Ls 3/5a sound without the price.....

The BBC replaced their LS3/5's with dynaudioacoustic BM5's.
Might be worth a try and they are cheap as well.

If you like the LS3/5a, buy a used pair (about $600). The original Kans are the complete antithesis of the LS3/5a, despite their outward similarities!

Keith

LP12/Ekos/Argo
Denon AU320
Hafler 101/200
Rogers LS3/5a

Almost nothing emulates an LS3/5a. I bought my first pair in 1976 and used them as main speakers more often then not until 2002. I have four suggestions: 1. Buy a used pair of LS3/5as; 2/ Spendor S3/5 or S3/5se, depending on your preference; Zu Tone; Silverline SR16.

The Spendor is as close as you can get to an LS3/5a without buying an LS3/5a, yet still it is decidely less "vintage." The Zu Tone shares the BBC monitor's pinpoint imaging and ability to disappear while offering more integrated transient consistency than the LS3/5a and 101/db/w/m efficiency to be useful with tonally superior SET amps. The Silverline SR16 is as close as you can get to an LS3/5a with greater powerhandling and some bass extension.

Phil

My upstair system is with the LS3/5a set up. So far, the only successful system which I was able to build to give me really more for everything the LS3/5a has is the Avalon Ediolon for my downstair set up. Ediolon is driven by a pair of MC-275 McIntosh in mono. The amps is paird with CAT Ultimate preamp. More details with spooky mids,wide sound stage and deep bass. It was painful for me to take couple of years to fine tune the final positioning of these speakers and also to adjust the acoustic of my hall, it is too highly sensitive speakers I ever experienced.