LS5/8
Not only the LS5/9 and LS5/9f are similar in their presentation. All the Graham Audio speakers have a very similar sound. One could easily combine different models in a surround setup or work with one pair here and another there, without there being a meaningfully different presentation. But, there are some differences, of course.
Despite the enormous difference in size, the huge LS5/8 sounds a lot like the smaller LS5/9. Treble behavior, timbre, dynamics, that voluptuous and relaxed midrange, as well as the size of the soundstage are all very comparable but there seems to be a difference in terms of focus. With the speakers either in the same positions as the LS5/9 or LS5/9f or repositioned, I could not attain quite the same sharp focus. The biggest difference, however, as can be expected, is in the bass. With its much larger 12″ woofers, the LS5/8’s reach significantly deeper. The speakers also sound more sonorous but only when playing music that actually engages these low bass notes. And when they do, boy, do these speakers GO! 40hz +/- 3dB may not sound like an exceptional value when talking about large loudspeakers but with all the Graham Audio speakers, the bass seems to go much lower than specified. It certainly is a lot fuller than that of most other same-sized speakers. I mean, I already consider the small-ish LS5/9’s to sound quite fulsome, so imagine what the LS5/8’s can do! Importantly, these speakers’ bass heft does not influence the clarity of the midrange nor does it diminish any of the other virtues.
Their cabinets’ size really is something to take into account, though, as the LS5/8 even makes the Martin Logan ESL15A’s imposing bottoms look comparatively small. The LS5/8 is capable of 10dB more sound pressure than the two smaller models but as it became clear in my listening sessions, those extra dB’s really are not required for my domestic purposes. Bass depth and output level aside, I do not personally see the benefit of the LS5/8’s over the LS5’9’s but I should also note that I do not tend to listen very loudly.
Amplifiers
All the Graham Audio speakers worked extremely well with the very transparent and highly refined CH Precision A1.5 power amp but its elevated price category will mean that few people will likely use this combination. A much more likely pairing would be with Lejonklou Sagatun preamp and Tundra power amps, which are also supplied by Hexagon Audio. This combination works especially well, further enhancing the speaker’s inherent relaxed nature and smoothness with impressive levels of fluidity and refinement. While I marveled at the subtlety, however, I did note that even the double Tundra Mono Amps did not really provide the solidity and dynamic impact that I felt was ideal for these speakers. An interesting alternative was provided by Bryston. Many people still think that these amps are only good for PA use but if that was even the case then that was 20 years ago. Their current SST3, or Cubed, series of amps are actually smooth, refined, and extremely musical, in addition to being incredibly powerful. When combined with the Grahams, the resulting delivery is smooth and luscious but also dynamic and powerful, all in equal measures and the Brystons’ utter neutrality also paired remarkably well with the colorful Grahams. The 4B has more than enough power already and has a more liquid presentation than its larger brother but the 14B’s tighter and more articulate sound is also seductive and it’s clear that the Grahams highly appreciated the extra power and grip.
Fed directly by the C1 DAC, I found the Graham speakers to sound tightest, most articulate and most highly resolving. Going direct is certainly not always the best solution but eliminating a preamp can have very worthwhile benefits. For instance, with speakers as tight and precise as the Paradigms, leaving out the preamp can lead to a dry and overly controlled sound. Adding the Lejonklou Sagatun to the Graham mix, the sound indeed became smoother and more fluid, and gentler as well, but I felt that the speakers did not really need this. Sweet enough, as the English say:-)
With the big Graham Audio LS5/8’s, coming from smooth and refined Lejonklou, the Electrocompaniet AW180’s sound more direct and more solid in the midrange and much more sonorous in the bass. More solid and percussive too, but this extra fullness arguably also makes the music sound a little “fatter”. Going from the AW180’s to the AW600 Nemos with the big Grahams is very similar to going from the Bryston 4B to the 14B: the bass tightens up and the entire presentation becomes more confident. However, unlike with the Brystons, I don’t feel that the EC’s basic character changes from the 180’s to the 600’s. The latter are just better! In terms of resolution, however, the Electrocompaniets don’t bring out all that the Graham speakers are capable of but even if the Brystons perform a little better in this respect, they, too don’t maximize this aspect. The CH Precision A1.5 and the Lejonklous do, but neither amps have the solidity and live-music like engaging presence in the midrange that the Brystons and Electrocompaniets have. For “rocking out loud”, I found that the Electrocompaniet amps were the best partners. Not quite as high-res and refined as the CH and Lejonklou, a little dark, and not as smooth and transparent as the Brystons but nevertheless highly engaging due to their communicative midrange and very convincing timbre as well as their impactful dynamics and their big and bold bass.
Speaker Cables
Because the Lejonklou amps only facilitate bananas I switched to a (no longer available) Lejonklou-modified Linn K400 speaker cable with banana connectors during the review, but during the amp comparisons, it became clear that the Jorma was much more refined and revealing even if used with banana adapters. The Linn/Lejonklou cable sounds full, smooth, and engaging but it also leaves out a lot of resolution and transparency compared to the Jorma. Nevertheless, the Grahams certainly don’t only sound great with a cable as upscale as the Jorma. Kimber 4TC or 8TC’s, for example, don’t quite have the Jorma’s refinement but also work incredibly well, providing all the liveliness that the Jorma’s are capable of, along with very good transparency.
Tubes
After the interesting results with the various transistor amplifiers, I couldn’t help but wonder how the Grahams would perform with tubes. One could be lead to believe that their inherently relaxed character would by definition not work well with tubes but then one would not consider amps such as the Ayon Spirit III. Unusually solid, lively and articulate for a tube amp, the Ayon made the LS5/9 monitors sound absolutely great in the secondary listening room!
The LS5/8’s are considerably larger than the Xavian Perla Esclusiva’s and, not surprisingly, their bass goes a lot deeper and is also fuller. Not only the bass is different, though, but these speakers also have entirely different presentations. In a nutshell, Graham can be characterized by its luscious, sweet and relaxed midrange while Xavian has a rougher but also more forward, more lively presentation.
Sweeter and slightly more relaxed and not as superbly dynamic and energetic as with the Electrocompaniets or the Brystons, the bass was definitely still tight and the overall delivery was lively and highly involving. Clearly, tubes will work just fine, as long as they are at least as powerful as the Ayon’s double pair of KT150’s. However, as I prefer my sound to be on the powerful and dynamic side and I find the Grahams already rich enough, for me, the Bryston and Electrocompaniet transistor amps provided the most thrilling experience. Your mileage, as they say, may vary.
Conclusion
The Graham Audio loudspeakers all have an absolutely fabulous midrange. Vocals sound incredibly natural and highly convincing and there is a superbly lyrical and immediately emotionally involving quality to their presentation that makes it easy to get lost in the music. It’s not only that the mid-band is superbly liquid, but it is also highly faithful to the source, much more so than most other cabinet speakers. They’re not the tightest or most articulate speakers around but they have deep and luscious bass and a unique, one of a kind, delivery that has to be heard.
External Links
Distributor for the NL/Belgium: hexagonaudio.eu/nl
Manufacturer’s website: Graham Audio
Typo? …for Stirling Broadcast, Graham has been working…
Fantastic loudspeakers. Somewhere along the way we have lost something in a lot of modern designs.
Thanks for pointing out that crooked sentence. Now corrected. And indeed, I agree:-)
Christiaan, recently I started listening to two new pairs of stacked LS3/5a’s in close quarters. All I can say is that very often you will hear a kind of “rightness”, a kind of more “there” there than I experienced with other designs. I cannot pinpoint why this is, but I am convinced that besides thorough engineering a lot of listening was part of the design process of these BBC designs. With deep understanding of music and human ears. Addressing the technical matters that really matter for our ears and balance them in a design seems to be the way they did it. The hunt for dynamic range and resolution, like in photography, does not bring us closer to the emotion by default.
When you say “The hunt for dynamic range and resolution, like in photography, does not bring us closer to the emotion by default” I wholeheartedly agree! And this is precisely what I am advocating in many of my articles. Annoyingly, the two often seem to be even contradictory… Ultimately, I can only describe what I hear (and feel) in relation to other products and the reader can distill from it what is important to them.
Dear Christiaan, thank you for this article. I own a pair of Graham LS3/5 (no A),
9 ohm – 83 db, and I m using it with a small new tube amplifier from Luxman, 10 watt – 6 ohm. They sound great together. I was just wondering how it could be this amplifier matched with Graham LS5/9 or even the new LS6. They both have the same specs, 8 ohm – 87 db . Many thanks . Best regards
Hi Simone, While I have not heard the LS3/5’s in a long time and not in the context of my reference system I can, however, tell you that the LS5/9’s sounded a little too soft and relaxed to me even when powered with the relatively powerful Ayon Spirit III tube amp. Even if the specs are the same I fear that the bigger bass drivers do require more oompf from an amplifier in order to be well-controlled. However, if you like your sound a little round and are not looking for the tightest bass or biggest slam then you might consider testing one of the bigger models with the Luxman.
Would love to hear these Graham speakers with the all new Yamaha A-S3200 Integrated amp! Did you see the latest review on this amp on Low Beats.de ?
I read it indeed and as someone with plenty of Yamaha-experience, I think the A-S3200 may pair very well with Grahams.
Hi, which Bryston amplifier would have more live music like sound while paired with for Graham LS5/9f speakers.
Hi Biju, that would be the 3B Cubed! 14B Cubed is also an option but frankly overkill.
Hi Christiaan, thank you for great reviews! I wanted to ask you an opinion: I am interested in a pair of Graham LS5/9. I have an YBA cd player (CD2 Classic series) and an older YBA 1 alpha preamp, which I like for natural,neutral,airy sound. In this time I’m using them with a pair of ATC actives 50 Anniversary edition (incredibile speakers), that, it hurts me, I need to change because in the new room I have a normal living room and I need smaller speakers. What do you think of using the YBA preamp and a power amp 3BCUBED? the 4Bcubed is out of budget, and I read in your previous review that the 3B3 is a great amp anyway. It would match perfectly with the Graham too , as you said here. I listen to progressive music, also symphonic prog, with a lot of variations and classical music reminiscences. For me bass extension is not so important, it’s more important that the bass section is fast, and controlled. I like neutral sound but with a tip of smoothness in the upper end, and a good sense of rhythm. Otherwise which other amplifiers do you suggest me in the price range of the 3Bcubed of little more pricey?
Hi Christian,
I wanted to rekindle this beautifully written piece with the LS5/5’s. I currently have the BHK Pre -> Bryston 4B3 -> Grahams LS5/5
I was thinking of the Absolare Signature Integrated or the Audionet WATT. do you think any of these combos would sound better than my current combo with the LS5/5 ?
Hi Cell, Ouf, this is a difficult question that requires a good amount of speculation on my part. I’ve not heard the LS5/5 but have spoken with the Dutch distributor about them and I think I have a good sense of how they sound relative to the Graham speakers that I reviewed. I’ve read many Audionet reviews and have a feeling that I would very much like the brand but I’ve yet to hear a unit in a controlled environment.
Absolare, I know only of a friend’s system in which I have heard the all-tube top preamp + mono power amp combo combined with components that I am relatively unfamiliar with and without making any comparisons.
All that said, I am pretty sure that you can expect a leaner, tighter, faster, and more direct sound when going from BHK/4B3 to the Audionet amp. However, the sound will also be less smooth and less rich, less romantic if you will. I’ve only heard the full-tube Absolare pre-power combo and not the hybrid integrated and to be honest, I really don’t know what to expect of it at all.
Hope this helps a little bit.
Christian, what does your „good sense“ tell about the sonic differences between LS5/8 and 5/5? What can I expect from the 3-way design and slotted front of the 5/5? You should indeed review the 5/5, maybe once again in direct comparison to the 5/8! Thanks and best regards, Balázs
Having read all the documentation, I would think that the 5/5’s may sound livelier and more open in the midrange than the 5/8’s, less warm perhaps, but not having heard them, I can only guess. A review has been discussed and may still materialize, but nothing is planned for that ATM.
I have the LS5/9 and since 2 months the 5/5 also. I never heard the 5/8, but based on the Christiaan 5/8 review and comparison with the 5/9 (” I do not personally see the benefit of the LS5/8’s over the LS5’9’s but I should also note that I do not tend to listen very loudly”), the 5/5 are way much better of both 5/9, and 5/8 too……the 5/5 sounds like a big floorstanding speaker, and it has a midrange woofer which adds much more details to the presentation. It seems nore neutral than the 5/9 because the 5/9 presentation has a midrange more forward (voices seem in evidence). With the 5/5 you have a more complete speaker, in the bass region too, obviously. If you buy one of them I do not suggest you to buy the original stands, because a model like the Foundation Designer stands gives much more quality to the sound. I had the origina foundation designer for the 5/9 and now I have build a replica for the 5/5.
Thanks Christian. It certainly does. When and if you do hear the LS5/5 do let us know what your dream pairing is.
Hi Christiaan, could you suggest me a pair of speakers, which have many qualities of the Ls5/9, such as the detail, the total finesse, the transparency, the natural midrange response, the ability to portray each single sound layer of the track and great depth and imaging….
but bigger than 5/9? Apart the 5/8, other brands I mean, to have more impact, more physical presence than the 5/9? Not only bass response, physical global impact I mean.
thank you
David
Actually, I think the Qln Prestige Five’s may be just what you are looking for! Unlike the smaller Qln monitors, they have the Graham’s lushness, liquidity, and natural midrange along with prodigious and super-deep bass. But they are priced quite a bit more extravagantly…
Thanks for the idea, I didn’t know Qln speakers honestly, I search informations about them. How would you consider Wilson Benesch speakers?
For my thoughts on WB, please see my review on this site. In short: they’re very different from Graham.
Ok, WB are different and less “monitor” than Grahams. It’s always difficult to make comparisions without listening, also because you listen to a whole system and not only the speakers. For me, for example, the 5/9 are not warm, they have the medium-range more forward, and this is clear, this is part of the original BBC project, but I don’t feel them warm honestly, they can change their sound and character depending from the recording, if the recording is dryer, they sound dryer, if the recording is warm they sound warm, as a monitor, keeping always an eye on fine detail and resolution. They don’t have always the same sound. Maybe other speakers are always dry for example, I feel that the 5/9 are more natural sounding. This is only my opinion of course with respect. When I had the ATC 50 actives they had a more liquid and fluid sound and a lot of more sense of rhythm and slam, but now I heard even more details than with ATC, which costed a lot more. Maybe now it’s also thanks to the very good Swiss Physics 5 and 6A preamp and amp I use. So, it’s difficult to keep the good things of the 5/9 adding more impact and presence, maybe the 5/5 would be the ideal upgrade.
I was torn between the 5/8 and the 5/9 but can surely follow why you’d find the monitors to sound more natural. When focusing on the midrange, I think I agree. Ultimately, the 5/9’s do so many things so very well that it will be hard to make a marked improvement by going to another model, even from the same vendor, while maintaining everything you like about them. Oh well, you have to try of course. Best of luck!
The Qln you suggested, could be similar to Marten? thank you again
Qln, either the P1 or the P5, don’t sound like Marten at all.
Hi David
I have the integrated Accuphase e560 2 x 30 A watt (actually measured to 55 watt) with the LS3/5 speakers – it’s good. But what do you think about the constellation with the LS5/9? Would the Accuphase be too “laid back” in your opinion? Thanks!
Hi Soren, what do you mean with “constellation”? Actually Christiaan already replied you. Anyway if you are interested I have a pair of LS5/9 on sale in ebony finish. If interested you could contact me writing to : dvlever @ gmail .com (attached) regards
Hi Christian
I have an integrated Accuphase E560 with 2 x 30 A watt (actually measured to 55 A watt) with LS3/5 speakers and this combo is very good. But what do you think about this amplifier with the LS5/9? Can this amplifier manage these speakers? The difference between the sensitive of LS3/5 and LS5/9 is 4 db – 83 db and 87 db. Would that make an difference?
Thanks.
Hi Soren, I think the E560 would be more than adequately powerful with the LS5/9’s. Not only is the bigger model more sensitive, it also sounds more spritely and expansive than the LS3/5’s.
Hi Christian
Sorry about my late reply, but thank you very much! The new thing to me is, that you’re telling me, that the LS5/9 is more spritely and expansive. I didn’t know that, and it’s very interesting for me to know. Thank you!
Indeed, due to its small drivers and small enclosure, and potentially for crossover, or other reasons, the LS3/5’s sound a little restrained to me and indeed less expansive.
Yes, you’re right. The only thing I’m worry about is the bas reflex system. I really like the bass on the LS3/5. Yes it is a small speaker, but the bass is dry and precisely. Maybe the bass reflex system will make a more soft, inaccurate and laid back sound. Thanks!
Not at all, the 5/9 woofer is very accurate, quick, the bass is , of course compatibly with the dimentions, very articulated, precise, and also they have an excellent power handling.
As David mentioned, the LS5/9 does not sound slow but you’re right, it is a bass-reflex design versus a closed cabinet design. This will bring inherent differences and depending on the room, one or the other might work better. Certainly with speakers, it’s always best to audition them in your own room prior to purchasing.