Denti, I would add:
We know that most listeners out there know themselves well enough to prefer either a warmer and more liquid sound, or a slightly leaner/simply neutral kind of presentation. Or they might need to play things very loud on occasion, but still need warm response all the time.
So we give people the choice between three different optimized single driver fullrange models that each have their own unique capabilities suited to different cultures of listening or different spots in the house, car, sailboat, camper, or outdoor awning, etc. that we have encountered over the years.
Each speaker model has additionally had its moving parts/cone suspension and frequency response tuned to match the average frequency response of the human ear within the volume range/intended use of each respective speaker model.
3" Orca Deluxes: Best at the lowest volumes up to carefully pushed high volumes.
3" Orca Mini's: Can be pushed ever so slightly harder than that
8" Thrashers: Are the loudest, most efficient speakers we make.
The Thrasher, if anyone was curious, has been designed to sound kindof like a gigantic Orca Deluxe. Thrashers can also be paired with a sub(s) below 40-50hz to some benefit. The Orca Deluxe still is king of its own kind of refinement, of course. But for people wanting to also be able to really crank it off of either high or low wattage, the Thrasher should be strongly considered.
However, please too understand that if 95+% of your listening is within low to medium volume levels, (and that when cranked up, cranked gently), that the Orca Deluxe or Orca Mini have been designed specifically for that 95% of listening levels that we find the majority of people actually doing out there. And because the Orcas are tuned for this uncommonly considered, but commonly experienced low volume performance (literally, the "silent majority" of music listeners), then the Orcas are therefore slightly superior speakers to the Thrashers within those volume ranges. Horses for courses.
Also, the Deluxes and Mini's, being so physically small in footprint, are better at portraying an accurate soundstage at lower volumes than typical speakers are capable of, and do also have the more ideal impulse response, dispersion, imaging traits than a larger speaker which are important at any volume level.
Its also important to understand that the Mini's and Deluxes can probably be pushed much harder and remain much cleaner than one might think, given an optimized audio system and associated subwoofer(s). Even compared to the Thrashers, the Mini's and Deluxes are respectably loud. Not your typical wimpy little 3" design in. the. slightest. I still find myself caught by surprise at the high volume performance of the Deluxes and Mini's when carefully driven and warmed up during a long listening session.
The first audible difference that people tend to pick up on (in my showroom) between the Mini and Deluxe when used without a subwoofer is the bass rolloff point, which is 10 hz higher for the Mini.
However, with a subwoofer, this difference in bass response between the Mini and Deluxe is significantly less apparent. The Deluxes use a little less of the sub, and so too the Deluxes seem to handle just a little bit less power than the Mini's (because the Deluxe cone is being asked to go lower, and it is also of a more delicate construction than the Mini cone). The Mini's is having more of its bass response supported by the subwoofer, and therefore can "lean" on the power of the subwoofer a little more and gain slightly extra upper volume capability than the Deluxe in that way as well.
The Mini's also have a slightly beefier voice coil and slightly stiffer cone suspension that can take a few more watts. The magnet is also slightly more powerful. The middle of the midrange is almost pancake flat, which lends the speaker very well to multimedia and monitoring of difficult music in the closest nearfield.
However, understand that the unconventional delicacy in cone material and cone suspension is key to the Deluxe's openness and dynamics, juxtaposed with their extreme delicacy and transparency at low to medium and slightly high volumes. The Deluxes also have a little more mid bass. which is a warmer "creamier" and more classic audio sound. The Mini's are a little bit more of a crisper, "modern" neutral sound.
Yet all of these differences are both important and slight!
Why?
In college, I was a music history major who wrote a thesis on the development of early keyboard instruments in conjunction with unequal temperaments. This involved the evolution of harmonic scale, bigger dynamics being written into the scores by composers, bigger dynamics needing to be played by the instruments, and so forth until primary musical instrument design (piano/violin) slowed down and piano production became more antique and nostalgic and less innovation (alot like most "blah" speaker designs out there these days).
But there is still hope. For instance, there are still some small modern piano makers of all sorts out there...way smaller than Steinway. For instance, some of them like Fazioli are pushing design boundaries. There are other, even smaller makers who are really pushing physics and materials science. These makers are huge influences on me as a designer. It takes immense courage to push innovation within classic, campy design or scientific communities. The many varied stories of success and solution fascinate me.
Since college, I am an avid consumer of modern music and media as well. Relating this music research background to the audio realm, I am not entirely unqualified for the task of having created this lineup of speakers that # 1 works with the actual music and media that is out there, and #2 are ergonomic in design for both the ear and living space, just as musical instruments should sound and feel good.
In short, as music changes, so do the instruments of its play. Which is the real reason behind your choice between a more historically leaning "classic" sound (Deluxe/Thrasher) or a more futuristic "modern" sound (Mini) within our product line.
I hope all that explaination helps!
Cheers,
Clark
P.S. subs in another post!
