Broad band properties of medium and low L-x/L-b early type galaxies

We have measured the spectral properties of five galaxies of low to interme diate L-x/L-b ratios with BeppoSAX and ASCA. A hard component (kT similar t o 4 - 10 keV) is observed in all galaxies. In NGC 1553 the BeppoSAX data sh ow that this component is extended, and suggest an origin for the emission in the evolved stellar population. In NGC 3115, a point-like source appears embedded in an extended component morphologically similar to the stellar b ody, suggesting an almost equal contribution from the nuclear region and th e binary population. A large central mass concentration and low level optic al activity in NGC 3379 argue for a contribution from the nucleus also in t his object. However, for both NGC 3115 and NGC 3379, the nuclear emission i s at a level well below that observed in other galaxies who host similar nu clear black holes. A second soft (kT similar to0.3- 0.7 keV) spectral compo nent is needed to fit the data of NGC 1407, NGC 1553 and NGC 4125 over the entire energy range probed (similar to0.2-10 keV), best represented by a th ermal component with line emission. We discuss possible interpretations of the origin of this component, which however will be better defined only wit h higher quality data.