Sennheiser to Display Legendary Orpheus Headphones at CES 2013

By Nathan Kirsch

Sennheiser will display its legendary Orpheus headphones at its booth during CES 2013. Also known as the HE90, the Orpheus debuted in 1991 and was immediately recognized in audiophile circles as the best sounding, most innovative headphone system ever made. Indeed, it is still considered by many to represent the very pinnacle of audio reproduction. With a limited production run of just 300, the Orpheus originally carried a retail pricetag of US $12,900, making it the most expensive headphone ever made when it was introduced at the Berlin International Radio Exhibition over two decades ago. Now a unique collector’s item for the audio community’s most absolute purists, the Orpheus can sometimes be found on today’s auction sites for nearly triple that amount. The Orpheus originally consisted of an HE90/HEV90 electrostatic headphone and amplifier system, and it can be seen below.

Sennheiser Orpheus Headphones

Sennheiser Orpheus HE90 Headphone Specifications:

  • Frequency response: 7-100,000 Hz (-10 dB); 14-85,000 Hz (- 6 dB); 25-75,000 Hz (- 3 dB)
  • Frequency range: diffuse field equalized
  • Transducer principle: electrostatic
  • Ear coupling: circumaural
  • Contact pressure: 4.6 N
  • THD at SPL of 110 dB (94 dB) < 0.1 % (< 0.01 %)
  • Nominal sensitivity: (V = 100 V) ≥ 98 dB/1 kHz
  • Polarisation voltage: 500 V
  • Weight (without cable): 365 g
  • Connector: 5-pin HV plug
  • Connection cable: 3 m, 6-core; OFC copper cable with gold-plated contacts
  • Dimensions: 19 x 10 x 21.5 cm

Sennheiser Orpheus HEV-90 Amplifier Specifications:

  • Frequency response: 10 – 20,000 Hz (- 0.25 dB)
  • THD (1 kHz) < 0.01 %
  • Unweighted S/N ratio ≥ 80 dB
  • Sensitivity/impedance: 10 kΩ
  • Talk-over muting: (1 kHz) ≥ 80 dB
  • Output voltage :400 Veff
  • Line inputs:
    • – (switchable) optical, digital (Toslink)
    • – co-axial, digital (RCA phono)(automatic recognition of incoming sampling frequency)
    • – co-axial, analogue(RCA phono)
  • Outputs for 2 HE 90 headphones
  • Weight approximately: 13 kg
  • Dimensions: 53 x 34 x 15.5 cm

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