Is the Prism Orpheus worth it?

[thephatboi]

I have used many converters and currently have a Prism ADA8 XR, it changed my life, I am completely sold on their converters, if you can afford them get 'em.

[p4s]

you gotta nice choice! tats what ma plan - centering prism orpheus in ma locational recording!

Originally Posted by nomraun

Hello I have a start-up business in semi-remote recording and it's going pretty successfully. I am right now exclusively recording acoustic sources, and part of the reason I am doing well is because people are impressed with the sound quality I get with an apogee duet and mc930. (clarity-wise) Therefore I would like to keep sound quality a top priority.

However I would like to expand my setup to record jazz combos, larger ensembles etc. to have a larger client base. I know engineering skill supersedes all, but do you think getting something like the Orpheus would offer enough difference in quality to be worth the investment over similar gear?

My thinking is that if i can offer audio clarity and fidelity that is strikingly better than anything offered at the beginning-midrange home recording market at a reasonable price, I will be able to get enough extra clients to justify the costs.

Here are the microphones i was thinking of to go with the orpheus:
Josephson C617-SET *2
Soundfield SPS422 (so many options, surround and ambient recording)
Ribbon microphones of some kind (fathead, royer)
probly a large diaphragm mic
and i already have crown pzm30D
Heil pr40

hmm by then i'll need another orpheus!

Maybe IF i can get a loan

[davulzade]

I am going to ask a question. I know it will look bloody rookie but here i go :

I have added orpheus to the my converter list for future. I was thinking on apogee ad16x and lynx aurora 16. I will mainly record 3 or 4 channels but i will bring my rig to the recording studio when i record drum tracks.

Apogee and Lynx is ok for 8 or more simultaneous track recording. But orpheus has 4 TRS analog ins (pshycally) and other 4 channels are not TRS.

So, While most of the mic preamps has TRS outs, how can i plug these TRS outs to the orpheus's NO-TRS line inputs ?
I know it's stupid but i did not need to know that before
Thanks,
Mustafa

[didier.brest]

The four reamaing are combo XLR-TRS inputs that are line inputs when using TRS and mic inputs when using XLR.

[davulzade]

Originally Posted by didier.brest

The four reamaing are combo XLR-TRS inputs that are line inputs when using TRS and mic inputs when using XLR.

yes i know but i was asking for only line inputs. It's ok with combo inputs because mic amp's outputs are trs jack. But other line inputs of orpheus can not be plugged with TRS jacks. So what can i do ?
Is it suitable to plug mic pre's out to orpheus line inputs via the cable which has trs side and inst jack side ?

[didier.brest]

I don't have got the Orphueus but it looks to me that the four non-combo line inputs are for TRS jack since they are balanced. So there are indeed 8 TRS inputs.

[Toro]

Mercenary Audio those dudes are............................ Mercenaries stike

[davulzade]

ok thanx for the clarification

[Musician]

Have one for sale

[davulzade]

Originally Posted by Musician

Have one for sale

i wish i had enough money for it. Because i was decided to choose it as a a/d comnverter. Unfortunately will have enough money in next few months.
BTW, can i ask that what is the cost if you don't mind ?

[matt9b]

Originally Posted by wildpark

iam only shoked about that no audiofiles for A/B around !

really nobody trust this quality that much and will post a orpheus file here !!

no one !!!

This thread is quite old, but I was on the look out for an Orpheus A/B with another unit.. and couldn't find any. So, I just made one.

If anyone's still interested, I'll upload the audio files...

Matt

[didier.brest]

Oh yes, please! Especially if B is a Fireface...

[Andy Saul]

Originally Posted by Johnkenn

That's why I'm a little confused...why is the Orpheus cheaper? Not as good ADDA as the other?

Graham Boswell, our Sales MD, wrote this post about the audio quality of Prism Sound converter performance.

The main reason that the ADA-8XR is more expensive is because of its modular design; there are more circuit boards and a more complex design in general. But this means that you can configure an ADA-8XR to suit your needs, including options such as DSD that are not available with Orpheus.

[matt9b]

Originally Posted by didier.brest

Oh yes, please!

[removed] I'll do a more thorough test when there's time..

[didier.brest]

I prefer A but the takes are too different for the comparison revealing only gear differences. B has a higher level, a larger left-right unbalance and less dynamics: the difference between peak and RMS level in A is about 17 dB on left and 19 dB on right, while it is 17 dB on both sides in B.

[matt9b]

Yes, it's not right for a comparison - just a very general idea. I'll do a more thorough test when there's time!

[bishopdante]

Originally Posted by John Willett

The Orpheus has the best A/Ds that Prism make.

I was talking to them yesterday at the London International Music Show.

I am now convinced and the Orpheus is now on my "to buy" list (moved over from my "what I am drooling over" list).

Prism is about as good as you can get. Nobody could possibly complain.

[sonare]

Originally Posted by bishopdante

Prism is about as good as you can get. Nobody could possibly complain.

I agree-- and I have 3 of them. To me the real test comes with multi-channel use. I have used good stuff in the past (Lynx, Mytek, ULN-8) but in terms of detail and refinement the Prism is the best yet.

I will continue to wish for the ability to either open more than one control panel or have a control panel than can display and control more than 8 channels, as well as the ability to set lower micamp gain (on ch 1-4) but if the main thing is the SOUND (as it should be) these are KILLER.

Rich

[David Spearritt]

Confirmed, the sound alone is worth the price. The software is utilitarian, but then it doesn't need to be anything else. The DAW is where you control the Orpheus.

[sonare]

Getting ready to put my trusty MBP out to pasture and want to know what current Windows laptops work best with Orpheus? I will be running Sequoia as the DAW.

Rich

[Petrus]

One feature I would like to see in the Orpheus control panel is the possibility
to save routings as user presets. At the moment I use Orpheus for 4-8 channel recording (needing mic and line in monitoring setup), DA for DAW (stereo and 5.0) and as a 5.0 MCH volume controller fed from universal player to the line inputs. Every time I have to go through the output routing and usually miss some detail, wasting time. Preset would help a lot here. Or have I not read the manual?

[sonare]

You can save the entire mixer config by clicking on either the Red or Gold folder (can't recall which) and that allows you to name and save mixer state (with all routings) which solves your problem-- unless I did not understand your question--

Rich

[sonare]

Originally Posted by sonare

Getting ready to put my trusty MBP out to pasture and want to know what current Windows laptops work best with Orpheus? I will be running Sequoia as the DAW.

Rich

BUMP-- which Win laptops are folks using with success? and which OS-- W7 or XP?

Rich

[boojum]

W7 vs XP. I bought a new desktop and fought the change to W7 having seen previous iterations of an OS erratic in quality and stability. W7 has been far better than XP for me. I run SAM on it. Previously 10 and 11 and now X. I have a Dell quad core AMD box and it is amazingly stable. I pass this on only as a testament to W7. As an old OS/2 fan I am a real MS skeptic. W7 is a good OS.

[David Spearritt]

Originally Posted by sonare

BUMP-- which Win laptops are folks using with success? and which OS-- W7 or XP?

Rich

Rich, there is no question about W7 or XP, definitely go with W7. As far as hardware is concerned, here is my summary of anecdotal evidence from running many PC laptops at work and through associations of fellow support staff.

1. You need to find a laptop that has good drivers, or good support so that high DPC drivers are fixed promptly. Dell is a mixed bag here, some of their machines perform well and others are very ordinary. The best bet is to take a DPC Latency program into a big store or your friends place and run it on a laptop of interest to see how it performs.

2. HP laptops suffer from overheating problems and have a shorter life.

3. Lenovo T or X series seem to be the best all round, great service and support, well written drivers, least problems.

I still use a stripped down older Lenovo T61 with my Orpheus running W7 Pro. Firewire is via PCMCIA TI Card. Never missed a beat. Stripped down means disabled NIC's, disabled modem, disabled CDROM drive and no memory resident software running, check with Autoruns.