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There are a lot of British audio products that are not well known in North America. Ever heard of a LS3/5A? What about a 12" Monitor Gold? And I haven't even mentioned the 401 or the Orbit. These are model numbers that mean mostly nothing outside of Europe, but would have people scrambling to put on the watch list on eBay. None of them would fetch much at a garage sale in North America, but would cause a bidding war on ebay in Europe.
Well, I would not be that sure about LS3/5A not being known in the US. When all the British press was parroting how good it was, I wanted a second opinion. Got it in the Absolute Sound ( US) and Revue du Son ( French). They were both tested in a group of the usual suspects of the day, with some domestic offerings thrown in to spice up the verdict. Absolute Sound preferred LS3/5A over Spendor BC1, Revue du Son exactly the opposite - and they provided the proof for their decision by publishing pulse response of all the speakers tested, where BC1 was clearly the most objectively accurate. Now, keep relatively quiet about it, shall we ? BC1 is by now rare enough to fetch silly money on that ground alone ...
LS3/5A , the original old version by Rogers ( Swisstone Electronics) had KEF T27 tweeter that went way beyond the normal frequency limit of most similar sized tweeters - to approx 40 kHz IIRC. If anyone is familiar with Infinity's EMIT tweeter, almost that kind of extension in the treble - but with far less colouration. Present day T27s and consequently LS3/5As are different, and not for the better - so it is not surprising to see old vintage LS3/5As causing bidding wars. And silly prices. It may be old, it may be diminutive in size, but it is still a very honest quality speaker.
For once, the term "monitor" holds true - it is BBC designed monitor meant for small quarters, like remote recording trucks.
LS3/5A has one nasty quality - impedance peaks at some 60 or so ohms, requiring an amplifier with large enough voltage swing. Of smaller amps, Quad 405 is a good match, as it is designed with so high impedances in mind ( original Quad ELS, now often called 57 ). On paper more powerful amps meant to drive low impedances may well clip into LS3/5A. In the end, the best results I have achieved with it was with Phase Linear 700B - a 350W/8 ohm brute ( I borrowed it from a friend for about a month, could no afford it back then ), that never ran out of steam. This is one incredibly well sung and recorded
http://www.discogs.com/Carl-Orff-Herbert-Kegel-Rundfunkchor-Leipzig-und-Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester-Leipzig-Catulli-Carmina/release/2671922 - to this very day, I do not think it can be appreciably bettered over LS3/5A driven by 700B.
Better/best Tannoys and Garrards are not so well represented outside UK, but they were great back in the day and time took nothing away from their greatness - connoisseurs all over the world cherish them. I admit - Orbit ?????????????????????????
STD is just remote/forgotten enough for the OP to be able to get it at so good price at his location. Lucky guy indeed...
