Transfiguration

With his groundbreaking utilization of the yokeless ring-magnet construction, Mr. Yoshioka presented the LP world with a new window into the music buried in the black grooves of the vinyl LP. His first product, the Transfiguration AF-1, set completely new standards of transparency, naturalness and neutrality for phono cartridges of its day. Since that time, he has constantly striven to bring the listener ever closer to the sounds and emotions of the live event. Constantly improving materials and construction techniques, he has since set the pace and defined the state-of-the-art for natural-sounding LP reproduction. His Transfiguration cartridges, using live, un-amplified music as their benchmark, do not take LP reproduction into the realm of the hyper-real, with sizzling technicolors, exaggerated leading-edge transients, "enormous soundstaging",  "pinpoint imaging",  or "lush warmth". Instead, they deliver a very natural and alive-sounding reproduction of what the recording engineer heard, as he or she sat in the recording booth, listening to the master tapes. Audiophile language does not seem to apply, rather, musical language seems more apt. "Rhythm, flow, emotion..." are the kinds of words that come to mind, as one notices a foot is tapping and the head is bobbing and maybe even a few goose bumps are rising...

...but, as always, the magic is in the midrange. Human voices take on a you-are-there sense of reality that raises those goose bumps. When you hear things you have never heard from your records before, you can be sure they will help to complete the musical picture, rather than distract with meaningless detail or artificial "air." The transparency of these cartridges extends from the deepest bass notes to the heights of inaudibility. More than ever, they are able to track the micro-dynamic ebb and flow of the music like no other cartridge. The result is a sense of musical anticipation and excitement one normally experiences only at the live event. Listening to jazz, you can almost smell the cigar smoke and single-malt whiskey in the air; a classical LP calls forth images of rich velvet curtains and wisps of fine perfume; rock and roll brings back the moisture of the grass seeping through your jeans and the smell of sweat and something sweet upon the breeze…
 

Orpheus - L  £3,335.00

The new Transfiguration Orpheus has also been ranked as the top phono cartridge tested by Stereoplay magazine in Germany and named "co-referenz".

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…

Specification
• 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
 

Phoenix  £1,785.00

The new Phoenix is the first cartridge in its price class to enter the exalted "absolute Spitzenklasse" ("absolute top class") in Stereoplay, just beneath the Orpheus and the Lyra Titan i, and has just been named an Editor's Choice component at The Absolute Sound.

The Phoenix brings an exciting, full-bodied sound with tremendous rhythm and bass impact. With a sparkle on top that never sounds too hot, it may be the perfect cartridge for jazz and classical music lovers. The double-ring-magnet construction ensures the usual Transfiguration musical coherence and phase-linearity, which presents a seamless view into the musical performance. The Phoenix delivers performance at its price-point that was unachievable by any cartridge at any price, even just a few years ago. The new Phoenix re-defines what is possible in its price class (and considerably far above it). The Phoenix is the new price/performance leader in the areas of transparency, timbre, bass-impact and articulation...oh, yes, and in the all important JPF factor (Just Plain Fun).

We are very grateful to Mr. Yoshioka and the other pioneers of the new analogue era, for bringing us closer to the emotion and experience of live music than we dreamed possible a few years back, when reports of the death of analogue circulated, apparently, prematurely…
 

Physical
• Body: Aluminium, resonance controlled
• Cantilever: 0.3mm diameter solid boron
• Stylus: PA (3 x 30um), solid diamond
• Core/coils: High grade permalloy square core with pure silver coils
• Magnet: Neodymium (rear) & Samarium cobalt (front)
• Weight: 7.8g
Electrical:
• Output voltage: 0.4mV (3.54cm/sec, 1kHz)
• Internal impedance: 7 ohms
• Frequency response: 10Hz - 20kHz +1.5dB / 20Hz - 40kHz +2dB
• Channel separation: > 27dB, 200Hz - 1kHz
• Channel balance: < 0.5dB, 1kHz
Dynamic:
• Tracking ability at 315Hz at the tracking force of 2g: > 70um
• Dynamic compliance: 12 x 10 to the minus 6cm/dyne

Axia  £1.185.00

From Hi Fi World, October 2007: " Simply among the finest cartridges I've heard at any price. The Transfiguration Axia has astonishing midrange detail and is MUSICAL. It's in the ring magnets, friends!  Transfiguration's designer still maintains that his reference is live, un-amplified acoustic music...as I do....He loves opera (I don't, for the most part), and understands that the biggest test for any system is large-scale symphonic and opera music. Oh, by the way, if you want to listen to ANY type of music, Transfiguration cartridges will do THAT, too! Ultimate midrange detail and finesse, tons of information for you detail-first guys, and gobs of emotion to hook you and keep you listening!  Give it a listen and you'll be hooked too!
 

Physical
Body Aluminium, resonance controlled
Cantilever 0.3 mm diameter boron
Stylus Ogura PA (3 x 30 μm) solid diamond
Magnet Samarium cobalt
Weight 7 g
Output 0.4 mV (3.54 cm/s, 1 kHz)
Internal impedance 10 Ohms
Recommended load > 20 Ohms
Recommended tracking force 2.0 g
Optimum working temp 23° C
 

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