Nsgarsh,The comments made here,about the Orpheus are really NOT like the ZYX UNIV crowds'"never ending story"!Here we have a new,and interesting design that would obviously peak interest.Of course the Transfiguration "W" or "V" are superb,yet it's human nature to "scope out" new stuff,from mfgrs we like.In reality I have no intention of replacing my "V" until I'm satisfied that I've gotten my money's worth,by making sure I have a good amount of hours on it(which I don't).Regardless of how good the newer model is.Which I am ultimately interested in,and have a friend already "sold" on it(by "sneaky me").He will get it in September.I'll know,then,how much better than the "V" it performs,as he has almost the same system as me(except some cabling and speakers).
What the "UNIV" crowd had done(not that there is anything wrong here)was to extend,for over a year, the impression that it had almost NO competition,in their opinion,and followed it up with the continual mention(free adv here)of the "importer/seller's" name.The importer got a good amount of free press.Also,if you look at the website for ZYX,you will see the "rediculous" false list price,followed by the discounted price(which should actually be the stated price,ONLY).
This all came to pass once Mike Lavigne was nice enough to write a lengthly comparison of the UNIV vs "the world"(sort of).I loved his lengthly impressions!
BTW-I have heard the UNIV,and it is SUPERB,but I never felt it was heads above the potential competition.Even not hearing everything,as it was simple common sense to assume there were too many other fine choices.ALL VIABLE CONTENDERS!!
So here,we have some good press for the Orpheus,and some typical high marks for it,by enthusiastic owners/listeners,but I do not get the impression that this is anything other than "something new".For now!!I doubt we'll hear much about it a month from now.The more than a year long UNIV enthusiasm,though seemingly well deserved, would have carried more weight,to me,if there was not the constant mention of the "seller's" name,and the "seller/importer" should change the stupid,fake list price to reflect the "real" selling price.BTW-please no venom,I'm just "talking the hobby".We could ALL benefit from more directness,by hobbyists who are not so protective of their favorite "guys",and those "guys" allowing some hobbyists' emotion to surface,without losing their composure!Please!!
Of course there are some who simply have to have the last word!I'd be pleasantly surprised if this didn't happen.
BTW #2--After hearing a load of fine stuff at the VTV show,I stumbled(on Saturday)into a "little unassuming" room that has really/seriously impacted my "almost adv driven" (I'm influenced too,from time to time,though I do try to fight it)mentality.Nsgarsh,you and I have fairly big set-ups.Check this out---
I had spent the entire first half of Saturday listening to some fine SET and more complex/powerful tube based systems,with some quite nice solid state stuff thrown in,for good measure.I like both solid state,or tubes.Based upon the success of the overall system's "presentation".There were quite a few fine sounding,and interesting set-ups on display.I had a chance to audition(A/B) the Myabi Ivory against the XV1-s,in the same system.With two identical arms(DaVinci).The preamp was the Japanese Audionote megabucker,with Tron tube amps(and a prototype "somethings")driving hybrid Horning "big boys".INTERESTING!!The Myabi sounding more Koetsu like(romantic),with the Dynavector sounding more neutral and dynamic.Yet it was a stretch to declare a winner.Simply a matter of system voicing,and taste.I liked the XV-1s,but that's just me.Yet the little Allaerts,fronting a nice sounding alternative system,that was on display,clearly led me to believe that Raul is not crazy when he states how good these are.Superb timbres!Hard to do!
Now to the "little room", and surprise I stumbled upon,after hearing all the big stuff(megahorns/mega dynamic driver stuff/mega dipoles,mega prices,and "my own" stuff ain't cheap, etc).I was about to leave the show,and was aware of this sign(on the room's door) saying "back after 3:00".The room was basically closed all day,as the show was ending at 3:45.So I was lucky enough to have a "short window" to hear something so simple/special/logical/and OLD,that I am still thinking about how I will approach "home listening and system set-up" in the future.Sorry for the supposed sensationalizing.Which it is not!!Well, maybe a little,but it deserves this.
In this tiny "unofficial" room,like a character from a good novelette,was one of the nicest,most direct,and interesting fellows I have ever met,in this hobby.I simply "knew, without really knowing" that he had to also know my friend Sid(a classic person,in his own right).He did!
As I looked around a couple of other "lucky" showgoers stumbled in,as well.THEY NEVER LEFT!Actually, almost every guy,to the man,had almost the exact same reaction!It was SCARY!I heard "this is the most toe tapping room here".Or "this is simply amazing".Or " what is the front end/ source playing this stuff".Or,"I didn't even know you could do this,with that device".Even "where is the subwoofer"?Alot more compliments,but the point is that I heard a TINY pair of monitors,which this guy(Charles King) had said were Rogers LS3/5a clones,sitting atop two little inexpensive mini stools(sourced from somewhere like IKEA,hooked up with "el-cheapo" cabling(all other rooms had expensive stuff),and being driven with a twelve watt Dyna amp(circa 1970).The front ends were a Dyna tuner(Blew me away,playing classical opera),and two tape decks.One I had owned years ago.This was the Classic Tandberg unit,which he did not play!
The tape recorder he did play(and BOY is this thing jewel like,and Rolex gorgeous)was a rebuilt 1970 Stelovox unit.Playing 15.5 ips little tapes.The unit is really small,and you play a tape and reload,about every few minutes.There was a coffee table quality "art book" sitting on the chair,that he had obviously contributed to,which was all about these MAGNIFICENT Stelovox tape recorders.Think Leica,here!I told him he had better put it away,or fear someone walking out with it.Don't think the thought did not cross my mind.Though I'd never do that!Maybe Albert Porter has knowledge of these CLASSIC tape decks(what an incredible front end "music delivery system",these little jewels are).
This fellow was there to give a seminar on the history of tape recording,and he refurbishes the Stellovox units to the few "lucky" fans of this "classic" device.Apparently there are quite a few hobbyists that pick these up,and KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THEM!Too bad I'm such a moron!I have basically shot my monetary load,for this year,with my most recent audio mods/expenditures.A couple of "thou" already this year,and I'll have to reload for next year.I pace myself,in my old age.
Sonically,everything was placed on "Crapola" hotel tables,for audiophile grade support -:),what we all heard was UNBELIEVABLE presence,naturalness,and huge,really HUGE stage size and depth(haunting actually,and I was not the only person stating this),followed by rediculously good "seemingly full range sound".I'd have to suspect it actually got down to about fifty hz.Yet WHAT a FIFTY hz!!!--CLEAN!!!--Like I seldom hear this level of CLEAN!---ANYWHERE!!---He also played some acoustic jazz.Having heard the same thing three weeks earlier on my friend Sid's huge,yet great set-up,I was shocked at how tuneful,pitch perfect and BIG,these little "baby shrimp" speakers could do this.I'm talking real power.I thought my Avalons were good at depth and stage.--HA!!--Don't believe me!I don't care!I pinched myself,and know it was NOT a dream!!
The little two way "clone" speakers were out about four feet into a small hotel room.When we switched to the Dyna tuner(remember circa 1970,but everything was rebuilt,and modded, and the "guy" knows what he's doing)to hear some opera,live btw,the harpsichord sounded SO real and the singer's voice so filled with beauty and natural texture that I decided to go back to the two or three other really good sounding rooms,for a comparison.Remember,the other rooms had very expensive stuff,and some were getting very good sound,for a show!It was a small show so there was not alot of external noise.It was as though I had NEVER really been to those rooms an hour earlier.Now they sounded,"well, err", flat out BAD!I had thought they were great,just a little time earlier,but I was now a "new" listener.For life!!It happened "that fast"!!Whew!!--I'm now thinking "Twilight Zone",and am beginning to get scared,and worried.I asked someone if they could actually see me.Just to confirm I hadn't died.Thank goodness they acknowledged my existence!!I tried to walk through a wall,and hurt my shoulder,but was glad to still be amongst the living,and listening!
NO CONTEST!!! COMPARED TO THOSE PREVIOUSLY GREAT SOUNDING ROOMS!!--I went back to the little "unofficial" room,again.Selling no equipment for the consumer.Just a set-up for the sake of demoing some tapes,on this no longer made tape machine.Nothing really special.--JUST FRIGGIN GREAT!!
This guy,Charles King,after hearing all the accolades coming his way from some "lucky to be in his room" showgoers,and most were actually exhibitors,taking a break(that told me something,there),had said to me "it's really amazing how little money you really have to spend,once you know what you are doing"!Now I have met another "classic music lover/treasure",to go along with Sid Marks!This is the kind of stuff that keeps the hobby fresh,to me.Yes,I do admit I'm not all there.My wife reminds me of this often.
Well after having recently heard the now famous,BIG BUCK, Nola Grand Ref system.Driven by all the stuff we hear/read about(ASR Emitter etc),with superb playing material,I do have to admit that if I was strong enough to actually listen to my heart,rather than my brain(which is not too big)and if I could have either of these systems,my choice would be the GREAT Mr King's "upstairs set-up".
He stated this was his secondary system,and was beginning to tell me what he used for "serious listening",when he was told to close up the "treasure chest",I mean room,and give his seminar.He never returned,and I had to go home.So I'll never know!
How much fun can this hobby be,when you are really open to new experiences,and don't have frozen conceptions of what is good?
Sorry for the lengthly rant(and please excuse me if some comments seemed condescending),but my system has been down for about three months now.Maybe I'm actually better off!
Best!
