Graham/Chartwell LS3/5 vs. ProAc Tablette 10 ...?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by bhazen, May 15, 2017.

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  1. bhazen

    bhazen I Am The Walrus Thread Starter

    Location:
    Deepest suburbia
    Okay, borrowed some Tablette 10's from my local for a try. Gorgeous tiger-stripe ebony (I think). Got 'em up against the wall, like old-school Linn or Naim setups. We shall see! :)
     
  2. Mugrug12

    Mugrug12 The Jungle Is a Skyscraper

    Location:
    Massachusetts
    Let us know what you think! I can't comment on those specifically
    But i have the graham ls5/9's. Best speakers that have ever been in this house, by far....
     
  3. bhazen

    bhazen I Am The Walrus Thread Starter

    Location:
    Deepest suburbia
    Wow, I've heard those. Selectable tweeter level, right ...? Gorgeous sound. 'Cousin' to Harbeth 30 series?
     
  4. Mugrug12

    Mugrug12 The Jungle Is a Skyscraper

    Location:
    Massachusetts
    Graham said it's not to be adjusted. It's there for when they do qc I think? Don't quote me on that one!
     
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  5. art

    art Senior Member

    Location:
    520
    Just got the graham l5s8. Best speaker on earth. Convinced.
     
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  6. Shiver

    Shiver Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Yeah, one of the nicest speakers I've ever heard. Just so... Right.
     
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  7. gryphongryph

    gryphongryph Forum Resident

    Location:
    Faroe Islands
    Can not agree more about the Graham LS 5/9 fantastic speakers, what amps are you guys using with them ?
    Sorry did not mean to derail the tread.
     
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  8. bhazen

    bhazen I Am The Walrus Thread Starter

    Location:
    Deepest suburbia
    Interesting!! If so, an odd thing to have accessible to the fiddling mitts of the end-user! :)
     
  9. ls35a

    ls35a Forum Resident

    Location:
    Eagle, Idaho
    I'm now using the 10's in a small room (approx 11x10) on bookcases, run by a EL84 Quad tube amp (15wpc).

    It's an amazing setup, reminds me of my Quads.
     
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  10. Mugrug12

    Mugrug12 The Jungle Is a Skyscraper

    Location:
    Massachusetts
    Yes it voids the warranty even. Maybe there's a different speaker from them that is user adjustable though.

    I use McIntosh tube goodies w mine to answer the other fella. Mc275 w modern c2300 pre.
     
  11. bhazen

    bhazen I Am The Walrus Thread Starter

    Location:
    Deepest suburbia
    Nope, these were LS5/9's. :)

    I thought they were utterly wonderful, when I attended an invitation-only demo of those and the LS3/5's (the latter which I bought, being, erm, 'affordable' for me.)
     
    Last edited: Mar 23, 2018
  12. Mugrug12

    Mugrug12 The Jungle Is a Skyscraper

    Location:
    Massachusetts
    It's the first speaker I've owned where I've never thought "I wish it did x or y better etc". The true proof of how much I love them- I never think about them once while listening. I'll think about how the record could be better, or the cartridge and pre-amp could be improved. My speakers never even cross my mind now.

    I thought the harbeths 30 sounded nice but they were in a store so everything else was different too. of the speakers I've had, these take the cake.
     
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  13. ls35a

    ls35a Forum Resident

    Location:
    Eagle, Idaho
  14. bhazen

    bhazen I Am The Walrus Thread Starter

    Location:
    Deepest suburbia
    ... so far, the Tab 10's sound remarkably close to my Graham LS3/5's; even considering the different setups (I use the 3/5's about a foot out into the room and toed-in slightly; the Tab 10's, up against the wall and firing straight ahead.) At the moment I'm listening to the Tablettes, will swap the 3/5's back in at some point this weekend. Right now I suspect it'd be a sideways move. But I haven't done an a/b with Nick Drake yet; usually the winner for me is which ones make Nick sound like he's more "in the room" with me. :)
     
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  15. Andy Saunders

    Andy Saunders Always a pleasure never a chore

    Location:
    England
    @Blazen any further thoughts on the Tab 10 vs Graham LS3/5A? :)
     
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  16. bhazen

    bhazen I Am The Walrus Thread Starter

    Location:
    Deepest suburbia
    LS3/5, no 'A'. Confusing, as they also now make an LS3/5A as well ...!

    After living with the Tablette 10's for a bit, I decided to move on from them. Not a bad speaker at all; but I felt the treble was slightly 'disconnected' from the rest of the frequencies. Not quite as natural-sounding as I'd hoped.

    This has been my year of trying all sorts of speakers ... back with Harbeth P3ESR's ... now trying some Chartwell LS6's. These are a bit bigger, heading towards C7ES3 or maybe 30.1 territory. 'Scale' much bigger than the LS3/5A-style speakers.
     
    Last edited: Jun 8, 2019
  17. Andy Saunders

    Andy Saunders Always a pleasure never a chore

    Location:
    England
    Did the Grahams do rock music at all?

    Just curious.
     
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  18. bhazen

    bhazen I Am The Walrus Thread Starter

    Location:
    Deepest suburbia
    Which Grahams? ...

    The LS3/5's do it like P3ESR's. Works for me. My Graham/Chartwell LS6'S have the extra octave of bass, and yeah. They should rock for anyone. :)
     
  19. Andy Saunders

    Andy Saunders Always a pleasure never a chore

    Location:
    England
    Sorry meant the smaller Grahams.:)
     
  20. yunie_

    yunie_ Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Singapore
    @bhazen may I know how's your comparison of ls6 with ls3/5? I have the ls6 and was wondering if ls3/5 is better considering that I've read people say that it's more magical even if ls6 has deeper bass
     
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  21. bhazen

    bhazen I Am The Walrus Thread Starter

    Location:
    Deepest suburbia
    Oh boy ... a tough question.

    They both share an essential Chartwell trait: a deep, transparent midrange. I might rate those a draw, though I've not compared them side-by-side. Yes, the LS6 has deeper bass; but the reason I chose the LS6 as my current speaker is, everything seems more 'life-size'. At the dealer where I get my Chartwells, they seem pretty high on the new Chartwell LS3/5A as having a particularly magic midrange. :) As always, you'll need to be the judge ...
     
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  22. yunie_

    yunie_ Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Singapore
    ah right. having the ls6 now, it always seem to me stupid to get a ls3/5.

    what did you use to power them btw?
     
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  23. yunie_

    yunie_ Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Singapore
    anyway, I've looked through some of your posts and you seem to be in a similar position as me when it comes to room size and speakers.

    and don't mind me saying, as much as we like to spend on gears to get the best possible sound, you and I both know that we are very limited by our room and we perhaps have the best speakers for our room yet can't control the urge to upgrade or change. its not going to help anyway.

    i have a harbeth 30.1 previously, which you seem to incorrectly equate to ls6. it is not, it is a size bigger than ls6 and is in direct comparison with graham ls5/9.
    the harbeth 30.1 has overwhelming bass.

    as you get used to the sweetness of ls3/5 types of speakers, it is just not gonna be that sweet anymore, no matter if you change to different manufacturers.

    what i can suggest is getting a different type of speakers with different strengths. then switch between the two once in a while so you appreciate the sweetness of your graham. I rotate between LS6 and ATC scm11. works for me.
     
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  24. TEA FOR ONE

    TEA FOR ONE Listening to the world one note at a time

    Location:
    Rochester,NY
    Interesting thread! As an owner of the Graham Chartwell LS3/5's(no A) I will be curious as to the comparison to the Harbeth P3's. The Harbeths were the speakers I was originally interested in. In reading,I came up on the G/C's and my focus changed. I am very happy with these. I still haven't heard the Harbeths. Go figure.
     
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  25. bhazen

    bhazen I Am The Walrus Thread Starter

    Location:
    Deepest suburbia
    Actually, I was thinking the LS6 is in a similar class to the C7ES3. And a lot less $$$. :) (That judgement is, of course, VERY subjective.) The LS6 does, for me, what the C7's did, but with more bass control* and smaller size -- and more importantly, more clarity and depth -- in my room. <----- the usual disclaimer. ;)



    *The C7ES3's I had never fit properly in my room -- bass was uncontrollable. YMMV!! to anyone reading this; they're lovely speakers in other rooms.
     
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