Orion XX14i, it's here!

[mbaddah]

I'm surprised this hasn't been reported here as of yet but the Orion XX14i is now officially online at http://www.telescope.com/control/product/~category_id=/~pcategory=/~product_id=09791?id=cjdf

There is a cloudynights thread over here as well http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Board/reflectors/Number/3363086/page/0/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/o/fpart/all

Happy times :D

[PCH]

That is certainly a cool bit of kit :D

[mbaddah]

A closer shot of the "Orion UC" :D

[DavidU]

Are they on sale in Aust?

[Starkler]

Doubt it. Orion dobs where available in Aus always carried a huge price premium.

[JethroB76]

You'll probably get a 14" SDM with what the Orions will be priced at

[Calibos]

Yeah, I was about to point out to the OP that there is a very good reason why there was no mention of it on these forums, or certainly no fuss being made about it.

Most of the other big names ship straight from their Asian manufacturers to the various international territories. However Orion ship all their inventory to the US first and from there back out across the world. Thus Orions are cheapest in the US, carry a bit of a premium across the pond in Ireland and the UK and mainland Europe and carry a massive premium in OZ.

I couldn't understand why everyone was fitting the Super Argo Navis to their Bintels. It seemed to be overkill. I knew there was probably an element of being loyal wanting supporting local astro companies and maybe you guys got it cheaper than the rest of us, but still, its a heafty investment in the top of the range DSC for a Chinese Dob. ie. Why weren't a lot of aussies getting Orion Intelliscopes. Surely it would be a lot cheaper than a Bintel with an argo Navis.

Then I saw Australias Orion pricing. :eyepop:

OMG, if you have to pay that much for a DSC equiped DOB anyway then its a no brainer to support the local guys and get the best DSC on the market to boot.

[dpastern]

It looks nice, but the pricing probably kills it. From memory, SDM has a 12" dob with argo navis for around 4.5k and it'll probably have better quality optics and build construction.

Again, Australia's pricing structure leaves a lot to be desired.

Dave

edit: oh, and Orion won't ship direct from the US to Australia. You *have* to buy it from the local resellers. I don't like to support a company that dictates what their consumers can, and cannot do.

[Ian Robinson]

It's OTA is pretty heavy (64lbs == 29kg)

The AUD is getting better , currently about 1AUD = 0.87USD and on the way up.

I guess it's all wood and steel and a bit of Sonotube for the secondayr cage and the mirror box.

Would be nice to get the optical set only , and then
- buy a nice Orion UK mirror cell
- buy another nice 2" low profile all aluminium crayford
- buy a nice AstroSystems spider and sec holder
- use carbon fibre composite tubes for the truss poles
- make the secondary cage from carbon fibre composite
- make the mirror box from carbon fibre composite

Would probably get the OTA to a under 20kg that way.

and park the OTA on a good GEM.

[Starkler]

If you want the optics set from an orion, buy a skywatcher. They are the same thing.

[StarGazing]

Looks great, but the price of an Orion dob seems too much for me. Must agree with Jethro that with a few extra $$$$ you could buy a quality Sdm dob. :D
Thats my two cents.....Alex. Clear skyes to all.

[toryglen-boy]

So do you think we can see the 14" and 16" dobs soon from Skywatcher?

:question:

[mbaddah]

Yes I posted an official confirmation from skywatcher a while back confirming the 14" dob is in the works.

[alfi]

hi
i have been writing a synta representative for some days now, and have been recieving some very kind, and informative answers back.
she could confirm that the 14" flextube dob. will be released in february 2010.
i also asked if there are any chance of a larger ED, than the 120mm, but that is not in the pipeline yet.
i also asked about the 114mm triplet i have seen pictures of, and she said they have made 5 of these, that they have sent out to for testing with some large resellers.
she did not know if they would start the production of these yet.
i offered to buy one of here, but she was sorry to say that they dident have any left ;).

alfi

[toryglen-boy]

Next time you two are talking, wanna find out if there is a 16" dob in the works also?


:D

[alfi]

hi

will write here again tomorrow i think, will ask here if they are working on something.

alfi

[alfi]

hi
i got no confirmation on a 16"
the 14" will come in standard and tracking versions.
she said the prices will be around 2500$

alfi

[toryglen-boy]

Is that US or Aussie Dollar? $2500? is that for tracking or non tracking?

doesnt sit right with me, not when you can buy a 16" for that, i should think $1800-$200 is closer to the mark

[alfi]

hi
i didnt ask what dollars she meant, i guess US.
she didnt say what version that was.
but prices can change, depending on the market i guess, its still some months to it comes.

alfi

[alfi]

hi
duncan, i just heard from here again, and she said if the 14" goes down well, the 16" will be the next to come, so the plans are there for the 16".

alfi

[toryglen-boy]

that doesnt make sense mate, are you sure you got that right? $2500 for the 14" translates into about AU$ 2770

Now considering that you can get a 16" for LESS than this, i think someone is tell you porkies, or they have their facts wrong ???

:question:

[alfi]

hi
i only write what she tells me, but i think it is a bit expensive to, as you say.
she is a official rep. for the company, and should know. but i agree, the prices sounds high, so i think it is best to dont take that serious, im sure it will be lower.
she is chinese, and the english is not that good, so there may be some misunderstanding here.
the important thing is that the 14" is coming in february, and if that goes well, they will start up production of the 16", and im sure the prices will be good, like syntas prices always is.

alfi

[mic_m]

Sirius Optics are now selling the Orion XX14i for AU$2,795.00 (http://www.sirius-optics.com.au/orion%20dobs.htm), this is a decent reduction from the $2,995 they were originally advertised for in AUS late last year. But personally I would like to see the XX14i priced a little closer to the 16” LB; so a figure around AU$2,500 would likely make it a competitive option.

From the information about this scope online I’m impressed; the 8 pole truss design, the tools free assembly of the base and other great features like the duel speed focuser, the custom light shroud as well as the optional carry bags all enhance its appeal when compaired with other dobs in the same class.

I think that the greatest potential issue in its design is the fact that it appears to come with 3 large counterweights that attach to the back of the LTA. This is sure to be the cause of the heavy the LTA noted in a previous post. However, it can be said that at least Orion supplies the necessary counter weights, unlike the LBs which you have to buy weights for as a separate kit.

It is now February and there is still no word about the SW14” Flextube. I guess that disucssion about the SW crept into this thread because of the close relation between Orion and SW products through Synta. Anyway, its interesting that there is no word here, on CN, Stargazers or other forums about the SW14. Given that in the past Orion and SW products have been releasd almost in tandem, I wonder what the hold-up is with the SW?

[GrahamL]

A little confused ?..Aside the positives you mention , overall hows it perform ?

[Dave47tuc]

:shrug: Well according to Orion's web site there not out yet :confused2:
http://www.telescope.com/control/telescopes/dobsonian-telescopes/orion-skyquest-xx14i-computerized-intelliscope-truss-tube-dobsonian-telescope

Unless you have one? As you said " Overall I’m impressed with the scope"
Everything you said has been said on Orion's web site or cloudy nights. Only a few show 14" have been around and no one as far as I know has one:shrug:

[mic_m]

I am making my commnets as a potential customer, I don't have the scope; it is not due out until Feb 26, 2010.

My apollogies if I gave the impression that I had the scope, I was mearley voicing my opinions about what I can see on the Orion website. I have amended my original post to reflect that more clearly.

I actually don't think that everything I have said has been on CN or the Orion website (unless they have discussed/there has been mention of the Australian distributers of the XX14i and the AUS product price).

I thought that it would definatley be worth raising the point in my previous post that the Orion XX14i is for sale at Sirius Optics since DavidU asked if they are for sale in Aust in post #4 and in post #5 Starkler said that he doubts it, though as I pointed out, they are indeed for sale.

In post #6 JethroB76 says that you could probably get a 14" SDM for the price of the Orion XX14i. Well I noticed the price of the XX14i in the FEB/MAR issue of AS&T, and I thought I would mention it here for this sake. A 14.5" SDM costs AU$9,845 (http://www.sdmtelescopes.com.au/prices.html), much more then the AU$2,795 for the Orion, though the Orion is still not cheep! But, the price is certainly not as much of a preventative factor in making a purachse as was made out in a couple of previous posts.

The Orion XX14i price of $2,795 should also give some perspective to the discussion in this thread about the price of the SW14; they are both Synta developed products and if the past is any indication of the future the SW will be priced under the Orion.

I realise that there has been discussion on CN about the XX14i, but there are lots of discussions on CN that are also on here as well. Why not have a discussion here? Its not an identical community, despite our common interests.

Anyway, I thought that the price is certainly worth noting, given that the cost of Orion equipment has come down as the AUD/USD exchange rate has moved closer to parity.

[AG Hybrid]

Well Ive been looking to upgrade within the year and I reckon that XX14 is pretty damn good value . A 14 inch truss tube dob with a 10:1 micro focuser and DSC's and an object locator with a 14000 object database is pretty good.

And Ill be able to fit the bloody thing in my car, unlike a LB16 which I also cant get through the doors in my house(LB base is 80 cm and my doors are 76 cm). Also, from what I read, the XX14 wont require a plethora of modifcation to stop it from exploding when I put in a heavy eyepiece. It also doesnt have any annoying shiny surfaces in the light path. And if its built to the quality of the XX12i, you knows its going to be a winner.

Someone also mentioned the optics are the same as Skywatchers. Sounds good to me! I know they consistantly provide great mirrors. Sure they arnt Zambuto's but who cares its a 14" dob thats less then 3K.

Mind you I was looking at an Orion Optics dob as a well. A "steal" at $3800 if you choose the 1/10 pv mirror. But now that the Orion is just a about here. Well, decisions decisions.

Although if we are talking value for money here. You can buy a 12" Skywatcher flex-dob with tracking for $2100 now. And that is very very attractive indeed!

*edit*

Also something I noted: The XX14i has a focal length of f/4.6. This means you can switch out perfectly an Orion Optics 14" ultra grade mirror with 0.99 strehl and 1/10 pv rating with 97% reflectivity! You'll need deep pockets for that mod though!

[mic_m]

Yeah, I think that the Orion scopes are becoming much better value for money; I started a thread some time ago about the high price of the Orion XX12 http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=47114, but over the last 6 months prices have come down as the AUD/USD exchange rate has become more favourable.

In fact the Orion XT12i with DSC http://www.telescope.com/control/product/~category_id=intelliscopedobs/~pcategory=dobsonians/~product_id=27189 is now AU$1,639 at Sirius Optics. This is not a bad price considering that comprable/sister dobs such as the SW12 Flextube sell for AU$1,499 at Andrews and the Saxon 12" inch solid tube dob (Synta produced and comprable to the Orion without the extras) is AU$1450 at OZ scopes.

Regarding the XX14i vs the LB16. Its so hard to get a 14 when you know that for about AU$200 less you could have a 16. Inspite of the clear advantages of the XX14i that have been mentioned here and elswhere it still isn't an easy descision. Hopfully the price will come down a little more as the exchange rate comes back up.

[Dave47tuc]

Michael, all's good mate :thumbsup:

Just a mix up there, and I look forward to what people say re that scope. :thumbsup:

[mic_m]

No worries at all David. So do I ... :)

[toryglen-boy]

A seasoned local astronomer said to me not long ago.

"if your buying a telescope just for observing, then money spent on anything other than aperture is a waste"

good advice, i like the Synta stuff, i miss my 12" dob, but i cant justify buying a 14", when its MORE than the 16"

:)

[andrew2008]

I really like the look of these as well.

IMHO i'd prob prefer the XX14i with DSC than a straight up 16" without. Those more proficient at starhopping will i'm sure go with the 16". To add an Argo Navis to the 16" you'd prob have to add near another $800-1000 putting them around $1k more. That's a lot for only 2" more at this size and i don't think the difference in view would warrant it. Then the extra size and weight as well. I can see this complimenting my 8" SCT and ED80 very nicely.

[Michaelb5]

I ordered my xx14i last December and just received a UPS tracking number. It will be here on Tuesday. Good timing since we are doing a Messier marathon on the 13th
Yahoo

[MuntiNZ]

Hi mate I read some where that OO had to stop claiming the high acuracy when they were challenges about it.
Thats coz there claims were based on theoritical quality not test results.
So they changed the high claims to lower ones on there web site.
Dunno if I would ever trust them after that

[Starkler]

So would I.