[TenTec] Orion 11

[ram32]

Hi,
   OK Men, here's the question, and please bear with my melodramatic explanation to my question.
   My Son wishes to assist me in purchasing an HF rig.  I am new to the HF "life" and I am not sure where to turn for advice on which radio will suit me in my endeavors.
   I love listening to and joining with the proverbial "rag chew...!"  I have been told that the two radios I should look at are the icom 756 pro111, and the Orion 11.
   So, I ask, are there any concrete benefits to owning the Orion 11 over the icom 756 pro 111?  Further, the discussions I have been reading here are so technical, is the Orion 11 that difficult to learn how to use? 
   Oh yeah, the melodramatic part...We will be using one of these radios together here in the cold, cold woods of northern Maine, and since we live on a dairy farm, the radio will be worth more than all our vehicles put together.  
and will probably be the only station that I will ever be able to purchase.
I thank you for your time and I do apologize for such a non-technical question here in this room.
N1XQJ  
Bob