Rogers LS3/5A value

Do not use Solid State as it can damage the speakers and will not sound as good as with tubes, especially EL34 tubes.

I had a Rogers E40a, which I think is EL34 tubes, and it did sound very good indeed. But there was a slight hum on the power transformers and I also did not like the idea of tubes changing performance over time, so I set about looking for a solid state replacement.

I got very lucky as I managed it on first attempt. I had evolved from a Quad 306 to a 707, and had ditched the Quad 34 for a passive early on so know how good they were.

I saw some Quad 909 monos for sale so went to get those, and the seller also had a Music First Audio TVC based passive preamp, which I knew worked well with 909s from so many user reviews on the web.

And that was it - just as sweet as the tube amp but with better bass - the 909 monos where similar to the 707 but more relaxed and refined.

I later upgraded the Music First passive from the V1 to the V2, but this lost a bit of the ’tubiness’ as it wa less compressed and midrangy - although overall an improvement.

I now have Quad QMPs in the main system, which are fractionally better than the 909 monos but probably because I am running balanced all the way from source to power amps. I’ve just upgraded the preamp again to the V2 baby reference and that is better again. 

I did have a Bryston B9 SST for a while - apart from sounding like electronically processed sh1t it also totalled two B110 drivers, but my powerful Quads seem a lot safer and I am confident using them with old LS3/5as. 

It's nice to see a spirited discussion in regard to the LS3/5A!  Most of the speakers that I have owned over the years have been of the small bookshelf type.  Included here are: 15 and 11 ohm LS3/5A's, Harbeth HLP3ES, Linn Kan 1 and 5, KEF Reference Series Model 101 and Sequerra Metronome 7's.  They have all been very enjoyable speakers to use over the years.  I do agree with the comment that the LS3/5A does not produce a lot of of bass. However, neither do most bookshelf speakers, which is why many years ago satellite/subwoofer speaker systems became popular. 

Most of the music that I listen to usually involves very simple instrumentals with only one or a few musicians playing at a time.  For this, I find speakers like the aforementioned to be ideal due to their clarity. Especially when they are slightly tilted inward so that their axis cross directly in front of the listener.

Also, IME aside from the audio gear itself, one of the most impressive aspects of the play back chain has to do with improvements in the way that music is recorded. The quality of the microphones in particular as well as the improvements in streaming, have made a significant improvement in the lifelike reproduction of uploaded music to various Internet venues, including YouTube.

For example, I was listening to some of Tommy Emmanuel's guitar uploads last night and felt as though I were seated right there in the recording studio with him! And this was on a mostly older system which included a pair of Quicksilver Minimite monoblock tube amplifiers and a pair of Linn Kan I's. I was using a new Audio By Van Alstine preamplifier and an Amazon Fire tablet; run through an ifi Zen Dac Signature digital to analogue converter (first generation). 

Nothing fancy at all, but the music really sounded great!

I also find that there's a great disparity between the quality of audio uploads, with some of them being outstanding while others are barely listenable.   As such, I spend quite a bit of my audio related time searching for outstanding recordings, since I've heard how good my audio system can sound with well recorded music. 

I will add the following:  My pair work fine with both a Yamaha integrated (SS) and C-J separates (tube).  I've only had them since years and they have not been damaged by the SS integrated, which is what is used almost exclusively now.  Yes they sound different with different amps, these speakers are very revealing.  Which amp type sounds better is a matter of taste.  In terms of performance, they sound like monitors, very similar in overall sonic character to a pair of B&W 802 Diamonds that I have in another house, albeit without the deep bass.  An excellent speaker that deserves classic status.

@andrewdrummond Thanks for the lengthy write up, very informative. I purchased a pair of V3.2 from you and am really starting to appreciate them now that they are in my system full time. I am curious about the external crossovers and if they are commercially available or can be DIYed. Any information you can provide would be helpful.

My 15 ohm Chartwells sound beautiful with solid state including a 20 watt vintage Marantz.

But I like to listen at realistic volume levels (you think???) and am afraid of blowing them out in the big room.