Blumenstein Ultra Fi
- Thread starter Doc B
- Start date
I have to say the Ultra Fi system looks very nice. It's also very cool to see folks like the Blumenstein's enjoying their business. Their enthusiasm seems to come right through. The addition of the Line Magnetics 755-EX full range field coil drivers is also very enticing. I'll be living vicariously hoping for sonic impressions.
John
John
Recieved my Orca's and Sub's. Amazing simply Amazing. The finish is remarkable, they look very small when not on but grow to huge as soon as they are turned on. My brother was there as I unpacked and assembled them. The 1st hour they sounded small and flat and my brother said "I like the ZU Druids better, I can't listen to this and walked out. Four hours later after a noticeable jump in the sound quality he came back in and sat down and said holy cow these things sound amazing. I had to nod my head, my smile was to big to comment.
I still haven't figured out how to set up the second sub yet but we all should have such problems.
Thanks Clark and Molly
Pat
I still haven't figured out how to set up the second sub yet but we all should have such problems.
Thanks Clark and Molly
Pat
Clark B.
New member
Dear Pat, That's excellent that they are plugged in and warming up some!
We are in the process of making some specialized wiring harnesses for the subwoofer amplifier and will have them off to you as soon as possible. We've been trying to sort out what is the ideal connectors and such - but without breaking the bank sourcing custom connectors. Also, it looks like we forgot to send off the instructions about how to set up the sub and so we just uploaded them to the website.
http://www.blumensteinaudio.com/faq/orca-speakers/how-do-i-setup-the-orcas-with-the-orca-subwoofer.html
For a dual sub setup, just hook one channel of the main stereo amp into just one side of each sub amp's high level input. (and of course, we can always help by phone). You just match the levels between gain and crossover frequency between the two amps. They sit around 9:30-10:00 o clock for the gain, 10:00-11:00 for the crossover frequency. I mention a fairly wide range because it will depend somewhat on room placement. I try to just get the sub level perceptibly flat. This usually means starting a little higher in level and then working the gain lower and lower.
The new wiring harnesses we are sending off (NC) should help with the setup quite a bit, however, and it will change a bit of the way all of this looks and the speed with which it can be hooked up.
Oh man, I can't wait to see what you think of the dual sub setup... once it all breaks in it is positively the least subwooferey sound I have ever been able to acheive with any of the stereo systems I've built. And - it will slam you in the chest!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQjVN13dI10
Ok, well, just let me know how they continue to improve!
Cheers,
Clark
We are in the process of making some specialized wiring harnesses for the subwoofer amplifier and will have them off to you as soon as possible. We've been trying to sort out what is the ideal connectors and such - but without breaking the bank sourcing custom connectors. Also, it looks like we forgot to send off the instructions about how to set up the sub and so we just uploaded them to the website.
http://www.blumensteinaudio.com/faq/orca-speakers/how-do-i-setup-the-orcas-with-the-orca-subwoofer.html
For a dual sub setup, just hook one channel of the main stereo amp into just one side of each sub amp's high level input. (and of course, we can always help by phone). You just match the levels between gain and crossover frequency between the two amps. They sit around 9:30-10:00 o clock for the gain, 10:00-11:00 for the crossover frequency. I mention a fairly wide range because it will depend somewhat on room placement. I try to just get the sub level perceptibly flat. This usually means starting a little higher in level and then working the gain lower and lower.
The new wiring harnesses we are sending off (NC) should help with the setup quite a bit, however, and it will change a bit of the way all of this looks and the speed with which it can be hooked up.
Oh man, I can't wait to see what you think of the dual sub setup... once it all breaks in it is positively the least subwooferey sound I have ever been able to acheive with any of the stereo systems I've built. And - it will slam you in the chest!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQjVN13dI10
Ok, well, just let me know how they continue to improve!
Cheers,
Clark
denti alligator
New member
What's the height of the main speaker when mounted atop one of the subs? That seems to me the ideal set-up, in part of course because it saves on having to get the stands.
Also, why the optional subwoofer base? What's its advantage?
I wonder how these babies would compare with my Klipsch...
Also, why the optional subwoofer base? What's its advantage?
I wonder how these babies would compare with my Klipsch...
Speakers on the subs works well. There is a bit of an advantage to the speakers being on separate stands in that you can then move the subs around the room until you find the place that gives the smoothest bass response - a place which might not be right under the speakers.
Clark B.
New member
Yeah, Pat,
Thanks again a million for taking the plunge on the "whole kit and kaboodle" system from us. I wish I could spend as much time in front of my own Orca system as you will be able to! Haha! At BHQ at last month's head fi meet Dan ran his Paramounts with tape through the Orcas and it was one of the best nearfiled experiences I've ever had. Crazy performance given the relatively diminutive price tag of the amps and everything else added up. I've heard a number of five figure systems that didn't even come close.
Jim was right on with the stand suggestion - in very small rooms the subs as stands are great because of the even smaller total system footprint. The speaker stands, however, do very effectively mass load the Orcas in order to solidify their sonic image, allow for independent subwoofer placement, and also as a new feature we take orders for the stands at custom height. Just send us the seated height from the floor to your ear and we'll take care of the rest.
So the breakdown between the dual subs as stands versus the single sub and column stands is:
-If you are looking for better deep bass resolution on a budget, and just "the most sound from the least space consumed," then the dual subs as stands are a good choice.
-If you are looking for slightly clearer mid bass (orca mass loading), and slightly improved imaging (Precise choice of driver height and also slightly more perfect point source), then the stands and single sub is the best approach.
Of course, either system (or even just a sole pair of orcas) can be added to incrimentally as budget, time allows.
The bases for the subs are offered to assure stability in whichever configuration they are intended to stand in - and that's pretty much it. I do not think that the bases affect the sonics in any particular way - though they do make it easier to use spikes or isolation pods or whathaveyou.
Cheers!
-Clark
Thanks again a million for taking the plunge on the "whole kit and kaboodle" system from us. I wish I could spend as much time in front of my own Orca system as you will be able to! Haha! At BHQ at last month's head fi meet Dan ran his Paramounts with tape through the Orcas and it was one of the best nearfiled experiences I've ever had. Crazy performance given the relatively diminutive price tag of the amps and everything else added up. I've heard a number of five figure systems that didn't even come close.
Jim was right on with the stand suggestion - in very small rooms the subs as stands are great because of the even smaller total system footprint. The speaker stands, however, do very effectively mass load the Orcas in order to solidify their sonic image, allow for independent subwoofer placement, and also as a new feature we take orders for the stands at custom height. Just send us the seated height from the floor to your ear and we'll take care of the rest.
So the breakdown between the dual subs as stands versus the single sub and column stands is:
-If you are looking for better deep bass resolution on a budget, and just "the most sound from the least space consumed," then the dual subs as stands are a good choice.
-If you are looking for slightly clearer mid bass (orca mass loading), and slightly improved imaging (Precise choice of driver height and also slightly more perfect point source), then the stands and single sub is the best approach.
Of course, either system (or even just a sole pair of orcas) can be added to incrimentally as budget, time allows.
The bases for the subs are offered to assure stability in whichever configuration they are intended to stand in - and that's pretty much it. I do not think that the bases affect the sonics in any particular way - though they do make it easier to use spikes or isolation pods or whathaveyou.
Cheers!
-Clark
Attachments
Man, you guys are killing me! 
If I were an obstreperous little kid I'd be jumping up and down, both feet at a time with my fists clenched screaming, "I want mine I want mine I want mine!". But I won't do that.
I'm so glad you guys are getting to experience this for yourselves -- there's reallly no good way to explain how such a small speaker can sound so big and so good.
This week I'll have my caramelized Orcas mounted on the living room wall (and btw, I found a great wall mount bracket that works great with the Orcas), so we'll have music soon, but it's the natural bamboo ones with the stands and the new papercone woofer I'm just itching to hear.
Enjoy the ride and the destination...
-- Jim
If I were an obstreperous little kid I'd be jumping up and down, both feet at a time with my fists clenched screaming, "I want mine I want mine I want mine!". But I won't do that.
I'm so glad you guys are getting to experience this for yourselves -- there's reallly no good way to explain how such a small speaker can sound so big and so good.
This week I'll have my caramelized Orcas mounted on the living room wall (and btw, I found a great wall mount bracket that works great with the Orcas), so we'll have music soon, but it's the natural bamboo ones with the stands and the new papercone woofer I'm just itching to hear.
Enjoy the ride and the destination...
-- Jim
Good golly, Miss Molly! Welcome aboard!
The brackets I got can be found on the following page:
http://www.bracketsandstands.com/Pinpoint_AM40_Side_Clamping_speaker_wall_mount_p/am40.htm
I'm not sure I'm going to use the side clamps or not, and I may drill a third hole in the bottom plate, but that may not be necessary. I also plan to use either some rubber or other damping polymer sheet under the speaker, and will use a similar method to mount the speakers to the brackets as the drivers are mounted to the cabinets. Might even get to that tonight if I can find the damping sheet.
Now... about that obstreperous kid... he wants his!
-- Jim
The brackets I got can be found on the following page:
http://www.bracketsandstands.com/Pinpoint_AM40_Side_Clamping_speaker_wall_mount_p/am40.htm
I'm not sure I'm going to use the side clamps or not, and I may drill a third hole in the bottom plate, but that may not be necessary. I also plan to use either some rubber or other damping polymer sheet under the speaker, and will use a similar method to mount the speakers to the brackets as the drivers are mounted to the cabinets. Might even get to that tonight if I can find the damping sheet.
Now... about that obstreperous kid... he wants his!
-- Jim
Think I'll get me a pair of these with a single sub...caramelized finish...to go with my S.E.X. 2.1 I'm looking for speaker system for a small room (near field)...that will go well with my tube amps (bottlehead (of course)).
I struggled for a bit on 2 subs or 1... then I realized that I have no clue what I'm doing. So, 1 sub it is.
Basically, I listen mostly to late 60's early 70's classic rock. I do listen to modern stuff...but the majority is classic rock. I want to get more into classical...however, I have no clue what to get? I know I like strings...cello...violin...viola...etc... So, 1812 is the best I have gotten so far. I'm open to suggestions.
I don't intend on getting any stands. Just One matched pair of Orcas in Caramelized bamboo and a sub. They'll be sitting on an anthro cart bench...between a few (video) monitors. you know...all this stuff I'm piling on my "Desk"...I've not any room left for the serviceability of the desk. It's merely a "work bench" for audio stuff.
I'm not bothered by it.
I struggled for a bit on 2 subs or 1... then I realized that I have no clue what I'm doing. So, 1 sub it is.
Basically, I listen mostly to late 60's early 70's classic rock. I do listen to modern stuff...but the majority is classic rock. I want to get more into classical...however, I have no clue what to get? I know I like strings...cello...violin...viola...etc... So, 1812 is the best I have gotten so far. I'm open to suggestions.
I don't intend on getting any stands. Just One matched pair of Orcas in Caramelized bamboo and a sub. They'll be sitting on an anthro cart bench...between a few (video) monitors. you know...all this stuff I'm piling on my "Desk"...I've not any room left for the serviceability of the desk. It's merely a "work bench" for audio stuff.
I'm not bothered by it.
Just an update, thhough I sort of hesitate to post it because it mostly concerns the no longer available Nagas...
Anyway, Clark was able to spend a couple of nights and all day this past monday with us after RMAF. Hanging out with Clark is a treat in itself, but when we got down to business it was just great to see (hear?) him go to work. He and I have both known that there was an audible bump around 300 hz on the Nagas, so we took them apart, took out the old stuffing and replaced it with some better, more dense material and buttoned them back up again. Then Clark went about hooking the full system up to the little 3 watt single-ended el84 LM mini 218 amp and we gave it a listen -- the first time in many months since these speakers have had any use. Well, it sounded good, but it obviously needed a bit of loosening up after sitting so long, and one grateful dead album at a moderately high volume took care of that and they began to sound pretty good. Then we rolled some tubes and again, these were totally NOS and the driver tubes especially needed to calm down in the top end, and over the course of the day it did just that. BTW, it seemed that Clark and I both latched on to the changes as they happened and we were both very surprised how much these tubes changed in the few hours we had them playing. BTW, the source was a Virtue Audio Piano CDP -- decent, but certainly not reference quality. Anyway, the music coming out of these things was really quite good considering that the amp only had about 10 hours on it, the cables, tubes, and subs were all basically new, and we were using a hodge podge of random stock power cords. Bottom line is that these are really some very special speakers and I'm sure that when I move them into the dedicated listening room, swap out the aluminum cone woofers in the subs with paper cone ones, and get the BH front end, turntable and good dac/computer in the mix, they are going to be spectacular. But even as they are, I have to say they are simply the most enjoyable speakers I've ever had.
BTW Ken, these Nagas have their natural rolloff starting much higher than the Orcas, so two subs are mandatory with these, so don't take it to mean that two subs are mandatory with the Orcas.
Also, if anybody is looking for a caramelized sub, give me a shout -- after a lot of thought, there is just nowhere I can really put them in our living room system. Edit: sub has been claimed.
Thanks,
Jim
Anyway, Clark was able to spend a couple of nights and all day this past monday with us after RMAF. Hanging out with Clark is a treat in itself, but when we got down to business it was just great to see (hear?) him go to work. He and I have both known that there was an audible bump around 300 hz on the Nagas, so we took them apart, took out the old stuffing and replaced it with some better, more dense material and buttoned them back up again. Then Clark went about hooking the full system up to the little 3 watt single-ended el84 LM mini 218 amp and we gave it a listen -- the first time in many months since these speakers have had any use. Well, it sounded good, but it obviously needed a bit of loosening up after sitting so long, and one grateful dead album at a moderately high volume took care of that and they began to sound pretty good. Then we rolled some tubes and again, these were totally NOS and the driver tubes especially needed to calm down in the top end, and over the course of the day it did just that. BTW, it seemed that Clark and I both latched on to the changes as they happened and we were both very surprised how much these tubes changed in the few hours we had them playing. BTW, the source was a Virtue Audio Piano CDP -- decent, but certainly not reference quality. Anyway, the music coming out of these things was really quite good considering that the amp only had about 10 hours on it, the cables, tubes, and subs were all basically new, and we were using a hodge podge of random stock power cords. Bottom line is that these are really some very special speakers and I'm sure that when I move them into the dedicated listening room, swap out the aluminum cone woofers in the subs with paper cone ones, and get the BH front end, turntable and good dac/computer in the mix, they are going to be spectacular. But even as they are, I have to say they are simply the most enjoyable speakers I've ever had.
BTW Ken, these Nagas have their natural rolloff starting much higher than the Orcas, so two subs are mandatory with these, so don't take it to mean that two subs are mandatory with the Orcas.
Also, if anybody is looking for a caramelized sub, give me a shout -- after a lot of thought, there is just nowhere I can really put them in our living room system. Edit: sub has been claimed.
Thanks,
Jim
Grainger49
New member
Jim,
"so long, and one grateful dead album at a moderately high volume took care of that" You cracked me up. What else to loosen up a stiff driver. Well, you know what I mean.
"so long, and one grateful dead album at a moderately high volume took care of that" You cracked me up. What else to loosen up a stiff driver. Well, you know what I mean.
