Rogers STUDIO 2 (1984–1986)
Roughly a hundred pairs of a BBC-studio monitor built around LS5/8 drivers and a super-tweeter - and almost nobody agrees on the rest.
Overview
A pair of these weighs 190 lbs including the stands. That's a hint of what you're dealing with before you ever hear one. The Rogers Studio 2 is a large, purpose-built loudspeaker system that Rogers Developments (Electronics) Ltd. - later Swisstone Electronics Ltd. - produced from 1984 to 1986, designed specifically for use in BBC Studios. It is not a domestic speaker that got drafted into broadcast work. It went the other direction, taking drivers derived from the BBC LS5/8 and adding a super-tweeter on top.
The driver complement is the whole story. The bass and treble units come from the LS5/8, a BBC monitor standard. The super-tweeter is the Studio 2's own addition, and it separates the Studio 2 from the broadcast monitor it borrows from. Collectors chasing the Studio 2 are usually chasing that combination: the LS5/8 midrange and bass authority with an extra slice of top-end air grafted on. The design was aimed at critical listening environments, and the fact sheet is explicit that the intent was bridging broadcast-grade engineering with high-fidelity home audio aspirations.
Production numbers are the other headline.
Key Features
LS5/8-Derived Bass and Treble Drivers with Added Super-Tweeter
The driver configuration is stated plainly: bass and treble drivers from the BBC LS5/8, plus a super-tweeter. In practice, the basic voicing - the midrange presence and low-end weight that BBC monitor design is known for - comes straight from an established broadcast standard. The super-tweeter extends the top octave beyond what the LS5/8 itself provides. The fact sheet gives no crossover frequency, no driver sizes and no frequency response figures. Anyone quoting those numbers for a Studio 2 is working from something other than the documented record.
One cross-brand claim needs flagging, and it comes from a single source: a comparison stating the Studio 2 is "identical to Celestion DL8 series 1 and DL10, basically larger magnet and different diaphragm mounting plate." That would make the Rogers a rebadged or closely related Celestion design with a bigger magnet and a modified diaphragm mount. It is single-source and unverified, so treat it as a claim rather than a settled fact. It does suggest where a collector might look for spare drivers.
Substantial Enclosure — 190 lbs Per Pair with Stands
The documented dimensions run 18" W by 21.25" H by 13.75" D, though a conflicting report lists 19.00" x 21.00" with the depth unstated. Either way this is a wide, shallow-ish monitor cabinet rather than a tower. The pair weight of 190 lbs including stands confirms that the stands are part of the system, not an accessory. Buyers should assume the stands come with the speakers or plan to fabricate replacements. A Studio 2 without its stands is an incomplete package. The fact sheet gives no cabinet material or type, so any description of the enclosure beyond its dimensions is speculation.
Developed from the Chartwell Acquisition and Studio 1 Work
The Studio 2 was developed from Rogers' acquisition of Chartwell and their subsequent work on the Studio 1. The Studio series as a whole includes the Studio 1, Studio 3, and Studio 7, and the Studio 2 is the BBC-studio-oriented member of that family. Collectors tracing Rogers' post-Chartwell engineering direction tend to treat the Studio 1 and Studio 2 as a pair worth understanding together, since the fact sheet ties the smaller model's development directly to the larger one's work.
Historical Context
The Studio 2 was designed specifically for use in BBC Studios, and that origin explains nearly everything about it: the LS5/8-derived drivers, the critical-listening intent, the substantial stand-mounted enclosure. It was built during 1984 to 1986, while Rogers was operating as Rogers Developments (Electronics) Ltd. before the Swisstone Electronics Ltd. era. Contemporary coverage of the broadcast audio industry in this period, such as Mix (2014, p.30), documents the era's studio facilities and consoles. The design's stated aim of bridging broadcast-grade engineering with high-fidelity home audio aspirations points to a dual market: studios that needed accuracy, and the small number of domestic listeners willing to buy studio tools.
With roughly 100 pairs reportedly made, the Studio 2 was never a volume product. The documented history around it is thin: no original advertising claims, no period review measurements, no production records beyond the approximate pair count.
Collectibility & Value
The Studio 2 is described as a rare and sought-after model among vintage audio collectors, and recent examples have sold for $3,000 plus shipping. Original retail is documented two ways - $2,300.00 with stands, or $2,999.00 per pair - and the conflict is unresolved, so treat either figure as approximate. Given the ~100-pair production estimate, the current $3,000-plus secondary price is roughly in line with or slightly above the higher original figure.
On condition: at least one listing noted that the interior foam had been removed and the units cleaned, described as a common restoration step for aging BBC-derived speakers to maintain performance and prevent degradation. Buyers should ask specifically about foam condition and whether removal has already been done. Degraded internal foam is the documented maintenance concern for this family of speakers. The fact sheet records no other common failures, no parts availability information, and no repair notes beyond the foam issue.
eBay Listings
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