Falcon LS3/5a Gold Badge – The KEY Differences

In 2019, Falcon Acoustics passionately created a replica of the BBC’s last 1974 LS3/5a prototype, which they executed with utmost precision. This replica was launched as a limited edition of 50 pairs called the “Kingswood Warren Limited Edition,” paying homage to the BBC’s Kingswood Warren Technical Research Department, where the original LS3/5a monitors were born. Impressively, all 50 pairs were sold within eight days at $8,000 per pair.

According to the press release received from Falcon’s CEO, Jerry Bloomfield, “The Kingswood Warrens” featured redesigned inductors from the BBC’s Research and Development Department, special polycarbonate film capacitors refabricated by Falcon, and ultra-low inductance resistors – all in very limited quantities dictated by the availability of rare original materials preserved or acquired by Falcon. Bloomfield expressed that the passionate reception of Kingswood Warren surprised them and that its improved sound quality left an even greater impact.

“Consequently, we decided to explore how much of the Kingswood Warren’s sonic experience we could incorporate into our regular production LS3/5a models.”

“Historically, the transformers used from the initial production of LS3/5a onwards were made smaller than the BBC prototypes to save costs. We intentionally reversed that trend: the Gold Badge BBC LS3/5a filters incorporate larger inductors, BBC-style transformers, compared to previous versions. This results in lower distortion, improved saturation levels, and additional bass enhancement. My experiences in amplifier design taught me that replacing a physically smaller inductor (with higher resistance) with a larger one (with lower resistance) of the same inductance will reduce noise and increase low-level dynamics.”

“Then we looked at the capacitors,” Bloomfield continued.

The polycarbonate film has not been manufactured for over 30 years. Fortunately, we had some left for the Kingswood Warrens, and this allowed us to develop new Falcon capacitors using a graded polypropylene film, which provides a sonic signature very similar to the ones used in the Kingswood Warren Limited Edition, instead of the polyester film typically used. The new capacitors offer cleaner and more defined sound, adding an extra level of precision that I describe as being able to hear the spaces between the notes. All these advancements came together to create the Falcon Gold Badge LS3/5a crossover, which has now received registered design status from the BBC. Additionally, we use 100% UK/EU-made components.”

The KEY DIFFERENCES with its counterparts lie in a tighter bass with improved textures, resulting in a greater ability to “sync” with rhythms. This is accompanied by a more open midrange, delivering clearer and freer-sounding highs.

“It’s a subtle, but real and easily discernible difference.”

JMF Audio in AXPONA 2022

Chicago’s Shaumburg Convention Center, top floor, Presidential Suite, was the place where the latest version of the JMF Audio analog amplification line was presented. A first in the USA since the introduction in the recording studios of Nashville in 1989.

AXPONA 2022 inaugurated JMF Audio’s North American representation by Audio Skies, a long established Los Angeles based company.

The JMF Audio instruments for the music were presented in the new Orose ® black case finish. It was a pleasure to unveil the following exclusives to the North American music lovers:

– HQS 6002 dual-mono power amplifier, new version G

– PRS 1.5 dual-mono preamplifier, new version F, with the MBR1 remote control

– PCD 102 dual-section mains filter, powering JMF Audio electronic components for the first time

– PC3 version D power cord, featuring the new JMF Audio IEC carbon plug, the very first model built

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Links to online reviews:

You can read the original article here.

 

Kyomi Audio, Ideon, Audio Skies, JMF, Stealth, Vivid, and Finite Elemente – Jason Victor Serinus, Stereophile (Abril 2022)

Review of the presence of JMF Audio in AXPONA 2022 by Jason Victor Serius, Stereophile (April 2022)

“The sound was natural and warm, with correct timbres and no edge or glare. If I must be real picky, I could have done with a bit more transparency and bigger images. But in the context of an audio show, this was world-class sound. When, on a Ray Brown recording of “You Look Good to Me,” a chime of some sort resonated from the right channel, it struck me as one of the most perfect reproductions of that sound I’ve ever experienced.”

Jason Victor Serius, Stereophile (April 2022)

 

You can read the complete original review here.

Session in The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (APA) with JMF Audio PCD102

Demostration of the JMF Audio PCD102 power conditioner in The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (APA), with the intervention of the professor Stephen Chow (Chairman of the APA Council 校董 會 主席), Professor Gillian A. Choa (Director 校長 of APA), Professor Martin Lau (Dean 院長 of the Chinese Opera School), Wa Yuen (Associate Dean 副 院長 and Chief Designer and media technology), Albert Ho (music recording teacher) and Sanco Lee (sound technical manager).

You can read the entire article here.

Stereophile Recommended Componentes 2021 Class A: Falcon LS3/5a Gold Badge

Falcon Loudspeakers LS3/5a, los únicos LS3/5a Golden Badge en conseguir ser “Clase A” de Stereophile “Recommended Componentes 2021”, en toda la historia de la revista.

En su número 472:

  • Recommended Products: en la página 89, en la sección “A” altavoces con rango limitado de baja frecuencia
  • Banco de prueba en la sección “Follow Up – by Herb Reichert and Rob Schryer: FALCON LS3/5A GOLD BADGE LOUDSPEAKER”, páginas 159 a 165

Se puede leer el artículo completo aquí.

 

 

Miscendo Studios Paris presented in Pro Sound magazine (UK)

Interview with owner, producer and sound engineer Nicolas Stawski, extract:
“This is the result of a lot of deep reflections with company JMF Audio. I was a great fan of their amplifiers, but also of their mentality and approach regarding monitoring. By identifying my needs, they offered me this set-up we tested out. This was, in my sense, the right answer to my needs. My set-up goes straight from the console to the amplifiers, which gives me the most straightforward sound”. Nicolas Stawski (Nico Staf) has been one of the most demanded sound engineer in France (multi platinium albums) and previously worked freelance in famed studios (Studios Grande Armée Paris, Larrabee Studios Los Angeles…).
The Miscendo Studios are equipped with JMF Audio HQS 9001 power amplifiers, PC3 power cords, SR8 speaker cables, custom monitors (20Hz); which make it one of the largest and finest standalone monitoring in operation in the world. Congratulations Nicolas.

JMF Audio has been the choice of numerous discerning professionals over the decades, from the world class Masterfonics Mix room of Nashville in 1989 to the most recent purist label 2L of Norway in 2016 (classical music, multi Grammy Awards nominee). Such an universality may suggest genuineness…