Marantz LS-5V (circa 1998)
The Marantz LS-5V is a small, sealed bookshelf speaker from the late 1990s. It is a 2-way, 2-speaker system. The cone woofer has a high-compliance roll edge and a highly heat-resistant 4-layer voice coil, and it is paired with a soft dome tweeter. The cabinet is sealed (acoustic suspension style) and magnetically shielded, so it can sit near a television. That fits a late-90s mini-system or home theater setup.
The published specs are modest, which suits the size. Frequency response is 70 Hz to 22 kHz, impedance is 6 ohms, output sound pressure level is 85 dB/W/m, rated input is 40W, and max input is 80W. Each speaker measures just 128 x 204 x 143 mm (W x H x D) and weighs 2.0 kg. One Russian listing gives approximate dimensions of 20.5 cm high, 12.5 cm wide, and 13.5 cm deep. The original Japanese price was ¥20,000 for a pair around 1998. The rear panel uses a large crimping terminal that takes banana plugs.
Documentation on the LS-5V is thin. No official brochure, manual, or period review has surfaced, and its position within the Marantz speaker lineup of that era is undocumented. What is known comes largely from a spec database entry and scattered secondhand market listings. The speaker turns up on the used market occasionally. A 2012 forum post on review33.com is a "WTB" (want-to-buy) request for a secondhand pair. Listings have also appeared on Russian classifieds, where one seller says the speakers "sound amazing" for their minimal dimensions and deliver "quite acceptable volume without distortion," with a surprising amount of bass for their size.
The LS-5V is an obscure corner of Marantz's late-90s catalog. It was likely sold primarily in Japan. It is small, shielded, well-built, and competent for near-field listening, but it has none of the cult following of Marantz's 1970s classics.
- Type: 2-way, 2-speaker, sealed bookshelf, magnetically shielded
- Woofer: cone type with high-compliance roll edge, 4-layer voice coil
- Tweeter: soft dome
- Frequency response: 70 Hz – 22 kHz
- Impedance: 6 Ω
- Output SPL: 85 dB/W/m
- Rated / max input: 40W / 80W
- Dimensions: 128 × 204 × 143 mm (W×H×D) (one Russian listing gives approx. 20.5 cm H × 12.5 cm W × 13.5 cm D, conflicting)
- Weight: 2.0 kg
- Original price: ¥20,000 per pair (circa 1998, Japan)
Similar items on eBay
No exact Marantz LS-5V listings are live right now — these searches show current Marantz and similar vintage audio gear on eBay:
As an eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our independent vintage technology research.
Related Models
- Marantz 1530L
- Marantz 3600 (1976-1977)
- Marantz 3800 (1976-1978)
- Marantz 4100 (1976-1978)
- Marantz 4430 (1972)
- Braun AUDIO-1 (1965)
- Braun AUDIO-250 (1965)
- Magnavox Component Systems (1972)
- Acoustic Research AR (1967-1976)
- Acoustic Research 11