Transfiguration Orpheus - Has anyone tried it ?

Speedy, the Orpheus is available for $2500 from the same discount source as I gave you for the Temper V/W. Also, it has a significantly (IMO) lower compliance than the Tempers (13 vs. 15). It has a higher output than the Temper V with a slightly lower internal resistance. To me, that means a stronger magnet and fewer (or fatter) coil wires.

Larry, yes, I noticed the greater weight in the specs. Of more interest (to me because of issues w/ my SME V fat armtube) can you tell if the cartridge is taller than the T-fig W/V? I'm talking about the distance from the stylus to the top surface of the cartridge body. It would be nice not to have to use the SME headshell spacer.

Well larry, the Orpheus must be very special. I was just listening to a Boulez 1/2 speed mastered LP of The Firebird sith my Tranny-W, and if there was any more detail or bass, it would have displayed on the video!

Larry, a little off subject, but do you use your CR-7a much? Ever had it serviced? I've had one since new, and with 100-lot, brand new cassettes (even MFSL!) appearing on eBay for pennies, I was thinking of having it serviced/upgraded.

Tubes, thanks for the ref. I am aware of them and agree they're probably the best. A little on the pricey side, but I may break down and have them do a complete service/upgrade ($850!) if I start using the deck again alot. So far it works just fine, but probably could use a complete adjust/cleaning/lube after 15 years regardless.

The preceeding comments sound hauntingly parallel to those of the ZYX contingent just as the UNIverse was making its debut. Up til then, they gushed about the Airy 3 as the ultimate ZYX offering. BTW, didn't I read somewhere about an 'improved' UNIverse in the works?

If only our hearing improved along with our audio equipment! As it is, I have to keep upgrading just to hear into the music as well as I did 10 years ago with less sophisticated gear.

Just a note about output with Transfiguration products: they use the JVC test record. Most other manufacturers use the CBS test record which gives values 1.6x the "JVC" values. In addition, most phono preamp gain specs are tied to outputs based on the CBS values.

So to make a fair comparison with (most) other cartridges, and also to determine what kind of gain will be required from the phono preamp, it's necessary to convert the JVC derived values to the CBS value.

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For instance the Orpheus is rated a 0.48mV output, but if it had been spec'd using the CBS record, the output would actually be 0.77mV -- fairly healthy by most MC standards.