Tranfiguration Orpheus description

Sheeesh!I never meant to imply exclusive lp listening sessions of piccolos."GADZOOKS!!Da ya think I sit with all my Piccolo discs at hand( I don't even know how many I have),going through the haze of "rooty toot,toots"?
Also,NOT solo piccolos,but sometimes in the fabric of the piece,being interpreted.
If any of you have the EMI/Melodiya pressing of Rachmananoff's Vespers,with the multiple male/female voices,please relate as to how well your cartridge fleshes out the distinction between the male and female vocal choirs.As well as the actual "mouthing" of words."Cheeks/lips/tongues"(I think I'm getting turned on).I cannot get this nearly as well as I have heard it with the Air Tangent,in Sid's system.Good is NOT good enough,once you have heard it to this level.The vocalists are going "full tilt" and the energy level is INTENSE,yet it is very well recorded and is AMAZING when done accurately.A "Bitch" to get right and a "classic" lp,and a must hear---THINK, HERE, LINEAR ARM!!!---
I don't mean to be disrespectful,but what I'm referring to,and am clearly incapable,as of now,of getting is something that clearly is a "mini distortion" thing!This I believe to be the actual tangency,and minute distortions that ride along with the music.Some may be OK with this.C'mon!How much more forgiving of system performance,were any of you,even three years ago.I bet the Schroeder Ref can take a good crack at it.No bearing distortions!!
It is completely possible that I simply "stink",in getting my system set correctly,and maybe some of my componentry is not up to the task.I believe it is more "me",and what I "must " have from my lp's(but am beginning to become aware of the resonances that cannot be squashed,in a normal pivoting arm),having been exposed to a superb linear arm,on a massive table.
I hope I have not inferred anyone is not getting what they claim.I simply have not heard it "anywhere",other than my friend,and I have listened for this "type" of reproduction(not necessarily piccolos,but the energy of that frequency,sort of)on a load of really maxxed out systems.
Everyone has a Holy Grail.It used to be a great backhand,to me.Now it's lp reproduction,like "my boy" has!This can take a music lover,into the Golden years,with a smile on the face.So many great lp's out there,to find.
Passages employing the Harp,being played at pretty loud levels,will also do a "job" on the "Stylus/Groove" interface.The "sustain",and pitch/glow of the string,resonating!And I know it's easy to "know" it's a harp.Go hear the exact disc,on a good Linear arm,and then tell me it is as convincing on a pivot(I have a pivot,for those who don't already know).Then I'll take anyone's word,at face value.
I was touching on the "fact" that the type of "energy" touched off by loud piccolo blasts,ain't easy for a cartridge to navigate.It is a tracking thing,and a really good linear arm vs a pivot comparison will clear this up,and fast.Guaranteed!!

Best!
Mark

Nsgarsh,and anyone interested...Well my pal has just ordered the Orpheus.I will be installing it for him,in about two weeks.
I will NOT be able to do an A/B comparison,with the Temper-v,as you MUST send back the "V" as part of the trade in price.However,as I have installed the "V" in his set-up,and have heard his system for hundreds of hours,with constant fine tuning,I should be able to make a decent comparison!Also,I own a "V",as well as 90% of his exact components.
A question,in advance of my set-up.I do notice loading is for 3 ohms(recommended).We have always found 47 ohms preferred.Any thoughts.
Al;so,we find 1.87 gms downforce to be "almost ideal"!This is voiced whenever we have a critical session.The Orpheus supposedly has a recommended downforce of 1.8 gms,like the "V".Any additional thoughts here,as well as other hints,could aid my set-up,and would be appreciated.I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO GO BACK TO HIM,ONE WEEK LATER,AS THE TOLLS/GAS COST ABOUT 40 DOLLARS!!
He will be doing a rough install,just to break in cartridge,before I come over.
Thanks!
Mark

Mark, I'd set it up as follows:

Tonearm dead level (parallel) to the platter for now. No sense trying to dial in the SRA until the suspension is broken in after at least 150 hours.

VTF 2.0 to 2.2g gms. It'll help limber up the suspension quicker and won't damage anything if you have an accurate scale. The Trannies have a push-pull suspension arrangement - which I presume means there's rubber on BOTH sides of the coil, not just the back -- I'm not exactly sure, but there's clearly more "squishing" to be done to break them in;--) After 100 hours, reduce it to 1.9, and leave it untill after 200 hrs, then readjust for max output: the name of the game IMO, when trying to find the best place in the VTF range, has to do with optimizing the position of the coil in the flux field. So there's no point getting too anal about it until the cart has around 200 hrs on it. After that, I listen to a 1000 Hz pure tone and go up or down (from the middle 1.9 in this case) until I think I'm getting max output (probably could use a meter for accuracy, but I'm lazy ;--)

Only minimum anti-skate for now, 1 gm or less. I wouldn't
use any horizontal silicon damping either, unless using a heavy tonearm. The O has low(ish) compliance, especially when new!

Loading should be good (for now) at 50 ohms. Theoretical optimum is 62.5 ohms. I've been working with Andrew (Aoliviero) who has a Triplanar, and just bought an O which he's running at 50 for now also, because the presets on his CAT preamp are at 50 and 100. It's better (easier to hear IMO) to start on the low side and add load, than to start high and reduce.
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Nsgarsh,as usual,very thoughtful tips.Thanks!!BTW,by the time I get to my friend,he will have about 50 hrs on the cartridge.I like your recommendation of tracking a bit heavier,to break in suspension.Makes sense.I'll tell him.
I notice that Transfiguration claims only a 30 hr break-in!Based on my own experience,with two Trannies,the fifty hr limit got one really close.Yet,nothing surprises me,in this hobby.
As to load....We have five settings on the front-plate of our Phono/pre....30/47/60/100/600 ohms.My pal,though deeply into the hobby,will not go beyond what's available here.I do admit, he gets really great sound,already,so I'm not going to be able to "sell" him on making any internal changes,for varying impedence matching.Those five selectors will have to do,as far as he is concerned.
I'll do a tune-up,re-install,for him,next Friday.It's funny,as that is the day the electrician is coming over to my place,to replace my circuit breaker box,damaged in my lightning strike.Instead of setting up(after my long lay-off,due to my amp being worked on)my own system,I am SO CURIOUS as to just how good this Orpheus is,that I promised him I'd come to him,right after the electrician is done(early P.M.).
I hope to post a thread,here,next week,reporting the findings,but PLEASE remember it's only opinion of a select few hobbyists.Nothing more!

Thanks for your input,as well as Bc3!

Mark

Mark, if your friend has a 60 ohm load preset on his phono preamp (Manley?) that should be ideal since it's only 2 ohms from the optimum (62.5) I'd start at 47 just for comparison purposes, but I think he'll be happiest (after break-in etc.) with 60.

Nobody I know who has experience w/ MC carts has ever found one to settle in before 100 hours min. regardless of the published numbers. Tranny V/W owners I know agree their carts took about 125 hours befor they stopped changing, although I acknowledge the first big bump is at about 50 or 60 hours. I don't know why the manufacturers are so sloppy about this. It's the same with their published load recommendations, except for van den Hul, who actually does give optimum load values for most of his carts.

Are you really going to leave while your electrician is working on your house? Is he a relative?
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