Falcon LS3/5a

[_D_S_J_R_]

Effin 'ell! I honestly believed the falcon 3/5A was around £1400pr, but for £2400? Someone's 'avin' a laugh for their pension fund - sorry...

In the original model, the retail price wasn't profitable as they were such sods to calibrate and test - very labour intensive in the days when computerised testing made things much easier (even Linn and Naim measured their speakers, believe it or not, so have absolutely no excuses). Audiomaster which was based in Watford next door to KJ as it then was via a connecting door, used to take batches of a dozen or so pairs to Hirst Labs not far away to be measured in their anechoic chamber (as used by Hi Fi Sound magazine for speaker testing back in the early 70's days) and I remember Robin Marshall coming back, sometimes royally pissed off, with a pile of pen charts for each box, having to tweak the crossovers to get them within spec (the B110 bass/mid driver was awful and the 3/5A versions were right on one side of their manufacturing tolerance anyway). If a replacement Audiomaster 3/5A driver was needed back then, a specially selected replacement would usually be procured that matched as closely as possible the original. Rogers used to just send out a bass unit and apparently never asked for the serial number. Today with computerised testing, maybe the selection process is much easier.

The BBC samples all had XLR connectors rather than 4mm binding posts and every one of these when made, had to be absolutely centre-line spec so they all sounded the same. Much extra work was often done to achieve this.

I swear that not much money was made on making these and the huge amount of R&D that went into their conception is legendary. People buy these for a variety of reasons and it seems that certain dealers DO have fairly well off clients able to indulge themselves on such speakers. Put it this way, if all you can have is a tiny box like this, then if the Harbeth P3ESR (the tweaked Anniversary issue preferably due to similar price and also sells in as much quantity as they can be made) is still too soft and sweet toned, the Falcon's would make an excellent alternative. Naim owners love them too it appears.

[zebbo]

I've always had a soft spot for the LS3/5a and I like the Falcons but way too steep.
The SME price hike is a joke, I'm glad I got my V before the prices went stupid.

[_D_S_J_R_]

Isn't SME now owned by the same people that all but own Spendor now?

Price-wise, Harbeth have joined the bandwagon and as with the Falcons, there really are people lapping them up.. The world's gone mad I tell ye...

https://www.stereophile.com/content/har ... oudspeaker