Blumenstein Ultra Fi

[bainjs]

Debk,
You'll be amazed at the sound that comes from such a small speaker.  I just got mine earlier this week and am really pleased with them.  They look great as is, but went ahead and put a coat of Briwax Teak on them to give them an "amber glow".  I'm really hooked on the glow...tubes, wood, etc. .

Joel in Tennessee

[debk]

wow, they look great.  Can't wait to get mine


Deb

[Jim R.]

Joel,

Didn't kknow you ordered a pair -- did you get a sub too?  Stands?

As for how good they sound now... just wait!

-- Jim

[bainjs]

No, I'm using my existing sub for now.  It's a small 8" unit and seems to work well with the Orcas. Plus, the wood on the Orca match the cherry subwoofer cabinet now.

I'm using some modified cherry Sonus stands I already had; again matching wood!  Clark showed me how he attached to his stands, so I followed his advice.

I can already tell from only a few hours listening they are getting better and better.

Joel

[Jim R.]

Joel,

I don't know if this will happen with the drivers in the Orcas, but one an earlier pair of horn shoppe horns I had, the final change was rather dramatic -- these were fe-126 drivers though, so not sure if this will happen with the smaller ones or not.

Many people talked about "it" happening to their speakers -- meanint that one day they'd just walk past their system playing in the background and notice that they sounded different -- in fact, much different and much better than before.  Well, I decided I was goiing to listen intently for all the hours necessary to see if I could hear a change that dramatic and what it was, and sure enough I did.

One day -- somewhere in the 400-420 hour mark I suddenly heard this sound of total confusion and distress coming from one speaker and that lasted for about 3 seconds.  My instinct was to get up and turn off the amp as I thought it was a tube self-deestructing.  As soon as I got up there was a sound, that I can only describe as similar to when your ears equalize after landing in an airplane and then the sound was far better -- cleaner, more dynamic, more transparent, none of the weirdnesses of the previous time the speakers had been playing -- essentially like a whole different driver was instantly swapped in for the old one.

After that it was clear that the one speaker sounded far better than the other one and naturally it started to bother me.  I was patient and in about another 40 minutes or so, the other speaker did exactly the same thing, and from then on they were both far better than they had ever been.

I have no explanation for what I heard -- it almost sounded like the surround inverted itself, got stuck and then popped back in place and left me with a whole new driver.  Only thing I could conclude is that this was "it" and that I had heard "it" happen in real time.  The only changes from that time on were very subtle and gradual.

-- Jim

[bainjs]

It sounds like you went through a time/sound continuum shift and survived.  I can't wait!

Joel

[Doc B.]

I think the most common conjecture is that it has to do with the fiber structure in the cone softening a bit from flexing, letting some manufacturing-induced stress even out. It might be interesting to do laser interferometry or high speed video or some other method of observing the cone surface to see if there is some change in the way it flexes and recovers at various resonance modes when new and again after 400 hours. I wonder if anyone has done that and shared their findings? (I imagine there is plenty of proprietary data to that effect)

[Grainger49]

Joel,

I didn't realize that the natural speaker could be stained.  What a beautiful outcome!  Now I have to find something to sell.

[Jim R.]

Dan,

Yes, that would be really interesting to do and yes, the sound was something not unlike oil-canning.  Whatever it was, it was pretty weird.

-- Jim

[bainjs]

I used Briwax rubbing wax (Teak) over the finished carmalized bamboo to have them match the cherry stands and existing subwoofer I'm using.   It's a gel that you apply and then buff off.  It took me 3 trys to get the color I was looking for and also improved my upper body strength with all the buffing!

Warning:  If anyone else tries this, don't wax over Clark's signature.  I almost erased it! The wax uses toluene for a cleaner and will remove ink quick!

Joel

[Pfenning]

Debk,
You'll be amazed at the sound that comes from such a small speaker.  I just got mine earlier this week and am really pleased with them.  They look great as is, but went ahead and put a coat of Briwax Teak on them to give them an "amber glow".  I'm really hooked on the glow...tubes, wood, etc. .

Joel in Tennessee

Your speaker look cool. That clock is bad ass!!!

Pfenning

[bainjs]

Thanks, the clock came from Target a few years ago. 

Joel

[bainjs]

After reading all the info on break in periods for speakers, I've decided to take my new Orcas to our cabin this weekend and hook up to play 24/7 for the next couple weeks after we leave.   That should get a good start on the recommended 400 hour break in .  I've also got a pair of Fostex 166e's that need "loosening up" as well.  I'll use my old Onkyo A-7 from college days that supports 2 pairs of speakers with a CD player set to repeat.

I believe Grainger recommended hooking one of the pair out of phase and face them towards each other.  Is that correct?

Don't get me wrong, the Orcas sound great as is, I just want to get them as good as they can be. 

Any music suggestions that the deer and racoons will like?

Joel in Tennessee

[Grainger49]

Joel,

The out of phase trick cancels much of the sound but allows you to work the speakers in well.

I guess a pair of blaring speakers in your cabin would bother no one and work to ward off anyone thinking about breaking in. 

Regardless, the speakers will break in, in phase or out of phase.

I think one of the "Bachelor's Den" CDs is a wild things theme.

[patm]

Some Hank Williams Senior ought to make them Tennessee Deer and Racoon smile.

Pat