Tranfiguration Orpheus description

Dear Neil: " +++++ But I've been wondering: you try many many tonearm-and-cartridge combinations. So how do you remember from one to another so you can decide what you liked best? " +++++

What you liked best?: a very hard call. I have my own music sound priorities ( you can look at " my system " ) refered to live music.

First I don't try, yet, all my cartridges ( more than 30, I think ) with each one of my tonearms ( around 15-18 ): there is no time for do it. Now, I have a very good idea of my tonearms performance/characteristics ( this help me to choose cartridg/toneam combinations ) and the whole cartridges characteristics too.

I set-up the VTA/SRA and the other set-up parameters on an average way ( I can't do it like Doug: for each record ), usually with 180gr LP's. I have two records and two cuts in each one that are my references where I " measure /test " each combination: when the sound settle/right on those record cuts that's mean that the set-up is on target but this not tell me, yet, which combination meets exactly with my priorities.

What I tell you now maybe could sound a little sealy: from the combinations that I already have in very precise way, I like all!!!, I always enjoy the music with any one of them, of course that each one has its own " flavor " but that flavor always like me.

Right now I'm testing three MM cartridges: Empire EDR.9, Audiotechnica ATML 180-OCC and ADC Astrion. The Empire in the Micro Seiki MAX 282, the AT in the Satin unipivot and the Astrion in the Sumiko MDC800. I can tell you that these three ( extremely low price MM cartridges ) cartridges perform at the same level of many of my " big names " MC cartridges: I'm " startle " about, how comes ?: well this answer for other best time.

No, I don't take notes by hand, till to now everything is on my mind.

Yes, I have a lot of fun!!!

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

I wanted to give you folks an update on my Orpheus after further break-in and optimization of settings. In short it its sound is stunning! I'm loving life.

After using Nsgarch's method to identify the point of 0 degree SRA I increase arm height to achieve approximately +1.5 degrees. I am also now using a loading of 100 ohms. At this point I'm up to 1.92 g VTF. Although I don't consider this optimized yet as I haven't carefully experimenting with the recommnedations of higher VTF in the 1.97-1.99 g range. The cartridge also now has about 180-200 hours on it.

After this further break-in and SRA optimization I can now hear much larger differences between 47K and 100ohms and I'm prefering 100ohms a lot more. This loading has improved the tone and timbre of instruments and made it fuller sounding. 47K now sounds very lean and dry with out the realistic tone, body and natural sound I get at 100.

Overall this cartridge is very detailed, transparent,and open sounding. This has improved dimensionality drastically with a lot more depth, imaging and airiness. The dynamics have also improved considerably. Leading edge transients and attack are now very realistic. The most amazing thing about this cartridge is that it has all of these qualities but it has the most realistic tone and timbre of instruments. Some may call this beauty, etc. In other words it doesn't sound analytical AT ALL. I think the Tranny camp knows what I mean and this is what I was hoping for based on descriptions of the Temper Supreme.

I have to say that this cartridge sounds different and a lot better than it did 60 hours ago and with lower SRA and higher loading. My guess is that the loading to 100 ohms and further break-in were the main drivers to this improvement because my previous SRA was about 0.8 degree.

From my experiments with SRA around 0 degree I think the sound I heard at Dougs was mostly a result of an SRA setting too low. I find the sound gets muddier, less dynamic and dry sounding.

I have also gone back to comparisons to my CD player Wadia 861-SE with GNSC Statement mod and Virtual dynamics Revelation PC) with lp's and cd's of the same title. Where the difference weren't as dramatic before, the differences are now very apparent. Now the CDP literally sounds broken. I find myself i'm questioning if there is something wrong with it. In fact there isn't. this is just how good the analog rig nows sounds.

I owe a lot of thanks to Nsgarch. His persistence on pushing me to lower the loading and set SRA correctly payed off! You're the man!

Andrew

PS, I'll let you know how my experiments with VTF go.

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Andrew,
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Congratulations on getting to a good place with the Tranny. It's nice to hear someone so happy with their system.
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Rgds,
Larry
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Andrew,

It sounds like the Orpheus is breaking in nicely. The fact that it now sounds better at a more normal 100 ohms than at 47K is consistent with that. I've had new MC's that sounded okay at higher impedances OOTB, but needed progressively lower impedances as I put hours on them until they finally reached happiness at the expected setting.

I wish we'd had more hours to play with arm height during your visit. Your results make sense. Our cartridge also sounds muddy and less micro-dynamic when SRA is too low. Glad to hear working at this is paying off so well. I'd love to hear it again some time, optimized in your system for instance!

All the best,
Doug

Dear Andrew: I think it is time to try the Orpheus. Glad to hear that everything finally settle down.

Yes, Neil is very experienced about.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.