BBC LS 1/8 Powered Speaker

In any radio studio you have to have a loudspeaker in order to hear what is being fed through the mixing desk. The WTBS studios were no exception. In this role the powered LS 1/8 model speaker was ideal for the job.

A Simple Speaker for a Simple Job

The essence of the WTBS studio equipment was ease of use.

It was recognised that these studios were not going top be used for anythiong other than the broadcasting of simple messages and announcements, hence they did not require equipment capable of music recording or drama.

But it still had to be reliable. The simple speaker-and-amplifier-in-a-box concept of the LS 1/8 was ideal in this regard. 

With the Grill Removed

Showing the two tweeters and bass driver.

With no disrespect to Keith Monks Audio, the LS 1/8 was not designed a critcal monitoring speaker, that task was left to legendary BBC speaker designs such as the BC1, SP1, LS 3/5 and LS5/8 driven by separate amplifiers.

The LS1/8 was designed for simple use in an office enviroment, perhaps  connected to the BBC building "Ringmain".  This was a box on the wall in every production office in every BBC bulding that carried audio feeds, selected by a rotary switch, of BBC radio services and internal feeds such as news wires. 

And yes, the card board bass-extension tube at the top does look like a toilet roll!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the WTBS Studio

A 1990s era black version of the LS1/8 in t he Hack Green Cold War Museum BBC WTBS studio. It was relocated with the other  equipment from the Cultybraggan bunker.

It differed only in the colour of the grill and wood laminate, perhaps in an effort to make it look less "1960s"!

In use it was mounted on a Unicol wall fixing speaker bracket as shown here.