Quick summary - these are extraordinary little speakers that have first-class imaging and are perfect for people who just want beautiful music.
A few months ago my wife asked me why our hi-fi system was so complicated, and pointed out all those years ago when we had some little Spendor LS3/5A speakers and the Olive Nait 3. It just sounded so good, and it was simple. After some research, the BestVox LS3/5A was a standout for the highest quality without going into the $4000-$5000 range. After a few emails traded with River, and I also added the British vintage influenced Raphaelite DP34 tube integrated to my order. 120V wasn't a problem, so I didn't need a voltage transformer.
I've had this system set up next to my other modern Linn system which also shares space with my Focal ST6 Trio pair used for home studio monitoring, and it's everything I thought it would be and more. It's actually an amazing complement to the other two systems.
No matter what I listen to, everything is warm, clear, and full sounding. It doesn't sound colored, it just sounds pure. The imaging is off the charts and these disappear even though they are far from any boundary wall by traditional small-speaker positioning standards.
Orchestral/Symphonic shows a full soundstage and paints a realistic picture as though you were back in the hall. Sure, the Linn system can make you feel like you're front and center with full impact, but then again it costs over 10x what this little setup does. As you might expect, chamber music is a dream and it's like you're in the room with the musicians.
Electronic does really well too, I'm listening to Depeche Mode's Violator as I type this and you can really here the production effort that went into this as the sounds and voices dance around the front of the room. Orbital, FSOL,
Rock and Post-punk? Yep. The new Joy Division Eternal set is great on this system, even the crappy old pub recordings come through with plenty of atmosphere (no pun intended). Killing Joke has all the aggression come through loud and clear, well reasonably loud at least. Aggressive bass guitar isn't deep, but it's present. Midnight Oil is another favorite of mine, their Armistice Day live double-album is a real showcase of how these speakers can disappear even with the wide left/right panning of the two guitarists and the bass, drums, and lead vocals around the center.
So what's missing is low, deep bass and the associated slam. Go figure from a small speaker you're going to lose that. These won't play at concert-level volume either, but my wife (and neighbors) appreciate that.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this system to anyone looking for a home office setup that will just disappear and let you enjoy music while you work. Same goes for evening listening sessions where you just want to chill and relax. It's not for hyper-analytical audiophiles who care about every absolute accuracy and are chasing perfection. This system is just set it up, move the speakers around a bit, then forget about it and focus on what you're going to play next.
There's not much out there on the Raphaelite amps, but it's interesting to note that the DP34 uses EL34 tubes which are more famous for being used in Marshall and other British guitar amps than in hi-fi (PrimaLuna and Cayin do use them too). They make an 8/16 ohm version that is designed around the traditional 15-ohm LS3/5A too, and that's the one I ordered.
As for setup, I grabbed some affordable Belkin speaker wire (the black and orange stuff) from ebay and some Duelund interconnects from Parts Connexion to stay true to the vintage vibe. Those have worked very well, better than the higher priced Transparent and Cardas options I also had available. I also picked up a used Border Patrol tube DAC and that's working very well too. Source is Qobuz and FLAC library all through a Roon Nucleus connected via USB to the DAC.
I was looking for a pair of stands for my Rogers Studio 1a. ChatGPT suggested MySpeakerStands. This was a custom request. My email was promptly replied to by River who is absolutely amazing and responsive. I provided the measurements and approved the final drawings. Stands arrived a few weeks later packed bomb proof. Setup was really simple with the supplied instructions. The stands are absolutely rock solid made with absolute precision. My highest recommendation. Simply outstanding service and product.
These are beautiful stands. Beautifully crafted. The instructions were easy to follow. My 40 year old Linn Kans sound beautiful on them and fit perfectly. And I can get them close enough to the back wall for the loudspeakers to work as they were designed. Thanks again.
The stands for the Falcon LS3/5/A are spot on. Given the BBC monitors' light weight I wanted heavy and sturdy stands and these solid steel stands fit the bill. With a little bit of Blu Tack, the speakers and the stands are one sturdy piece! They let the BBC monitors play at their best!
At first I was curious about the effect of the stand. I thought the effect is minimal before I met My SpeakerStands. This is fantastic! It make the sound more analogue , the base becomes clear and I feel the sound becomes very attractive. Totally the sounds becomes acoustic and beautiful .
I use digital streamimg source, but I feel very acoustic.
My BestVox M9 monitors were carefully packed in makeshift crates for delivery. Although one was apparently opened in customs, the speakers arrived in pristine condition. The M9s, large bookshelf-class monitors, are solidly constucted with very attractive matched veneers. They sound incredible and as advertised - a classic BBC inspired monitor sound but with a modern sense of accuracy. Great imaging and soundstage. The mid-woofer has great transparency and is really well integrated with/ Vifa tweeter. My M9s replaced an older pair of Audio Note AN-K specials. I primarily listen to classical and jazz - acoustic instruments. The M9s deliver a precise, non-fatiguing sound that is not overly-warm. They are built great and my impression is they are well designed. Overall, a great experience working w/ myspeakerstands.com.
These stands are perfect fit for my speakers and the sound is simply sublime. Very easy to assembly.
Customer service was fantastic with several follow up emails. It was a pleasure do deal with you!
First I have to say something about the appearance. These speakers are beautiful if you like the old box British speaker look. The cherry finish is gorgeous and smooth just like Tomas&Stereo said about the original Rogers LS 5/9’s he reviewed. Also I don’t believe the originals were mirror imaged. These are and I appreciate that.
I have only had these speakers for 2 days but I listened to them for many hours yesterday. (too many hours.) They are so non-fatiguing and easy to listen to without being boring. This is likely my end game speaker. They are so good in my smallish room (10.5 feet x 18 feet) with my Hegel H150 int amp. (I imagine they might be better with tubes.) But this is a solid match.
These are fantastic stands. Visually much nicer than the originals. Also significantly cheaper. Reception was earlier than expected. Communication was perfect. I'm happy. Thank you, River.
I ordered a custom size stand (shorter height) to fit my Spendor Classic 2/3 speakers. During the very easy order process, I was sent diagrams with very clear measurements to confirm that the custom size met my expectation. Also, I was told that the custom stands would take a bit longer and so they wisely set my expectations on how long it would take. I received these in very reasonable time and the assembly was a piece of cake. These are machined so precisely that all of the parts fit perfectly together. Setting my speakers on the stands, it is apparent they are made expressly for this model of speaker. The Spendor speakers are designed with a thin cabinet that lets the cabinet itself vibrate and these stands support the speaker only at joints where that cabinet vibration is at a minimum. Very, very happy with the quality and design of these speaker stands and I can wholly recommend them for anyone needing stands for Spendor Classics. Well done!
Having tested the speakers for over 20 hours, I have to say I’m completely won over. I’ve had some very good compact speakers in the past, but the M7s are in a league of their own. For their size, they deliver impressive bass depth without sounding excessive. They’re the perfect choice for my small listening room (12 square metres). I’m very satisfied.
Fantastic stands. Very high-quality. Easy to assemble. As good or even better than known brands.
The product arrived in good order and met my expectations. Communication was great throughout the entire transaction. I highly recommend this product.
River and the team have been absolutely fabulous to deal with. I have not come across better made speaker stands that do not cost the earth! The Spotless stands for my new Harbeths P3esr XDs are exactly what I hoped they would be. Beautifully made and heavy.
Communications from beginning to end of the whole process was exceptional. Highly recommended
I did not imagine how sturdy and heavy . The stand are made very sturdy and solid with great effect in terms of sound quality . And looks great too.
Many thanks .
I have reeived the speaker stands. I must say they are fantastic quality, very well made, super easy to put together, the speakers well and supported and importantly the speakers now have the fundation to sound as good as they can.
The speaker stands arrived safely. Thanks for the speedy shipment. They fit the p3esr-xd speaker perfectly, and more importantly don’t resonate a bit. It sounds sublime. Thanks again for your attention to detail and customer service.
Apologies for the follow-up, but I was away, returning only today. But I am very happy to report that the new bars work exactly as expected and the problem is solved (pic attached). Thank you for your support is reaching an amicable outcome!
Your stands fit the P3ESR speakers perfectly and make a wonderful contribution to my musical enjoyment. They uniquely combine massive sturdiness with delicacy of appearance, blending seemingly incompatible qualities to yield the most life-size, natural sound I’ve ever heard from small speakers. Expensive but worth it.
Thanks for checking in on the delivery of the speaker stands. Yes I did receive them yesterday and just set them up and so far so good, although I haven’t had a chance to do any serious listening but I will do so soon. They have arrived safely and as advertised. Thank you very much.
The stands arrived yesterday. I have the Graham LS 3/5 on your stands in music room. As promised, they are of fantastic quality! I am really delighted! The packaging was also perfect!
The stands have arrived and I have assembled them. Exceptional quality, fantastic! Everything perfect and great customer care. I will recommend your shop to my friends.
The stands have arrived and I’m delighted with the quality. Thank you for your help with the process.
The shipment did arrive yesterday and the speaker stands are assembled. Exceptional quality. Thanks a lot.