Tranfiguration Orpheus description

Sirspeedy,

No offence taken. I agree that magazine reviews are typically incomplete and this one does not give any indication on how it compares with other Trasfigs. I was thinking about not posting this but ultimately I thought that an additional data point, good, bad or indifferent could be considered.

I'm very interested in hearing your thoughts from the upcoming experiments. Have fun,

Andrew

Andrew,I hope to install the Orpheus,for my friend,sometime in September.I'm really pushing him,to upgrade(?)sooner,due to selfish reasons.He is very interested in making this change.
Before the installation,we all go over to my friend Sid Marks,for an afternoon of INCREDIBLE LP fun.Sid is a "GOD" when it comes to great,rare,hard to find,MUST HAVE LP's.Of all types.He sports a superb system(really full range/convincing)anchored by the Lyra Titan cartridge.
We will then go to my Temper-v/Orpheus pal,Ed,and play the same LP's that we heard at Sid.Then move to the Temper/Orpheus comparison.Maybe a "spritz" of a Titan comparison,but it will be a different set-up,there.It's fun,anyway.Even if the Titan/Orpheus semi-comparison is not really valid.We all love this stuff anyway,and nothing is written in stone!
We usually come to an agreement,after much posturing,as to the ideal voicing of the cartridge,in Ed's fine set-up.I am the set-up "sucker"(I love it,but get up and down,"ALOT"),while the "GUYS" sit on their TUSH and tell me how to voice the arm bearing fluid/downforce/vta,until Sid,as usual,gives the thumbs up on the musical passages he is SO VERY familiar with.Boy,am I sick of Pavarotti on the SAME disc,everytime we make a change!!!!Or the Prokofiev Pno cto #5,or a host of other discs I have to bear,over and over,and over again.This certainly is the way to voice a good cartridge/arm/set-up,but I hope I get it close,the first "shot" or fifty!
I'll then post the observations,and try to indicate the discs and preferences.I'll try(everything is opinion)to make a meaningful comparison to the Temper-v,which I,too,own!
Obviously I am "selfishly" hoping to push my pal into a quick move,but he is "sold" on doing this anyway!

Best!

Sirspeedy,

Sounds like you have a good process for comparisons. Too bad you're doing most of the work:) We're looking forward to the results.

Andrew

Well,I do believe my pal is about to order his Orpheus!I have a few questions,and do believe Nsgarsh may be of help,if you can.Please!
Nsgarsh,you make mention of the dealer,selling this design,new,for 2650.Is this the same guy who has been E-mailing me his extensive listing every few months?He also sells Koetsu/My sonic Lab,Benz,as well as selling stuff like CAT/Avalon/MBL/Purist etc,all at a really compelling discount.
The guy seems legit,as he's been E-mailing me for about two years,and I have been forwarding his listings(I forgot his name)to my friend,who is now ULTRA HOT(thank goodness) to go Orpheus REAL soon(like in the next week or two).I know the regular dealer trade-in,against already owning a Temper-v/w is 2550 PLUS our cartridge.If this web dealer is legit(he claims to have great feedback)I see no reason not to give him some business,and sell the Tranny's my pal and I have privately.A great deal,all the way around,I hope!
Also,as a starting point,for me to begin to make some meaningful comparisons,to the Temper-v(which my pal and I both have,and like)if anyone can shed some light as to the differences in design(there does NOT seem to be much,here,other than output and resistence,which may equate to "whatever")to the Temper,I'd be most beholding.
The info,on the Orpheus states a newer non resonant body,yet I wonder if it is actually a new material,or simply newer shape.Also,I am having a hard time discerning(I never claimed a high IQ)if the Orpheus' specs declare this coil/magnet design to be more advanced than the Temper-v/w,or basically the same design(yokeless ring magnet),with a bit more output,and a gram more weight.
Obviously I will find out real soon.Actually my friend has already gotten the wine,to be served,in his little "rack"(not equipment rack,btw).I think I'll be goofing off that day,and leaving work early.Thank goodness I'm the boss.I really can't wait,for some fun in my life,these days!
Well,I want to be very careful,and guarded in any comments I might post,so any meaningful input will be of help...Thanks!

Best to all,
Mark

Speedy, I'm available to attend all wine/listening events -- let me know.

As for the Trannies deals, yes Tommy is the guy, although I just heard from someone who spoke w/ him recently that the O is $2750, not $2650 (which is what my latest price list says.) I bought my Tranny from him (as did two friends) and he is a totally stand-up guy.

As for the cartridge itself -- not having seen design drawings ;--) but based on the specs, particularly the output and the coil resistance values, it looks to me like the Orpheus has (essentially) the same ouput as a W but the (fewer) coil windings (therefore better transients?) of the V.

To accomplish this feat, they'd have had to come up with a stronger ring magnet and then tighten up the tolerances between magnet and coils.

Sure, if you can sell your V for $2k and trade up for another $750 I think that would be the way to go. I'm not ready to do that yet (waiting to see what all the big spenders have to say ;--) however, except for the no-yoke Decca, and the half-yoke Colibri, I think Transfiguration has made the biggest leap forward in cartridge design in the last two decades. All the other current "hot ticket" cartridges are, to me, just variations on an old theme, and therefore simply don't interest me, since I feel that envelope has been pushed as far as possible and its limits reached. Therefore, I think it's exciting (nor does it surprise or upset me) that Transfiguration has found a way to push their unique design even further, though they introduced the V and W roughly two years ago.

I always went w/ Ford over GM because, though I felt GM was built with better fit and finish, Ford had more design and engineering innovation. Transfiguration does both.
.