would claim such a vehicle would have performance comparable to a modern economy car, or even a 1982 Ford Fairmont* for all that.
*Once had the dubious claim to being the least-stolen car in the USA 🙂
 
#53
Soldermizer said:
I've read the BBC paper where they designed their speakers. Good for a purpose, no doubt. But technology has improved in half a century, also original parts are long gone.
Click to expand...
Agreed about the improvements but the demand for the old KEF drivers is sufficiently strong that they are now being manufactured again. This isn't just due to LS3/5A-type retro demand but because a large number of old speakers used these drivers.
 
#54
Great thread. These things are so crazily overpriced its unbelievable. For what is such a simple, small and old design its just ridiculous what they sell for. Even the derivatives are way overpriced but some look cheap in comparison like the ProAc Tab 10 for instance. The price these tiny speakers sell for need to be outlawed for what is such an old and easily reproducible design. The trouble is they do sound great at what they excel at which is midrange and realism. In fact its become a bit of a benchmark in the audiophile world for that. Others have tried to improve on the design giving it extra bass better build quality, tweaking etc but that's kind of missing the point. The LS3/5A just hit a sweet spot with small speaker design and has a following because of it.

But there is no way a speaker this small should be costing as much as it sells for. DIY there must be an easier way to make one close to or possibly under £200. I feel people are getting ripped off with these small speakers, taking advantage of audiophiles. But they do sound good.
 
#56
Salas said:
BTW, what about that $600/£460 "SoundArtist LS3/5A" China direct only, clone? There is recent buzz about it.
Click to expand...


Wow, those look alright!

And I would say more of a sensible price for an LS3/5A. If I hadn't had just built two sets I think I would have probably gone for those, they look very good. Thanks for bringing it to our attention anyway.

I'm sure there'll be import fees to rip-off-Britain on top but still a good find.

These LS3/5A speakers are a rip-off, great to see products like these at this price.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom