. . . deep into the music.

Orpheus...
Bringing music back to life.

When Mr. Yoshioka told us he was going to work on a new flagship cartridge, we expected it would be a little better than the already superb Tempers V and W. After all, how much room for improvement could there be with these cartridges that were so natural and so timbrally accurate? We had no idea. When the first Orpheus arrived, it was revelatory. Yes, it was a little better in every aspect of performance…but the sum total of improvement in musicality and naturalness was overwhelming, causing us to redefine the way we listen to LP's. The Orpheus follows emotional and rhythmic surges and ebbs in music like no other cartridge we have ever heard. Observations and comments shift away from the sound to aspects of the performance. Still, after nearly a year, we are constantly surprised with the way the Orpheus draws us into the moment of the performance. Foot-tapping just happens, like being at a concert…

How did he do it? First, he addressed resonance issues in the cartridge body, reducing them with a more massive, solid body. The new squared-off face also makes the cartridge a little easier to align with certain alignment systems. He then found an even better material for the so-very-important core of the moving coil itself. This higher-permeability material brings a level of transparency heretofore unachievable. Also, this core material seems to defy saturation, allowing the cartridge to reproduce such difficult high-frequency musical material as piccolo blasts with aplomb. Finally, he tightened the already very close tolerances between the coil assembly and the ring-magnet, inside which it sits. He also employed an even more powerful magnetic material, so that the net effect is a cartridge with massive dynamic range and resolution of instrumental detail that defies description. Output is almost as high as the Temper W, even though there are fewer windings on the coil and a lower internal impedance than the Temper V. All this allows for the seemingly contradictory substantial increase in musical resolution, while bringing an even more natural and relaxed perspective to the music. In sum, the Orpheus simply must be heard to be believed.

Technical Details

1. Unique ultra grade SS-µ-metal core for coil assembly
Newly developed ultra grade SS-µ-metal square core increases sensitivity by 35dB, improving the signal to noise ratio and eliminating a usual source of distortion.
2. Special 7N copper coils
A newly developed 7N copper wire used in the coils eliminates a common source of distortion and increases transparency.
3. Push-pull damping
A special quality compound has been meticulously designed and fabricated to provide total stylus/coil alignment and control. Its non-sensitivity to temperature change keeps the damping co-efficient stable and improve trackability.
4. Anti-resonance cartridge body shape.
A resonance controlled 'simple' design for lower tonal colouration and a new-generation image.
5. Boron cantilever
Newly developed rod for a more natural sound.
6. Low mass tip
Ogura PA (3 x 30um) tip. It's function is to reproduce the character of the original recorded sound - not add or subtract its own deficiencies.
7. Ultra tight magnet-coil coupling
The coils are not just close but literally right inside, with coil-magnet proximity of only a few thousandths of an inch. With the precision magnetic field focusing possible only with a ring magnet and superbly accurately wound coils, the ultra tight magnet-coil coupling enables far greater electromagnetic efficiency.
8. Dynamic mass minimized and coil saturation eliminated
Much faster, more accurate stylus response to groove formation. Rising dynamics or sharp transients never mask detail.
9. Twin coils on cantilever fulcrum
Ultra low dynamic mass and mechanical impedance for instant, accurate reaction to every groove detail, including the ability to handle massive transients without overshoot or break-up.

Specifications:

Type: Yokeless single ring-magnet moving coil
Frequency response: 20Hz - 20kHz + 1.5 dB, 20kHz - 40kHz + 2 dB
Output voltage: .48mV (3.54cm/sec, 1kHz)
Channel seperation: > 30db, 200Hz - 10kHz
Channel balance: < 0.5db @ 1kHz
Optimum tracking force: 1.8g
Tracking force range: 1.7g - 2.0g
Dynamic compliance: 13 X 10 -6 cm/dyne
Internal impedance: 2.5 ohms
Load impedance: > 3 ohms
Cantilever: Boron
Stylus: Ogura PA solid diamond
Output terminals: 1.2mm
Magnetic material: Neodymium
Weight: 9g