Here is a translation of the review in the German magazine Image HiFi:
With the previous top of the line Temper, one faced the painful choice between the V or W version; either somewhat higher or lower output and thereby somewhat higher or lower moving mass. The Orpheus now spoils you with more powerful output with lower mass.
It goes without saying that Seiji Yoshiokas latest creation also comes with his patented generator with ring-magnet construction and, as with the Temper, the coils sit inside the magnet. With this, the designer guarantees himself a more intimate coupling between the coils and th magnetic field, ultimately leading to reduced over-modulation and distortion and also avoids the rising top-end comment to conventional design moving-coil cartridges. A neodymium magnet provides energy and the Ogura stylus is mounted on a boron cantilever tht, according to manufacturer information, is newly designed.
The most notable innovation involves the body shape: finally there is a flat front surface, which makes mounting, not only with the Dennesen jig, considerably easier. Enabling the relatively high output as well as an internal resistance of barely 2 ½ Ohms are the already mentioned neodymium magnet, as well as, primarily, the material from which the coil former is fashioned. The designer speaks of an ultra grade SS μ-metal, that raises the sensitivity of the generator by 35 dB. This recalls the sx-μx, used in the My Sonic Lab cartridge, a metal with extraordinarily high permeability, with which so good as no saturation effects should occur, and which helps the cartridge to achieve such high output with such a low impedance. How much these metals resemble one another, and whether they might even come from the same source was unfortunately impossible to determine. On the other hand, Seiji Yoshioka no longer makes any secret of the wire he uses: He employs 7n quality copper.
As far as loading is concerned, the german and Austrian distributor provides more concrete information than the manufacturer, who simply states that it should be greater than the impedance of the coils. Since the sound of the Temper (see Image Hifi 50) can be heavily influenced by loading resistance, I begin by ignoring the recommendation of the distributor and use 40 Ohms. At that loading the Orpheus already makes music very convincingly, having just completed its break-in period. With the Concierto Andaluz (reissue of the Philips 9500 563) it images orchestra and soloists in both a big and unusually gripping manner. The entrances of the orchestral groups are impressive and also, whatever the dynamics demand, the Transfiguration is no sad stepchild. It brings the listener truly close to the musical event, which is also finely articulated in the deepest bass. The Orpheus exudes power and warmth. Just 45 more ohms move one a few rows back and allow the concert hall to deepen a good bit more. Also, the Transfiguration can now count itself within the categories of speed, openness, and finesse. All in all, the reproduction appears a bit more light of foot, but also a touch lighter tonally. At 150 Ohms, one can lose oneself in a huge virtual space, and dynamic events come on with an explosiveness that seems, to me, just a bit over-the-top. The imaging achieves less body and is less connected, threatening to slip into the ethereal. Therefore, I switch back to 85 Ohms. And that is, not coincidentally, the value that comes closest to the recommendation of the distributor.
Sina Kovacevic not only recommended a load of 100 Ohms, but also to hear the cartridge in combination with Tom Evans The Groove +, with which the Orpheus was supposed to harmonize particularly well. At least in my system, I was unable to uncover any special synergistic effects. The Groove lends itself to somewhat more reserved tonal colors, suspends very believable, enormous recording spaces before the listener and, for example, makes Gounods Funeral March of a Marionette Reissue of LSC 2449) an impressive experience. Indeed, the piece does not draw the listener any further under its spell than when the Einstein takes over the phono-preamplification. In Fact, the Einstein pampers you with minimally more resolution and a breath more air around the instruments.
Much more important to me than the differences between the phono stages is the insight that it takes some little time until the superior characteristics of the Orpheus make themselves apparent. It is fortunately neither hyperdynamic, nor super-spacious, nor even mega-technicolored. The Transfiguration achieves more in all the named criteria than at least 95 percent of all cartridges, but nowhere does it allow itself the least extravagance. I must acknowledge, that years ago, cartridges fascinated me that brought extreme performance in one category, thereby however, exposing small deficits elsewhere. Perhaps it is due to such grown-up loudspeakers as the Lumen and in this case the Avalon or such accurate cartridges as the My Sonic Lab, that my sensibilities have shifted and I now no longer run the risk of under-appreciating a world-class phono cartridge like the Orpheus.
With the previous top of the line Temper, one faced the painful choice between the V or W version; either somewhat higher or lower output and thereby somewhat higher or lower moving mass. The Orpheus now spoils you with more powerful output with lower mass.
It goes without saying that Seiji Yoshiokas latest creation also comes with his patented generator with ring-magnet construction and, as with the Temper, the coils sit inside the magnet. With this, the designer guarantees himself a more intimate coupling between the coils and th magnetic field, ultimately leading to reduced over-modulation and distortion and also avoids the rising top-end comment to conventional design moving-coil cartridges. A neodymium magnet provides energy and the Ogura stylus is mounted on a boron cantilever tht, according to manufacturer information, is newly designed.
The most notable innovation involves the body shape: finally there is a flat front surface, which makes mounting, not only with the Dennesen jig, considerably easier. Enabling the relatively high output as well as an internal resistance of barely 2 ½ Ohms are the already mentioned neodymium magnet, as well as, primarily, the material from which the coil former is fashioned. The designer speaks of an ultra grade SS μ-metal, that raises the sensitivity of the generator by 35 dB. This recalls the sx-μx, used in the My Sonic Lab cartridge, a metal with extraordinarily high permeability, with which so good as no saturation effects should occur, and which helps the cartridge to achieve such high output with such a low impedance. How much these metals resemble one another, and whether they might even come from the same source was unfortunately impossible to determine. On the other hand, Seiji Yoshioka no longer makes any secret of the wire he uses: He employs 7n quality copper.
As far as loading is concerned, the german and Austrian distributor provides more concrete information than the manufacturer, who simply states that it should be greater than the impedance of the coils. Since the sound of the Temper (see Image Hifi 50) can be heavily influenced by loading resistance, I begin by ignoring the recommendation of the distributor and use 40 Ohms. At that loading the Orpheus already makes music very convincingly, having just completed its break-in period. With the Concierto Andaluz (reissue of the Philips 9500 563) it images orchestra and soloists in both a big and unusually gripping manner. The entrances of the orchestral groups are impressive and also, whatever the dynamics demand, the Transfiguration is no sad stepchild. It brings the listener truly close to the musical event, which is also finely articulated in the deepest bass. The Orpheus exudes power and warmth. Just 45 more ohms move one a few rows back and allow the concert hall to deepen a good bit more. Also, the Transfiguration can now count itself within the categories of speed, openness, and finesse. All in all, the reproduction appears a bit more light of foot, but also a touch lighter tonally. At 150 Ohms, one can lose oneself in a huge virtual space, and dynamic events come on with an explosiveness that seems, to me, just a bit over-the-top. The imaging achieves less body and is less connected, threatening to slip into the ethereal. Therefore, I switch back to 85 Ohms. And that is, not coincidentally, the value that comes closest to the recommendation of the distributor.
Sina Kovacevic not only recommended a load of 100 Ohms, but also to hear the cartridge in combination with Tom Evans The Groove +, with which the Orpheus was supposed to harmonize particularly well. At least in my system, I was unable to uncover any special synergistic effects. The Groove lends itself to somewhat more reserved tonal colors, suspends very believable, enormous recording spaces before the listener and, for example, makes Gounods Funeral March of a Marionette Reissue of LSC 2449) an impressive experience. Indeed, the piece does not draw the listener any further under its spell than when the Einstein takes over the phono-preamplification. In Fact, the Einstein pampers you with minimally more resolution and a breath more air around the instruments.
Much more important to me than the differences between the phono stages is the insight that it takes some little time until the superior characteristics of the Orpheus make themselves apparent. It is fortunately neither hyperdynamic, nor super-spacious, nor even mega-technicolored. The Transfiguration achieves more in all the named criteria than at least 95 percent of all cartridges, but nowhere does it allow itself the least extravagance. I must acknowledge, that years ago, cartridges fascinated me that brought extreme performance in one category, thereby however, exposing small deficits elsewhere. Perhaps it is due to such grown-up loudspeakers as the Lumen and in this case the Avalon or such accurate cartridges as the My Sonic Lab, that my sensibilities have shifted and I now no longer run the risk of under-appreciating a world-class phono cartridge like the Orpheus.