Congratulations jOhn 

The BL5s don't have an optical connexion, it's coaxial. And yes, the sound will be better through a digital connexion. A BS9000 (as any BeoSound with a digital output) may be a good choice. It has the needed coaxial and Powerlink outputs for the BL5s.

The best sounding CD source I had connected (digitally!) to my BL5s, was a BG CD7000. I`d get a Beomaster 7000 and a BG CD7000 (they are cheap nowadays...), connected to a BL 1611 converter and to your BS3. Connect the digital output of the CD7000 directly to the BL5 digital input.

If you press CD, the BS7000 and the BS3 will start and activate your BL5s in audiomode - SPEAKER2. Source detection and volume level control will work via Powerlink through your BS3, audio signal will work directly from CD7000.

Stefan

Thanks Both!

In the interim I have gone and bought a BS9000 from a second-life dealer.

I had thought about one of the Beosystem 6500 or 7000s and using the digital out from the deck, but I think in the space I have the BS9000 will fit better.

Now I just need to work out how to connect everything up...

I have various new pieces coming, and will have the following:

Living Room

Beosound 9000

Beolab 5s

Beosystem 3

Beovision 4

Beolab 10

Bedroom 

Beovision Avant CRT

I want to ML the BS3 and BV Avant together so that I can watch Sky in the Bedroom.

What I was thinking cable-wise was I'd need:

ML cable to connect the Avant and the BS3 together

SPDIF cable out from the BS 9000 to one of the Lab 5s. Would I then need another one to run between the two Lab 5s?

Powerlink 8/8 x2 so that the speakers know when to turn on.

Then I'm stuck! How would I connect the speakers to the BS3 so that I can listen to the TV through them?

I’ve been playing with a non-B&O CD player. If you want to be able to stream audio to the BL5s, decode MQAs, FLACs and use a coax connection, the NAD M50.2 is a really nice piece of kit. I managed to get one for just under $2500. 

Best digital feed to Labs5 is using a Auralic Aries network streamer. I have tried many other (cheaper) streamers and very good CD-players to the lab5 and the Auralic Aries streamer is the best on the market. There is no DAC inbuilt this streamer and you must use the coaxial digital feed to labs 5.

If You want more information and test-results from Auralic, just read all the reviews on the web.

Best Regards
Martin

In the interim I have gone and bought a BS9000 from a second-life dealer.

- Congratulations!

Living Room

Beosound 9000

Beolab 5s

Beosystem 3

Beovision 4

Beolab 10

Bedroom 

Beovision Avant CRT

I want to ML the BS3 and BV Avant together so that I can watch Sky in the Bedroom.

What I was thinking cable-wise was I'd need:

ML cable to connect the Avant and the BS3 together

- Your BS9000 should also be masterlinked to the system, and connect the BL5s to BS3 - Powerlink front L/R.

SPDIF cable out from the BS 9000 to one of the Lab 5s. Would I then need another one to run between the two Lab 5s?

- Yes.

Powerlink 8/8 x2 so that the speakers know when to turn on.

- These should come from BS3.

Then I'm stuck! How would I connect the speakers to the BS3 so that I can listen to the TV through them?

- Your BL5s are connected to BS3, so you can listen to video- AND audio soureces through BL5s. BS9000 (audiomaster) must be in A.OPT 0 (usually will be set automatically, when no Beolabs connected) - BS3 (videomaster) must be in V.OPT 2. I`d set SPEAKER mode to 1 or 3 for video, and mode 2 for audio, so if you select RADIO, A.AUX or CD BL5s only will turn on. If BL5s detect CD mode, they will switch to digital input. In this case, source selection and volume level control will still work via Powerlink. Set your Avant to V.OPT 6 (link BV). Now you can control all audio´and video sources connected in the mainroom. For video distribution you will need an antenna cable and maybe an RF link amplifier.  Your stb in the mainroom must be capable to transmit picture and sound simultaneously via HDMI and SCART (composite). Picture quality in the link room will be standard definition.

Stefan