Floorstanding loudspeakers — Blumenhofer Acoustics Genuin FS 1 MK 3

The Genuin FS 1 MK 3 belongs to the Genuin series of Blumenhofer Acoustics, a line of two-way towers in which a bass reflex enclosure works with a compression driver horn covering mids and treble. The third version brings a completely new woofer developed in house by Blumenhofer and a new crossover designed around it. The series also includes the Genuin FS 3 MK 2 alongside the FS 2 MK 2.

Key specs that matter

Low frequencies are reproduced by a 16 inch (380 mm) woofer with an air dried paper membrane driven by an AlNiCo magnet. Above 850 Hz a compression driver with a 1.4 inch titanium membrane takes over, loaded by a horn. Blumenhofer quotes a frequency range of 35 Hz to 20 kHz within 2 dB, an efficiency of 96 dB and a nominal impedance of 8 ohm. Maximum power input is 150 W RMS. The cabinet measures 1,160 mm high, 450 mm wide and 620 mm deep, and each speaker weighs 60 kg.

Engineering and use context

Blumenhofer calls the cabinet a harmonic construction, with 18 mm birch plywood walls working together with internal structural bracing. The reflex port is placed at the floor rather than on the front baffle. According to the maker, the new paper cone and the powerful AlNiCo motor were chosen mainly to lift the quality of the mid bass, the region where the large woofer hands over to the horn. The woofer is part of a large-woofer family that Blumenhofer spent about two years developing, and the first series batch of these drivers arrived in March 2020. The crossover offers switchable impedance linearisation around the crossover frequency, which gives the speaker a flat impedance curve, and the horn level can be trimmed in 1 dB steps. Separate terminal pairs in gold plated tellurium copper support bi-wiring and also bi-amping, and adjustable spikes are supplied. Packed for shipping, one speaker occupies a carton of 130 x 60 x 38 cm and weighs 70 kg, and Blumenhofer covers the model for five years under warranty.

Pairing

The high efficiency and the flat load are the reasons Blumenhofer lists the model as tube friendly, while its power rating caps what an amplifier should deliver continuously. With the split terminals, the horn section and the woofer section may each receive their own amplifier channel rather than one shared pair of outputs.

Alternatives

The Blumenhofer Genuin FS 2 MK 2 is a smaller tower from this Genuin range, with a 12 inch AlNiCo paper woofer, a 1,150 Hz crossover and a 45 kg cabinet.