My Hi Fi System 30 years ago

One of the sweetest and warmest systems I had some 30 years ago

BBC LS3/5A monitor loudspeaker
Cambridge A20 amplifer
Linn LP12 Turn table
Quad 33 and Quad 303 Amplifier
B&W DM22
AR16
Shure V15 Type V MM cartridge
BBC LS3/5a loudspeaker
These diminutive little sleepers have been available in Hong Kong by accident when I saw one at Lucky Hi Fi shop , that was a AudioMaster LS3/5A. I bought it at HKD3,000. In Hong Kong, it has been for quite some time but have attracted little attention because they have never really been promoted and they are just too small to look as if they could be worth that kind of money a pair.
Originally designed by the BBC for monitoring of on-location broadcast and recording pickups, they hide most of their cost—a complex equalizer and a complex phase-corrected crossover network—inside a cabinet only slightly larger than a shoe box. They were intended for "close-in" listening in a small control room with some toe-in rather than to fill a large room, and they will definitely not put the kind of levels beloved of rock nuts without woofer-bottoming or ultimately permanent damage.
Despite what must be a rather large amount of built-in bass boost (to compensate for the small size of the woofer), they are fairly inefficient: The best is driving them using a Quad Amplifier such as Quad 33 preamp and Quad 303 Power amplifier.. Quad 303 is one of the best stable amplifier made by Quad, the output circuit design is OTL (output transformer Less design, connect with a1,000 MFD electrolyte Capacitor.
A massive Power transformer, driving current into two pieces of Motorola 2N3055 Transistor.
The bass is tight and good enough to power the L/S35A, I have been using this set-up with Signal from Linn LP12 Turn table, Shure V15 Type V, top of the Shure MM cartridge, it was selling at HKD1,000. It took me a lot of time to save up that amount of money to buy that Expensive cartridge, I am still remembering that I was listenning the telic Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture…. That kind of bass was stunning with this tiny 110 mm woofer on the L/S35A.
After a few years I sold it at HKD2,000. and Now I can see the same Loudspeaker is asking for HKD16,000.00 in the Shops. In Short this setup can be one of the most easy-listening set-up for my entire life of Music appreciation, Later On I changed a Pair of AR16 and the bass was much improved, but it did not have that kind of mellow sweetness on the mid-range and honey like voice of Teresa Tang… After that I started the fever Hi Fi maniac characterization by Changing the equipment frequently. The Nightmare was started then.

Ap Liu Street Snob