Anyone tried the Origin 8 Pro threaded headset?
https://www.origin-8.com/?page_id=91&...d&cl1=HEADSETS

I've seen them in person and they look aseome and work well.

They don't look very attractive in the photos, very rough and not well finished. Obviously just my opinion from the couple photos I have seen.

Are they a replica of a vintage headset that is very sought after?

It appears to be a generic replacement, not an attempt at a replica. I'm about to install one and will take a couple photos of it before hand. The fit and finish appeared to be OK.

The part that I find intriguing is that it comes with both a 26.4 mm and 27.0 mm fork crown race. If I found a deal on them, I'd buy a couple to keep around just due to that flexibility.

Also, they kind of remind me of a Nashbar threaded headset that I bought about 5-6 years ago. The thing is one of the best headsets I've ever used.

Fwiw, some photos to show the differences between it and Tange's Levin and Passage.

Origin 8, $25 at the LBS; Passage $17 and Levin $31 online.

The adjustable cup on the Origin 8 has rough threads.
The exterior finish is pretty nice.

The Passage had the smoothest threads in the locknut and adjustable cup.

The Levin has another gasket in the locknut.

Tange is made in Japan, the Origin in Taiwan.

Your pictures are better then the published pictures I have seen. It's not as bad as I thought, and not bad for the price point and the versatility as mentioned by Diego.

Not a bad alternative option to a VO like this, depending on the style you need I guess.

This is an old thread, I know, but there are a few issues with this headset that are worth pointing out. While the cartridge bearing design is likely superior to the standard cup and cone designs of the other threaded headsets mentioned here, I've found that the Origin 8 does not have the greatest fit between the parts, and tends to have play even with the assembly overtightened. I do not believe this is due to incorrect facing on the frame and fork. The second problem is that the bearings are not actually sealed, even though the descriptions claim they are. The upper bearing is fairly well shielded by the top nut. Though popular, the upper inserted cup headset design is by its nature inferior to the older, inserted cone design, though the Origin 8 does take the standard precautions to try to keep the elements out. The lower race is a different story. There's no shield at all and there's a very large gap that would allow road grime to be thrown into the headset on a non-fendered bike. There is no contact seal on the inserted bearing to protect it. I wouldn't recommend using this headset on a bike without fenders and it wouldn't be a bad idea to carefully cut a shield out of a plastic container to place between the lower headset cup and the crown race. This is a cheap headset and it looks like it was designed to be no more than that.

I experienced the same play on one of those headsets. I got the "loose thump" no matter what I did. It was not evident until ridden though. I will say that is the only Origin8 product I have found a fault with. Most everything I have installed on my own bikes, and customer bikes in the shop, has been top notch.,,,,BD

Tange Levin is THE way to go on most 1 inch thread applications IMHO. Tight and super smooth! Sorry to sound like a factory rep., but I have been satisfied with every Tange headset I've ever installed. without exception.

I didn't experience any of the issues stated above. It's important to note, however, that I rode my bike with fenders in the desert.

The Origin8 is a good basic headset. Not beautiful, but functional. I'd put it on a commuter/beater, but not on something that I was restoring. It reminds me of the old oNza Mongo threaded headsets.