[Pirakaphile]

So now that Sennheiser is doing this, Technics just reappeared, and the HiFi headphone industry is slowly growing in popularity, when will Sony re-release the R-10?
 
Oh yeah, and AKG K-1001!
 
IF ONLY

 

[mikoss]

I've been saving for an sr9 setup (probably around 10-12k) so price point is very important. I'd be surprised if Sennheiser didn't try and match a price point of sr9+amp, because that's its direct competition. 

I'd be extremely surprised if this is priced anywhere near $10-12k, given their pricing history. My guess is $20k+

My suspicion is that this successor to the Orpheus is very much Sennheiser responding to those other companies encroaching on their territory with their HE-1000 and their LCD-3s, even Abyss, by saying "No, we are still the most advanced and penultimate headphone company."  

Lol, you may want to look up the meaning of penultimate.

This is just a big, bloated, expensive system for extremely rich people who probably aren't even in our hobby. Merely a photo op and a chance for Sennheiser to appeal to crazy rich people. Marble amp, motorized buttons and tubes... Yeeeeeah.

 

[complin]

The new headset looks from the images so far similar to the original Orpheus with oval ear cups. Looks a little sleeker and updated
 
However; the amplifier is another whole kettlel of fish!
Who on earth came up with that design?
Looks like something you would find in an oligarch's or London hotel bathroom. Its a very very disappointing result, even though it uses luxurious materials.
 
There are so many good design houses around, particularly in Germany who could have come up with a modern iconic design.
The original Orpheus HEV90 is a design classic and will always be iconic, but if this is the production version of the new amp then apart from the motorised tubes, its just a marble clad bling styled square box! 
 
Given the status Sennheiser want this set-up to have personally I feel they should completely rethink the styling of the amplifier

 

[catscratch]

Initial reaction:

This is completely ridiculous and totally irrelevant. At $40k this is not a headphone for headphone enthusiasts, it's a prestige statement for the company. Pretty disappointing for people who hoped there would actually be a reasonable electrostatic alternative to Stax. I wonder how many years it will take them to sell the whole stock this time...

Hopefully there will be the equivalent of the HE60 at some point, and it will be more in line with what Stax are asking. And maybe - wishful thinking here - it won't even parallel Sennheiser's recent "hey look! detail everywhere!" bright voicing too.

 

[mikoss]

What about the closed back headphones? Hopefully better than those vb's that recently came out, lol. Those were also a dirty joke.

 

[myap2328]

^ The closed back flagship interests me far more than the orpheus and I was wondering if there are any headfiers at all that can comment on them? I see photos of people listening to them so is there any sonic impressions? word on price and build and design? etc???

 

[Earspeakers]

What's really surprising is the USB port/built in DAC. In a statement product? Really? I mean ... seriously? It's the bottom end products that throw in a DAC. Who would buy a $40k setup (or whatever) and not have a dedicated source? Who would spend this much for a combo unit? 
 
I'd like to see Senn commit themselves to 'stats for markets rather than marketing. 

 

[paulchiu]

Any more detailed pictures?

 

[Kerry]

Very interesting!

 

[complin]

The original Orpheus also included a DAC too, but by todays digital standards, its pretty much obsolete 
Those of us who are lucky enough to own an Original HEV90 I would guess the majority never use the built in DAC
 
I would guess one of the original reasons the old Orpheus was built was also marketing, and I would guess its given Sennheiser a lot of kudos over all those years, so in the long run was probably money well spent. I would doubt very much if Sennheiser expect to make a great deal on money out of their new flagship, its once again demonstrating the engineering art of the possible.
 
Quote:

  What's really surprising is the USB port/built in DAC. In a statement product? Really? I mean ... seriously? It's the bottom end products that throw in a DAC. Who would buy a $40k setup (or whatever) and not have a dedicated source? Who would spend this much for a combo unit? 
 
I'd like to see Senn commit themselves to 'stats for markets rather than marketing. 

 

[Mach3]

  I'm at Sennheiser's "Reshaping Excellence" event in London. Sennheiser had a press event, and showed this!
 
Did they just reveal the successor to the old Orpheus?
 
More to follow as we find out more.
 
 

 

 
LMAO, 40k system and they use a $5 PC power cord.

 

[connieflyer]

It is a beautiful piece of workmanship, is it for everyone, obviously not, but for the few that can afford it, why not. You have the kind of money that can afford something like this, it would be a great conversation piece and who would not want headphones handed to you and the tubes rise up and light up.  Hey Harold do you have one of these?  Probably not, would I buy one, only if I was lucky enough to afford one.  I see nothing wrong with including a dac, it may turn out to be a great piece of engineering. If they offered me one to try for a week, you betcha, but not able to afford one, doesn't mean I don't want one.

 

[XERO1]

 
 
Who on earth came up with that design?
 
Looks like something you would find in an oligarch's or London hotel bathroom. Its a very very disappointing result, even though it uses luxurious materials.
 
There are so many good design houses around, particularly in Germany who could have come up with a modern iconic design.
 
The original Orpheus HEV90 is a design classic and will always be iconic, but if this is the production version of the new amp then apart from the motorised tubes, its just a marble clad bling styled square box!

 
 

This is completely ridiculous and totally irrelevant. At $40k this is not a headphone for headphone enthusiasts, it's a prestige statement for the company. Pretty disappointing for people who hoped there would actually be a reasonable electrostatic alternative to Stax.

Hopefully there will be the equivalent of the HE60 at some point, and it will be more in line with what Stax are asking.

 
+1000

 

 

[Mediahound]

I'd like to hear this. Maybe I'll pick one up for my den, one for my office and one for my bedside rig.

 

[Mach3]

From Jude's photo, I'm guessing it a AMP/DAC electrostatic kit.
Look at the headphone 2 socket above the USB input.
I can't see headphone 1 socket in any of the photo so far, anyone care to point it out where it is?