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Am I the only person who thinks that the Orpheus amp is grotesque looking? It's odd because I've read criticisms of the styling of the headphone itself, which I rather like, in an understated sort of way. But that amp? Blech!
Yes.
Kidding of course, but we should remember that the Orpheus was from another time and era entirely. Personally, I rather like the amphitheatre aspect of the look. And when it's all polished up like how they had it, just the "shiny object" factor is alluring in and of itself.
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It sounds like I wouldn't like the Orpheus much. Some people can get past a different sonic balance. I'm not one of them. Darker and smooth just doesn't work for me, no matter how resolving or detailed it is. Give me energy and shimmer, tempered with evenness and refinement.
Sounds like I'd really like Stax. Ten years down the road or so, when I've saved up my pennies, I might have to explore that.
Honestly, I think you'd really like both. Keep in mind that I both the Orpheus and the SR-007 Mk I are both very, very good. And when you get that high up, the differences are not as sweeping as you might imagine. I mean we are, after all, talking about summit-fi and the pursuit of that last 5% right?
For me, it wasn't an issue of balance in terms of signature. It was more of a texture thing really. Both are, without question, in a whole other world from many of the cans we experience in our daily lives.
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Keep in mind when you get to the level of the HE90, comments like "more euphonic" and "richer" have to be taken in the right context. The Orpheus is actually an extremely accurate headphone. It's not dark or smoothed over, and as far as refinement goes, sonically it's one of the most refined headphones ever made.
Actually, the SR-007mk1 can sound darker and more smoothed over compared to the Orpheus, depending on what amp you're listening with, really.
YES! I'm so glad you brought this up as I had forgotten to mention it last night (was just way too tired). The signal path is not something to be taken lightly. So please take my comments with a heap of salt here guys. After all, it's not like I used my own source (or anything else) in auditioning either the Orpheus or the SR-007 Mk I.
For the record, the Orpheus was the final stage of a turntable rig playing a bluesy-ballady piece I'd never heard before. Whereas the SR-007 Mk I I heard was at the end of a signal path that was playing a CD through an AMAZING custom amp, and it was a classical piece.
I'll readily admit that, were someone were to insist that the Orpheus was the pinnacle of headphone bliss, I'd have no argument against that whatsoever. Based on my limited experience with both, I could easily chalk up the differences to signal path variation (and even personal bias) at this stage of my Head-Fi journey.
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Warren-sama, not only are you a master 'shopper, now you've also fondled the Orpheus.
Yes, though with my relatively "novice" ear with summit-fi stuff, I think "groped" might be a more accurate term.
I've got a whole ton of updates... including some really cool news about Dunu, HiFiMan, etc. But alas I have to depart for the final day of CES now. So I'll try to post them later on tonight. I say try because tonight is Friday night in Vegas after all. Catch you guys later!
