GINI Systems LS3/5A loudspeaker kits 

 

 

BBC-developed LS3/5A mini-monitors enjoy status as legitimate high-end audio legends. Though not without limitations, there’s just something inherently right about the sound of a good pair of LS3/5As, so that many enthusiasts feel they make ideal “put the music first� speakers, especially for listening at moderate levels in smaller rooms. The only catch is that modern era replicas of the now decades-old speaker design will set you back the better part of $2k. Or at least that was the case until GINI systems came along. 

  

 

At CES 2007, GINI announced that it would soon be offering easy-to-assemble LS3/5A speaker kits, priced at just $560/pair. GINI’s Alfie Lew asserted that the drive units used in the GINI kit conform to the original BBC LS3/5A specification, though eagle-eyed observers will note that the surface textures of the GINI mid-bass driver diaphragms look slightly different from those of the KEF B110 mid-bass drivers used in the original design. But the real proof comes in the listening, and as a test I asked a friend who once owned LS3/5As to sample the GINIs and render a verdict. My friend’s impression: “The GINIs really take me back: I had forgotten how engaging the LS3/5As can sound.�

My thought is that the GINI kit gives modern-day enthusiasts a chance to visit (or re-visit) the sound of an acknowledged audio classic, for not a lot of money.

Return to CES 2007 Report