My first successful speaker design that differentiated my approach from the homework I was given in 2005 - the Cain & Cain Audio Noogi 3” full range speaker. My theory then and now is much the same - as much performance / efficiency/ beauty from a small speaker as possible.

Over time, I have further prioritized high performance audio, which has culminated in the standard (surface mounted driver) Orca design that I still make and slowly develop with each production run, and I know it sounds strange that the less expensive version might actually sound a tiny bit better better depending on your goals, but there you have it. Also, if you plan on using higher powered amplification, are clumsy with your turntable, or are trying to throw a dance party or something (greater than 10-15 watts), then perhaps opt instead for the standard Orca, which not only handles a little bit more power, but is also smaller, (and even has slightly flatter frequency response!).

If you want to use grills, then these speakers are also probably not for you. The particularly delicate center cap of the driver, visually framed by the concentric rings of the rest of the cone, surround, and birch plywood layers can appear to rambunctious critters or children like a bull’s eye that needs to be poked. If you can’t avoid that type of environmental exposure when the drivers are at ear level, then it is probably better to place your speakers on shelves up higher in the room (or instead opt for the “normal” production Orca which is easier for the end user to service should driver damage ever occur and are also compatible with our standard Wildlife Proof speaker grills).

the drivers for these specify a slightly larger cabinet (5 liters) versus the standard Orca (2.5 liters).

The updates:

The new Wave Guide Orca is a fully updated take on the original Orca design from 2006. The all WG type Orcas (have gone under a number of different names) had a screw on back panel to give access to the driver. The result of the driver being mounted to the inside of the baffle is a short wave guide (like a tiny horn) in front of the driver which is a construction trait that gives many vintage speakers their characteristic sound.

The WG Orcas provide a slightly brighter upper midrange than the normal style Orcas or Marlins. For many folks the WG Orca model is ideal for unlocking the lowest listening levels because the frequency response overlaps with the Fletcher Munson curve of the ear at lowest volume levels. The wave guide results in especially clear low volume performance for a 3” full ranger. (not that the regular Orcas are lacking in this department). Low volume intelligibility can be crucial in certain settings. if that’s your scenario, then these are your speakers.

Yes, we really shipped a pair to Antarctica! We used to make the Older Wave Guide models by the hundreds of pairs and had shipped to all 7 continents by 2012, when a pair reached a small group of astronomers working in the South Pole Station Observatory. It was a donation to science and also to commemorate the discovery of the south pole approximately 100 years prior. As with all Blumenstein products, the idea is that they will hopefully endure even in the harshest of conditions for centuries to come. The pair we sent to the South Pole Observatory furthers our ongoing woodwork durability testing in what one of the planet's driest, harshest climates.

Features:

• Fostex 3” paper cone driver

  
  

• All natural, non-toxic linseed oil finish