Bottlehead Forum
Other Gear => Speakers => Topic started by: daseman on January 29, 2016, 07:40:01 AM
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Here's a strong recommendation for those of you with pre-2016 Blumenstein Orcas: Get the new "Depth of Field Enhancement Kit!" I just got it installed last night in my vintage Orcas (recessed drivers), and I was seriously shocked by the level of improvement.
Two things, in particular, really stood out. First, an increased ability to resolve complex passages. Listening to some Stereolab, for example, it's amazing how well the upgraded pair is able to articulate clearly all of the many sounds happening at the same time - keyboards, bass, guitars, etc. Second, the highs are more mellow, yet still very extended. The improvement in the highs also seems to result in a subjective improvement across the other frequencies, including the bass (my Orcas are run with the vintage, column-style Orca subs that double as stands).
I have had the pleasure to listen on a few occasions to the magical and trippy Feastrex drivers. And I have to say that Clark has, with these latest seemingly small but wicked-effective design changes, done an amazing job of approaching the same type of sound with the humble Orcas.
Please note that my comments are relative to the already great sounding pre-2016 Orcas and are not meant in any way as a criticism of the earlier sound. The improvements are simply a case of "more of a good thing." Of course, anyone ordering a new pair will already receive the depth of field enhancements as part of the standard package going forward.
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Thanks for the heads up. I'll try this w/ my Orca Deluxe - Stereomour set up and see what happens.
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Where does the stuffing get placed in the speaker? Did you have to review the driver before installing the other mods?
Glad you were able to get a nice little boost in SQ for relatively little cost.
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To tdogzthmn: I had the work done at the shop (live less than a mile away) so I'm not sure exactly where the material gets placed or whether the driver must be removed. I assume that instructions on all this would be included if you go the "DIY" route.
Still very much enjoying my improved vintage Orca system.
Cheers!
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Well I got tired of looking at the bowl of little round balls Clark sent me a month ago, so decided to finally modify the Orcas. I haven't listened to them in a month anyway since my Ether C arrived. I didn't have much faith in the project anyway. I few small parts weren't going to make much of a difference anyway. While that were apart I put a couple of new coats of Tried and True on, and gave them a good rub down with 0000 steel wool. They look nice, but then they have always looks nice! Finally finished them up this morning and settled in with a fresh cup of Java for a listen. Do coral balls have to burn in? Who knows.
Its hard to believe what Clark has achieved here. For me, my ears , my stack this is what I hear. The lower mid bass, which I always thought was missing and which I had planned to supplement with a second sub, is now there in spades . Highs are even sweeter then before. The speakers sound bigger, richer with a much enhanced bass. Just listed to Random Access Memories...Wow. LOTS of bass. How could my sub be putting out a bigger sound? Those little plastic binding posts? Who knows. That's why Clark is the Man!
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Okay, these actual reviews have finally sold me. Time to give Clark a call!
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For Mordicai (or anyone else who did the upgrade themselves):
Was installation pretty straightforward? I seem to remember Clark writing somewhere that the torque of the screws on the drivers was critical for the Orcas, and I don't want to screw anything up. I have two pairs of Orcas, and would love to upgrade them (although I love the way they sound now).
Thanks,
Rich
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Its easy Rich, just take your time and follow the directions from clark. Purchase some of the very, very long nose pliers from Home depot to make the placement of the balls easy.
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I can easily believe the dramatic improvement of moving to a different BINDING POST - particularly if Clark has managed to find an option that removes 100% of all brass, alloy and ferrous metals from the precious signal path. 100% silver or copper is the only way to go - including the nuts that secure the connector.
[Then you need to do the same with speaker cables and amplifier connectors...]
I have enjoyed similar results from my own speaker upgrades. I would not have believed it, had I not heard it with my own ears.
If other can't hear it, fair enough - but it seems a few other members here have heard the difference. Not minor.
As for the little dampening balls, I am assuming they need to be installed at the inner corners inside the cabinet - where the three cabinet planes meet - in an attempt to further banish any internal frequency reflections.
But surely reaching-in through the the driver cavity would be the way to go there? I wouldn't want to try to get this job done through the speaker port... A bit like trying to wallpaper the front room through the letterbox. [Gynecologists' only need apply...]
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Indeed!
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If the corners of the cabinet are clear, so that a ball will fit into it, dip the ball in glue and drop it into the corner with the cabinet suitably supported to allow this to happen. Repeat as necessary.
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Note that Clark has gone to a different iteration of binding post from what he provided with the depth of field enhancement kit - maybe just as an upgrade, but the latest is mounted on an oval piece of wood.
There are a number of balls provided with adhesive and going in from the driver hole is the only way to do it. Even then some coordination with a pair of chopsticks is helpful... I remember rotating the cabinet on all different sides so that gravity was helping while the adhesive set.