[dB Cooper]

Sennheiser re-releasing a redesigned Orpheus.

Didn't have the nerve to look at the price, because, like they say, if you have to ask...

http://en-us.sennheiser.com/orpheus

[dB Cooper]

I couldn't help myself. I looked. About 50,000 Euro. Maybe if the control knobs didn't extend from flush with the marble base when the amp is turned on, they might have brought it in for a little less.

Well it makes the HD800 and the new $3K Shure electrostatic IEMs look like real bargains, doesn't it.

Good job, Senn. Now how about making something in the Audeze/Hifiman price territory? With your economy of scale and engineering prowess, you ought to be able to compete there.

[Ultralight]

USD$55K for the set.   Wonder how much better it is than the Hifiman 1000 using the same amp.

[FullRangeMan]

Sennheiser is a obscene company.
With that money one would buy a house or better a land lot,
this figure is a lot of money even for a car.
An acquaintance of mine heard the Orpheus and the HD800
at a hifi show in Munich afew years ago, and inform us that
its soundstage is much smaller than the 800, being barely
larger than the head.

Altough how is know his harmonics made the sound rich as
the Sony king. With this petro$arab price I predict that Sony
will release again its MDR CD3000 for say just $40,000...

[ajzepp]

Whoa, what the hell?? I thought it was a typo and maybe you meant $5k...which would be a grand more than the new Audeze LCD-4 price that everyone is whining about...but FIFTY GRAND???   

[FullRangeMan]

Maybe this silly price will boost HiFiMan HE1000 at ''just'' 3K and even the HE400.
5 grand for this amp and the phones is a fair dealer price.

Iam wrong or this new Orpheus is Not Angled?

[hibuckhobby]

How about we all lighten up a bit?  The new Orpheus is a statement piece.  Years of development.
They will be made in a limited number and as has already been observed, only the wealthy will be
likely to buy one.  There are many excellent cans and amps out there (as has already been pointed out)
for a lot less money.  Spend what you are willing to spend and enjoy what you have.  Any other route
leads to constant buying, upgrading and dissatisfaction.  Been there, done that.
my .02,
Hibuck...

[FullRangeMan]

They will be made in a small number why they dont expect sell many units at this inflated price.
All headphones are bad in bass spl/extension and soundstage size, a cheap Eminence 15'' woofer can do best.
If a half dozen buyers accepted this price they will have a large profit.

[dB Cooper]

I had hoped they would introduce something to go up against the Hifiman and Audeze lineups. With their economy of scale and R&D resources, you know they could do it.

And as you may or may not be aware, Shure just announced a $3K set of electrostatic earbuds with a companion amp/DAC. There's an upper limit to what it's rational to spend on music playback.

Hey, my 650's still sound pretty good as far as I'm concerned.

[dB Cooper]

Hell, if somebody spends money they can't afford that's on them. And if $55K for headphones isn't a problem, then go for it. My issue is that they spared no expense to make the best headphones they could- and then kept going, adding "features" that add nothing to the performance but a lot to the price. In other words, they're there to increase the bling/conspicuous consumption factor, not for performance. I don't know about anyone else, but I have never yearned for a marble base or control knobs that retract into the chassis when the unit is powered down and extend when it is powered on. By putting all the attention on how expensive it is (none of the press I have seen discusses how they sound) , it furthers the conception that you have to be prepared to spend crazy money to get good sound. So it is bringing a lot of attention to Sennheiser- but for the wrong reasons IMHO. I mean, you could buy 36 pairs of HD800's for the price. You pays your money, I guess.

[Joe Nelson]

I honestly don't think this is any different than any of the other stuff that TAS and Stereophile pitch every month.

Go to the high-end boutiques in any major city in the U.S. and they can each easily sell 10 units before Christmas.

My guess is that both of the aforementioned rags already have reviews ready for press.

[mamba315]

If I had the spare cash, I'd probably buy it.  As crazy as the price is, there is a very strong possibility it would keep that value.  Just like money in the bank, except it makes music.  Perhaps even great music.

[ajzepp]

Id be so curious to hear these, but at the same time it could be VERY dangerous lol. I really like being positioned to just get a taste of high end here and there...specifically with my Audezes and Magnepans. Id be so nervous to hear something that was so far above and beyond that it would essentially ruin me for other gear!

On the flip side, ive heard both $50k Vandersteens and the even pricier NOLA baby grands (damn near holographic!) and neither made me appreciate my own gear any less...but these Orpheus phones just seem like such a MASSIVE leap from my frame of reference, it would really make me nervous to hear them!

[Crossoverless]

55K ....That's when the Diminishing Returns start to kick-in for Rich people! 

[Russell Dawkins]

...and to think that this started with the $29.95 HD 414 in 1968!

[FullRangeMan]

It's a good theory, but in actuality, there will be a lot of guys whose families won't be properly fed and cared for because daddy spent the next 10 years' discretionary** income on the thing.

**I wish I had a better word, since in the cases I'm thinking of, 'discretionary' will be stretched beyond reasonable limits.

You see, it's not merely a fashion piece, or a one-off custom job.  Every audiophile understands those to be special cases.  This thing is a standard manufacture that represents better fidelity at a price most audiophiles can't afford, but some will buy anyway.

From here I see it have some basic errors:
-It not angled.
-Stones even Italian Carrara marble or granite is a awful heat built inside the amp.
-It have softstart and soft power off?
-It have 2 power switches?
-It have silver hard wiring or use nasty PCBs?
-Or at this price it should have Mundorf Silver/Gold wire.
-At this price in case of repair need the factory will send a free of charge tech to the owner house to repair?
-At the good old times of Rolls-Royce a very English capable tech travel any countrie to repair the Rolls and Bentleys for free.

Premium price require premium service.

[FullRangeMan]

...and to think that this started with the $29.95 HD 414 in 1968!

Thys Van Leer used these phones at the Focus shows for some time in the 1970s.

[Joe Nelson]

From here I see it have some basic errors:
-It not angled.
-Stones ever Italian Carrara marble or granite is a awful heat built inside the amp.
-It have softstart and soft power off?
-It have 2 power switches?
-It have silver hard wiring or use nasty PCBs?
-Or at this price it should have Mundorf Silver/Gold wire.
-At this price in case of repair need the factory will send a free of charge tech to the owner house to repair?
-At the good old times of Rolls-Royce a very English capable tech travel any countrie to repair the Rolls and Bentleys for free.

Premium price require premium service.

Obviously luxuries like that could not be included in the base price of just $55K.

Those upgrades and more will all be a part of the Connoisseur's Edition.

[Joe Nelson]

Well...that didn't take long.

The news from TAS:  http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/sennheiser-presents-the-successor-to-the-legendary-orpheus/

[dB Cooper]

Obviously, by reprinting the content from the Orpheus product page verbatim, TAS is maintaining the highest standard of audio journalism.