Rating: 
Hot: It appears the hi-fi world just can’t get enough of this classic – Rogers’ current owner, the Wo Kee Hong group, has already turned out a previous special edition of the venerable LS3/5a, while this one is to commemorate the 65 years that have passed since its creation. One listen and you’ll hear why the LS3/5a has been revered through the decades. It has a holistic and seamless presentation and tells you exactly what’s there on the rest of the system. In fact, if things sound bad, blame something else! It gets out of the way totally, that’s how transparent it is and how much space and width there is in delivery.
Cold: Limitations are obvious in the lower end of the frequency spectrum. And if the recording isn’t great, you hear it, warts and all. Those aren’t the prettiest of grilles either.
Encore: Despite the bass limitations, the LS3/5a’s overall balance is pleasing, in the right system. And while you realise just how little the fundamentals of dynamic speaker templates have changed over a half-century, there’s a feeling that nothing really needs to be different. At least, not at this price range.
Specs: 2-way infinite baffle design, with 138mm cone mid-bass driver and 19mm tweeter, crossing over the 3kHz / 2 sets of terminals / Frequency response: 70Hz-20kHz / Sensitivity: 83dB / Impedance: 11 ohms nominal / Finish options: Cherry, walnut, black
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