[Nomax]

So Nomax, how did you like the Orpheus II? Would you say it's better than all other high end systems you have heard, or just different? What headphone does it most sound like?

The Orpheus 2 is very well tuned! Treble, mid and resolution, everything fantastically, but some criticism to the bass!
At higher volume begins distortion. For 50,000 USD I can expect to play Rock & Pop sometimes without distortion even with more than 100dB - can I?
This should go without saying, you does not go to a Rock concert to come up with 80dB to enjoy or??
My own opinion is that certain musical genres work at high volumes only.

The amplifier unit is as said processed on top level,I've never seen that myself on that level!! Compared the headphone itself show technical criticism compared to the asked $ 50,000 !!

The amp in BUILD/MATERIAL-CONSTRUCTION Quality is for 100% TOP NOTCH!!!the HEADPHONE ITSELF .....??

Look at the Picture and you know what i mean!!!(and i have few more)




Am I too strict ?? No because it is Sennheiser and it's about $ 50,000, and I was even in the past Orpheus 1 owner and it did its job for only $ 15,000 and yes - well done

We will see whether Sennheiser will do some cosmetic changes at the headphone. It will carry out in the next 6 months.

I'd like to it personally in any case

Regards Nomax

 

[Ultrainferno]

What am I (not) seeing in that picture?

 

[phonomat]

What am I (not) seeing in that picture?

Something to do with the screw/swivel mechanism? It looks like it MIGHT be slightly tilted to one side, but hard to say, really, I'm just viewing it on my phone right now.

 

[VandyMan]

At higher volume begins distortion. For 50,000 USD I can expect to play Rock & Pop sometimes without distortion even with more than 100dB - can I?

 
While I agree that that it should not be distorting, if you listen at 100dB for extended periods, you will do permanent damage to your hearing. It will be interesting to see if measurements confirm the claim of bass distortion at high volume.

 

[Sal1950]

Something to do with the screw/swivel mechanism? It looks like it MIGHT be slightly tilted to one side, but hard to say, really, I'm just viewing it on my phone right now.

That's the problem today. Phones are for making phonecalls, computers are made for surfing the net and reading emails.  

 

[Sal1950]

The Orpheus 2 is very well tuned! Treble, mid and resolution, everything fantastically, but some criticism to the bass!
At higher volume begins distortion. For 50,000 USD I can expect to play Rock & Pop sometimes without distortion even with more than 100dB - can I?

Regards Nomax

Can't say for sure, never owned any, but hasn't that always been a problem for electrostatic phones (and speakers for that matter).  Drivers have limited excursion capabilities and hence have issues doing bass at high volumes.

 

[phonomat]

That's the problem today. Phones are for making phonecalls, computers are made for surfing the net and reading emails.  

I faxed you my answer.

 

[Ali-Pacha]

The Orpheus 2 is very well tuned! Treble, mid and resolution, everything fantastically, but some criticism to the bass!
At higher volume begins distortion. For 50,000 USD I can expect to play Rock & Pop sometimes without distortion even with more than 100dB - can I?
This should go without saying, you does not go to a Rock concert to come up with 80dB to enjoy or??
My own opinion is that certain musical genres work at high volumes only.

Nomax not over-9000-enthusiastic...it's a bit strange 

Anyway, Sennheiser used to set a lot of tension on diaphragm on HE90/HE60, easier to drive, but it does limit SPL and bass output, theoretically. Maybe same kind of technological choice there.

Ali

 

[Music Alchemist]

The Orpheus 2 is very well tuned! Treble, mid and resolution, everything fantastically, but some criticism to the bass!
At higher volume begins distortion. For 50,000 USD I can expect to play Rock & Pop sometimes without distortion even with more than 100dB - can I?
This should go without saying, you does not go to a Rock concert to come up with 80dB to enjoy or??
My own opinion is that certain musical genres work at high volumes only.

 
This comment about bass distortion is especially concerning since you can't use any other amp with the HE 1060.
 
Can you go into further detail about your experience with the bass? It "shouldn't" distort at all on a system like this.
 

  Can't say for sure, never owned any, but hasn't that always been a problem for electrostatic phones (and speakers for that matter).  Drivers have limited excursion capabilities and hence have issues doing bass at high volumes.

 
It depends how powerful your amp is. If you're using a weak amp at high volume, then it can distort even more frequencies than the bass. And if you boost the bass with EQ in that circumstance, it's going to be extremely distorted. But none of this is the fault of the headphones.

 

[james444]

Nice review James.
Reading piano ots the whole chain not just the headphones and most Lilkly not the headphones at all or last on the list.
Lesser headphones just give less detail not harshness
The hd800 is about 85 percent of what the stax009 is as is. And it seems they have mellowed the hd800s.
The closer we go to hyper detail less colored the more we go away from holding us there. Or at least that's what it is for me.
I think it seems senhiser has made a better stax009 in a single unit that's still fine by me.
David's review I feel is spot on and I have heard many of the phones he posted of and I have the upgraded version of his msb dac too. The only fault he showed was the lack of hi Rez of the time and he was not using a server or AO
in fact it was iTunes so today's standards are way above his. But this has little to do with his conclusions other than him not realizing the full potential of his phones
Jamie's is spot on for how I feel although I have not heard them but do agree with James
I also have many ciems so we are the same page there too.
It will be in NYC soon and I'll check it out. But it will be with my own music so I will have some balance in my assessment
I love this place people post from the entire planet I cannot think of any where else. Sorry if I am confusing at times. I have no disability just do this posting fast as I am busy
At 58 and no reading glasses neeeed but maybe I should read before I. Hit send though
So hiw was this post and please do not gauge grammar I stink at that just best with that part of me ok

 
Thanks! Btw, when I'm talking about the Orpheus, I'm always talking about the whole system, amp plus headphones. Be it the old or the new one, I think Sennheiser tuned the complete system to deliver a certain kind of sound signature and that's what I'm talking about. Just felt I had to clarify that, so bear with me.
 
One thing I forgot to mention is soundstage / imaging. Coming from A/B listening to the HD800 and HD800S only minutes before I got to hear the Orpheus II, I felt quite a bit mystified about the latter's spatiality. Sure, it's an extremely resolving and transparent headphone, but its spatial presentation is considerably more in-the-head than that of the HD800 and HD800S. To be more precise, you get ample width and a good sense of open space to the left and right of your head. However, the openness at both sides doesn't extend all the way to the center stage, and lead vocals are rendered right in front of your nose, with hardly any sense of forward projection or depth.
 
Granted, the HD800(S) offer one of the most lifelike illusions of soundstage I've ever experienced with headphones, but from my earlier listening sessions I don't remember the Orpheus I falling notably short in comparison. The Orpheus II however, is a decidedly more intimate sounding headphone imo, which may be regarded as con or pro, depending on personal preference.
 
Edit: disclaimer, I didn't try binaural recordings, those may well be another cup of tea.
 
ht:impressions ht:comparisons

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Thanks! Btw, when I'm talking about the Orpheus, I'm always talking about the whole system, amp plus headphones. Be it the old or the new one, I think Sennheiser tuned the complete system to deliver a certain kind of sound signature and that's what I'm talking about. Just felt I had to clarify that, so bear with me.
 
One thing I forgot to mention is soundstage / imaging. Coming from A/B listening to the HD800 and HD800S only minutes before I got to hear the Orpheus II, I felt quite a bit mystified about the latter's spatiality. Sure, it's an extremely resolving and transparent headphone, but its spatial presentation is considerably more in-the-head than that of the HD800 and HD800S. To be more precise, you get ample width and a good sense of open space to the left and right of your head. However, the openness at both sides doesn't extend all the way to the center stage, and lead vocals are rendered right in front of your nose, with hardly any sense of forward projection or depth.
 
Granted, the HD800(S) offer one of the most lifelike illusions of soundstage I've ever experienced with headphones, but from my earlier listening sessions I don't remember the Orpheus I falling notably short in comparison. The Orpheus II however, is a decidedly more intimate sounding headphone imo, which may be regarded as con or pro, depending on personal preference.

 
Good thing I don't mind a more intimate soundstage!

 

[fiascogarcia]

I faxed you my answer.

Is that with one of those fancy new pocket faxes? 

 

[phonomat]

Is that with one of those fancy new pocket faxes? 

It's an original prop from Back to the Future II, the one from the bathroom of the McFly's residence. Would look great next to the Orpheus. It's in mint condition, I just bought it the day after tomorrow. If you're interested, I can ship woldwide till yesterday; just gimme a call on my video phone.

 

[fiascogarcia]

It's an original prop from Back to the Future II, the one from the bathroom of the McFly's residence. Would look great next to the Orpheus. It's in mint condition, I just bought it the day after tomorrow. If you're interested, I can ship woldwide till yesterday; just gimme a call on my video phone.

I won't be able to call till 3 days ago.  Do you have a teleport pod you can use?

 

[icebear]

  Can't say for sure, never owned any, but hasn't that always been a problem for electrostatic phones (and speakers for that matter).  Drivers have limited excursion capabilities and hence have issues doing bass at high volumes.

You are generally correct that electrostat systems are not built for party volumes but the Stax Lambda pro can deliver 118dB's w/o distortion.
 
I simply don't trust "Mr self proclaimed crazy" on this notion that there were distortion above 100dB. Did he measure the spl? Absense of any distortion, usually a signal that the spl is already pretty high, can make people crank up the volume to insane levels w/o realizing how loud it actually is. I can't imagine this being the case (distortion above 100dB's) with a $55k system. That is something everyone should notice immediately, Tyll, Jude and last but not least the Sennheiser folks themselves. If that was indeed the case, they'd be the laughing stock. This being unlikely, I'd rather treat the crazy statement with a little bit of caution.