Tranfiguration Orpheus description

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.
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Nsgarsh,for my business,I had five Taurus wagons,over thirteen years(leases).Total repair costs,from defective problems, was literally less than 150 dollars,combined!!
As to the cartridge issue.THANKS!!This "IS" the guy,and the 2750 price is not a problem,though my pal will ask only about 1350 or so for his perfectly operating Tranny-v!
As to the "design factor" being the "telling" factor when chosing a cartridge,I really could care less.It's ALL about performance,and a pin on a string would be fine with me,if it sounded the way I like.
Actually when I viewed(sight,not sound)the ZYX Univ,I thought to myself "what a cheapo looking casing,that deserves a more cache look",based on the price of five large!!Yet the SOUND,believe me,was CACHE,and BIG TIME!That's how I heard it,and I have no clue as to it's "uniqueness" of design,and could care less.It was "fabuloso"!BTW,so is my friend's Titan,and another friend is "APESHIT" over the performance of his Koetsu Coral.This guy has the Titan,and Olympos,but swears the Coral,with it's zillion year old coral stone body,is unmatched.Especially on vocals.I guarantee it would be even better if it was made of fossilized eggroll shells!!But what do I know?
Who knows,as to "the design parameters" of these cute little transducers,and their performance,based on design(?).I just want the musical facts,and hope to NOT rationalize my own opinion(I'm not accusing you of anything,btw,just my usual rant)when I give the Orpheus the "go round"!
I'll be doing the set-up(yutz that I am,while my friends "work me" like a marionette...get up,tweak/sit down...get up tweak/sit...over and over and over.Until I literally want to strangle one of them).Of course,I love it,though,and put on my own little "tired act",in order to snag some quality vintage wines,out of my usual reach.Heh,heh!
I have a sneaky suspicion that this Orpheus will be a better match for my Graham 2.2,than the Temper-v.I'll do cartwheels if so.Just a hunch,but if I am correct my fanaticism with the fluid/vta/downforce may vanish.I HOPE!!!
As of the here and now(in my pal's set-up,since mine has been down,but I did FINALLY get my amp back yesterday,and it seems to weigh about thirty pounds more,so we'll see soon)I have ALWAYS detected a very subtle dryness in the 2.2/Temper combo.I recall,also being aware of this in my set-up way back,when I had music.Though I have just ordered a new PS-Audio P-300 line regenerator,for line source components,which may put the kabbash on this(possibly).Also,the addition of two Hi Fi Tuning fuses in the pre/phono,of my pal(I have the exact same)was HUGE in aiding performance.I was really against this,but there was NO denying the improvement.Much to look forward to.
If the Orpheus is less resonant(a claim they make)and tracks better,as well as having a tad more cartridge weight,it will most likely mate with my 2.2,a bit better( I don't care about output,as my phono section has LOADS of really clean gain),then I may have a nice fall/winter listening season ahead.Trust me,I deserve one!!

Best!...And thanks for the quick response!!

Speedy, you can take an old established design and push it to the absolute limit of possible performance, using painstaking craftsmanship and the very best materials in fabricating that design, and what you wind up with (in the world of cartridges) are the very most expensive versions of Koetsu, Allaerts, ZYX, van den Hul, Dynavector, Magic Diamond, etc. etc. And you can vary some of the materials and/or dimensions to produce different sonic qualities that you like in combination with different tonearms and kinds of music, leading of course to multiple cartridge/tonearm ownership ;--)

In all the above cases, this kind of (necessarily expensive) refinement has led to highly articulate but rather low output devices. And only the advent of (necessarily expensive) new technology, that provides "LOADS of really clean gain" (as you put it) has saved these feeble little gems from the ravages of the step up transformer!

Now, suppose you hit on a new mechanical design that produced a cartridge with the excellent tracking and transient accuracy of one with a light weight coil, but provided the healthier output of a heavier coil with more windings? The result is the Transfiguration W. I decided there'd be no real need to buy a V because it wouldn't track any better than a W. The coil weight in both cartridges is so light it's negligable compared to the weight of the coil former itself, and which is also a newer lighter material, super mu metal, I believe it's called.

So now you have a cartridge with great articulation, transients and trackability, along with enough output to produce a useful signal with less gain and less noise. That's why one of the first remarks folks make about the Trannies is how QUIET they are! Well Duh!!

There is so much room now to improve and refine this smart new Transfiguration design. By comparison, the traditional designs have basically hit a performance ceiling IMO, unless they can obtain more powerful magnets at a competitive cost. Otherwise you're going to continue to see the folks at Dynavetor twisting themselves into pretzels trying to get a little bit more out of the conventional magnetic yoke design -- or maybe Dr. vdHul will next come up with a vertical assembly so he can shorten the cantilever some more ;--) or maybe someone will figure out a way to make coils out of conductive films that don't weigh anything at all!

In the meantime we have now advanced to the Orpheus, further combining and improving on the innovative mechanical design of the Temper V and W, and making it obvious (to me anyway) why there's only one model of the Orpheus and not two!
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"There is so much room to improve and refine this smart new Transfiguration design.By comparison,the traditional designs have basically hit a performance ceiling."!!

TRADITIONAL??.. BOY,Nsgarsh....I'm not SO convinced it is really all that academic.Especially in the field of Hi End Audio.
If that were the case I guess all my tube loving friends should just sell out,and go all solid state!BTW,I have only three tubes,in my set-up,so am merely making a point.
You simply cannot assume design, alone,as in the case you make for the "automatic" superiority of the Orpheus(have you heard it yet?),will prevail.
I totally trust your general knowledge,and almost always agree with your solid reasoning,BUT...even though I am INCREDIBLY interested in the Orpheus,I STILL have to have my musical senses convinced,which will only come from an audition.A very long one,at that!!I mean no disrespect,and understand your scientific approach.Yet....
Sorry,but since I am very possibly(no guarantee)going to obtain one,should I like(alot)the results we get at my friend's place,then, and ONLY then will the "superiority of the design",from a technical aspect,interest me.At that point I'll begin to get excited about "coils,and tolerences etc",as then it will all make sense to me.

I have been at this game a long time,as I am sure you,and many have.I love the technical advantages so many components offer as "better",yet not all that many "really" ecclipse their competitors.Lots of stuff performs great,and gets better,when put into a set-up that has the appropriate synergy of componentry.You know this too,btw.
So, as for the Orpheus,I'm taking more of a wait(with baited breath)and see approach,before I get too excited.
I hope your enthusiasm for it's technical superiority is correct,and I will LOVE to say I'm sorry,for not giving it the automatic "thumbs up",you seem to be doing so,as of now.
BTW,I have heard the Dynavector(xv-1s),and it was magnificent.I don't think it's owners are too worried about what's new on the horizon.Same should go for the vast majority of the great designs.Though I had a fleeting listen to an Allaerts,which was really nice,but too short a listen.Which brings us to the Orpheus....
I mean,let's face it........it could not possibly be as good as the "other cartridge" favored on this forum. Heh,heh,heh..... -:)

Speedy - if you factor trade-in and cost out of the equation, what does your experience tell you about the differences and strengths between the Orpheus and the XV-1s?

Cheers,
Tim