Stirling Broadcast's new BBC LS3/6 Reference Loudspeaker. This new loudspeaker is a 3-way loudspeaker designed for Stirling Broadcast by Derek Hughes to be as close to the original BBC LS3/6 specification as was possible with modern components, and built under licence from the BBC. The BBC LS3/6 license was only obtained after submission to the BBC for rigorous examination to ensure adherence to the original specification. The original BBC LS3/6 Loudspeaker was designed as a monitoring loudspeaker for outside broadcast use, as with the smaller LS3/5a speaker. Once the design was finalised Rogers became one of the first companies to produce this complicated design.
The Stirling Broadcast LS3/6 takes advantage of the greater consistency and linearity of modern drive units compared to when the LS3/6 was originally designed.
A very high quality crossover is used to mesh custom made drive units, including a super-tweeter, into thin-wall, birch plywood (9mm ply) cabinets with double thickness rubber damping pads and screw-on, removable front and rear panels, as per the BBC "lossy" cabinet design ideal, as also seen in the Stirling version of the LS3/5a. This new version offers greater power-handling than the original versions from the 1970 and 1980s, and offers the smooth frequency response, very low colouration and good dispersion commensurate to addearing to the specifications of a BBC monitor. The new speaker ideally requires 400mm high stands
Stirling Broadcast BBC LS3/6 Description:
The LS3/6 is a 3 way reflex full range, freestanding assembly, designed to meet the needs of high quality studio monitoring at moderate sound levels. The speaker contains 3 drive units, custom built specifically for this loudspeaker and mounted in a 45litre reflex loaded cabinet, together with a crossover/equaliser unit to match the units and to give the overall level frequency response needed for critical listening. The loudspeaker system has an IEC268 power handling of 90watts continuous, 150watts short term and a frequency response of 45Hz - 17kHz +/-3dB, with crossover points of 3kHz and 13kHz. It possesses a sensitivity of 87dB for 1watt at 1metre, and a maximum output of 107dB. The loudspeaker utilises a 22cm LF drive unit SB-4432, 27mm HF unit SB-4434 and 19mm SHF unit SB-4436, and the nominal impedance is 8ohms. The connections are bi-wired screw terminals accepting both 4mm plugs and bare wires up to 4mm cross sectional area. The cabinet is 30cm wide, 30cm deep and 63cm high and of a thin wall damped construction with internal standing wave damping, finished in pair matched wood veneer with a matt lacquer finish. The weight is 18.5kg.
Power Handling: 90w continuous,150w short term, IEC268 Max Sound Level: 107dB, pair @2m
Input Impedance: 8ohm nominal
Input connections: Bi-wire, 4mm terminals
Frequency Response: 45Hz to 17kHz +/-3dB(On HF axis @1m)
Sensitivity: 87dB/1watt/1m
Cabinet Dimensions: 30cm (12") wide x 30cm (12") deep x 63cm (24")
high LF Drive Unit: SB-4432
HF Drive Unit: SB-4434
SHF Drive Unit: SB-4436
Crossover frequencies: 3kHz, 13kHz
Weight: 18.5kg