LS5/5 in an unusual paint finish, production versions will be in real wood veneer.
Joining Graham Audio's line up of BBC licensed monitors is a dramatic update of the original LS5/5 design. Originally designed by the BBC for monitoring their own recordings, in the 1960's, the BBC considered this their finest sonic quality design. With the advent of Rock & Roll, this model was eased aside by the LS5/8 which could play louder. The LS5/8 was the first BBC loudspeaker to use a polypropylene diaphragm which, being lighter than Bextrene, offered greater efficiency and lower colouration. A carefully researched cone profile enabled the unit to work successfully well into the midrange. But Derek Hughes' 2019 version of the LS5/5 solved the original models shortcomings. The sound quality of the original was beyond reproach. Its only shortcoming was that it would not play loud enough. The revised version of the LS5/5 will play 9dB louder than the original due to updated materials; such as glues, modern drivers, stronger magnets, better quality resistors, coils.
The lenses around the woofers were part of the original LS5/5 and the LS5/8 designs. The LS5/8 lost the lenses once the speakers went into production. Derek Hughes explained to me in Munich that the lenses made the speakers easier to position in a room with their vertical dispersion. Be interesting to hear how this three way stacks up against the physically larger two way LS5/8.
The paint finish was unusual to say the least. It started out as a battleship gray with copper added, which after the chemical reaction, gave a cardboard or quasi golden finish. These should look beautiful in ebony macassar or rosewood. Should ship around Q4 of this year.
The N.American debut of Graham Audio's new flagship BBC monitor is scheduled for 19 September at Art et Son, Montreal, QC, phone (+1) 514-222-2342 or email rob@artetson.ca for further details.
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