Graham Audio LS5/5 Loudspeaker
When we first received the Graham revised LS5/5, we were coming off of our audition of the Graham LS5/8 which we thought was superb. There are many resolute loudspeakers in today’s market but few equal the redesigned LS5/5 for its ability to deliver the emoticon & passion in the music. Its a conduit for midrange magic, capable of uplifting the listener with joy or dropping him to his knees with tears of sadness. Such is the power of music … the sound of God whispering in your ear. – Philip O’Hanlon, On A Higher Note
Originally designed in 1967, the BBC was very proud of the LS5/5 design and it was considered by many at the BBC to be their best speaker they ever designed which they use for monitoring their recordings of classical music. However, when the Rock n Roll era came about the engineers found that the LS5/5 would not play loud enough, so they came out with the LS5/8.
Our source revealed that the BBC have used these speakers for decades for microphone calibration to ensure that the microphones meet the BBC’s technical specifications. When you consider that the BBC has access to pretty much anything in today’s market, this is a huge praise for the original LS5/5 design.
Fast forward to 2019 and with the use of higher quality magnets, drivers, glue, crossover components; the revised LS5/5 now has 10dB greater power handling/output. This is eight times louder than the original. As you can see from the White Paper (click here), the original LS5/5 was powered by an onboard 25 WPC amplifier. The 2019 Graham revised LS5/5 is a passive design.
An engineer from the BBC described the LS5/5 as the best speaker that the BBC ever designed. It was replaced by the LS5/8 at the advent of the Rock era in the seventies, as the artists wanted speakers that could play louder. Derek Hughes 2019 version of the 5/5 has 9dB greater power handling due to the improvements over the past fifty years in magnets, glues, cabling, capacitors, coils etc. The wood slots covering the bass drivers control the dispersion and make the speakers easier to position in a room. ¾ of the volume in size of the 5/8, it has an 8” woofer for the midrange in its own sealed compartment. A more complex crossover accounts for much of the weight differential, the smaller speaker is some 20 – 30lbs heavier than its larger sibling.
“Sonically, the 5/5 has considerably more information across the midrange than the 5-8. There is a refinement present that many competitors could only aspire to but don’t have the resources to realize. The bass is tighter & better defined. There is no loss of the midrange magic (realism) that the BBC is justifiably proud of.” – Steve Williams, Whatsbestforum
The LS5/5 is available in Cherry and Oak. Optional Finishes available with tiered pricing (Rosewood and Walnut, and Ebony).
Choice of fasteners: zinc plated (for light cabinets), painted steel black (for dark cabinets)
| Specification of LS5/5 | |
| System | 3 way reflex loading |
| Enclosure | Thin Wall Damped construction, stand mount |
| Recommended Amplifier Power | 50-200 watts unclipped program |
| Sensitivity | 88 dB/2.83v/1m |
| Maximum Output | Over 104dB for a pair at 2m |
| Nominal Impedance | 8 ohms |
| Response | 40Hz-20kHz +/-2dB |
| Crossover Point | 400Hz, 3.5kHz |
| Dimensions | 70cm h x 36cm w x 48cm d |
| Weight | 35.5kg |
| Connectors | Gold plated terminals |
| Bass | Long Throw 300mm |
| Midrange | 200mm |
| HF | 25mm Soft Dome Tweeter |
No product documentation found.
Q: Why are there slots in front of the drivers for the LS5/5?
A: All drivers are non linear in their output. As frequency rises, the output diminishes. When one goes up in volume, the drivers project sound to a more focused point in one direction. The slotted baffle smooths out the integration between all drivers, forcing the drivers to have a more linear output across the frequency response and the sound to disperse more evenly. It makes the presentation more natural, achieving a much wider sweet spot, and a smoother response.
From a practical standpoint, it makes the speakers easier to place in the room. This practice was discontinued for marketing reasons and not for sound quality.
For a more detailed explanation, refer to Graham Audio’s write up on this subject: https://www.grahamaudio.co.uk/technology/slotted-baffles/
1 review for Graham Audio LS5/5 Loudspeaker
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Its combination of a wide dynamic window and a clean well-controlled cabinet when it comes to resonances and other spurious noises translates into truly refined and exquisite resolution, such that all details are there in right and just proportions, with nothing overemphasized and no hint of an edgy or overly analytical presentation, unless of course that is what is on the recording… the LS5/5 always appeared to speak with a single voice from top to bottom with great transparency and outstanding coherence… This loudspeaker belongs to a tiny group of my own personal “elite” that I could happily live with the remainder of my days, confident that I would hear every source reproduced to an extremely high level of fidelity indeed.
Paul Seydor, The Absolute Sound, Oct, 2022 <see full review PDF here> or online posting at the magazine dated Jan, 2023 here
“Used by the BBC for decades for testing microphones. The updated 2019 version has 9dB greater power handling than the original 1967 design. Did someone say the finest loudspeaker that the BBC ever designed?
The speakers projected a big, finely layered picture, reinforced by good bass weight. Bass response is said to go down to 40Hz. This being a BBC design, it is in that crucial midband, between 400Hz and 2.5kHz, where the LS5/5 performed most of its magic, delivering great tone, warmth, and a level of intimacy that made tracks like Karan Casey’s “One I Love” and London Grammar’s “If You Wait” heart-aching.Robert Schryer, Stereophile, Sept. 2019 <learn more>
Billy Carter –
Excelllent Sound, very smooth. Good base. Sounds good close up or back 10-15 feet. Vocals are a real strengh. Liked them so much I bought a pair. My only complaint, no boxes yet.
On a Higher Note –
New packaging is coming in the next shipment. Your dealer will reach out. Thank you for your patience.