Loudspeakers

As with any government commission, tenders are offered to various suppliers to ensure good value for the taxpayer's purse. Multiple sources are preferred not just for fairness, but also because they ensure supplies should a manufacturer fail. For BBC requirements, dealing with the audio industry, such a contingency is obviously wise! Over the years, 11 brands were licensed to supply LS3/5as, limited to three at any given time. Predominantly, they included Rogers and Spendor, with Chartwell, Audiomaster and others also licensed. The speaker was devised to suit the BBC's need for a portable, nearfield monitor, and all suppliers were charged with delivering the small two-way system tested against a reference pair. Allowing for minor component variations over the life of the LS3/5a, the specification called for the KEF B110 mid/bass driver with doped Bextrene cone and a neoprene surround. Treble was covered by the KEF T27, a 19mm Mylar dome tweeter with a perforated protective grille. The enclosure had an internal volume of approximately 5 litres and was made from 12mm birch plywood, strengthened with beech braces, and heavily damped.