I forgot to share my final thoughts of the Amber 3 vs the upgraded Orchid. The two are really wonderful and I could live with either and not feel like I miss the other.....if that makes sense.
The Amber 3 is a little more resolving and throws a bigger stage. The upgraded Orchid is still less fussy of recording quality and just makes you smile. Both are beautiful sounding with great dynamics and bass. The upgraded Orchid’s bass is just a tad better. More impact and slam.
I don’t think either one is an upgrade over the other, simply a slightly different set of relative strengths. The Amber 3 however is twice as expensive after the fuse and tube upgrade. If you love a very large sound stage with extraordinary detail presented in vivid beauty with a touch of warmth, then the Amber 3 will please you greatly. In addition the Amber 3 remains a bit more composed at high volumes of over 88db or so. This maybe important to you.
The upgraded Orchid sounds a touch more full through the lower mids and packs incredible bass slam and weight. It does a better job of dealing with the digital nasties like glare that can rear it’s ugly head on certain recordings. It just sounds right folks. That special piece of gear that helps you enjoy your music library easily and fully.
The stock Orchid is outclassed by the Amber 3 after full break in as an FYI. The Amber 3 simply delivers more nuance, scale, drive and resolution.
Hope this helps.
