GRAHAM LS8/1 DEREK HUGHES SIGNATURE (LIMITED EDITION)

Pair of floorstanding loudspeakers, stands are included in the price

The LS8/1 is Graham Audio's take on the classic 8 inch bass driver in a 2 cubic foot box format, as used by many designers over the years, including our own Derek Hughes (and his father Spencer, who of course designed the BBC LS3/6).

Some earlier models suffered from reliability problems because of limited power handling. Some had a bass response that didn't work optimally in domestic listening environments. But many were able to give hi-fi enthusiasts their first taste of studio monitor neutrality, especially through the midrange, thanks to the "thinwall" cabinet construction and the innovative - for the time - use of plastics for the mid-bass driver diaphragm.

The Graham Audio LS8/1 draws on decades of experience and modern techniques. High temperature motor design and materials permit much greater power handling than ever, while building on the midrange openess and resolution of the original LS3/6. Sophisticated soft-dome units are used for the tweeter and super-tweeter, both with protective metal grilles, and in common with many Graham Audio designs, the HF level can easily be adjusted from the front panel to help match the loudspeakers to the acoustic environment they are being used in. To do so, the grille can readily be removed as it is held in place with concealed magnets. As with the original LS3/6, the front and rear panels are attached to the cabinet with srews rather than glued joints, helping to reduce colouration by decoupling the panels, and easing future maintenance, should that become necessary. High quality birch ply is used beneath the premium hand-matched veneers.

Specifications
System    3 Way, reflex loading
Enclosure    Thin wall damped construction, birch plywood
Finish    Real wood veneer
Dimensions (w/h/d)    30cm by 63.5cm by 30cm
Weight    17kg
Frequency response    45Hz to 20kHz, ±3dB
Nominal impedance    8Ω
Sensitivity    87dB SPL (2.83V, 1m)
Maximum output    Over 100dB for a pair at 2m
Bass    200mm
Tweeter    26mm soft dome
Super tweeter    19mm soft dome
Recommended amplifier power    50 to 250 watts unclipped programme
Crossover    3.5kHz, 14kHz