The Gyrodec
I use a standard GyroDec which was upgraded early last year with the Orbe platter and suspension. This proved to be both worthwhile and highly cost effective improving all aspects of performance to a significant degree. I was convinced that short of making the leap to a full Orbe system, this was the final upgrade I'd need. How wrong I was!

When Michell introduced the new 'boxless' version of the Gyrodec, they took the opportunity to apply its stand alone motor to the standard Gyro, thus making the whole range, from Spider to Orbe, a single upgrade path. The new motor assembly and suspension posts (described in detail in DAs piece ['Michele Orbe upgrade']) are available as upgrades to existing Gyros, but whilst the posts are a straight exchange, the motor requires a hole being cut in your baseplate. Needless to say my deck was stripped and the necessary parts rushed to Michell post-haste.

The existing motor was removed, serviced and mounted in a sturdy free-standing aluminium base, and the base board routed out to allow the motor to sit free of (through) the base, and in it's original position. This new housing uses a mini XLR connector, which has to be fitted to your power supply The new spring mountings were fitted and with the usual MicheIl thoroughness, the base unit thoroughly cleaned up and polished to bring it up to near-new condition. I actually hand carried my base board and power supply to Borehamwood, but sending it direct, or via your dealer will be fine, as long as you pack it carefully. Arriving home, re-assembly of the deck was simplicity itself (especially as I got the editor to do it for me), and it was up and running in a matter of minutes. The new spring assemblies really are much easier to use, especially the previously fiddly back post.

I guess I expected an improvement, clearly a freestanding motor would mean a system free of motor borne vibration, and this would at least mean increased low-level detail, but was I surprised! Not only was there significantly more detail, but bass definition, presence and staging had also substantially improved. Dynamic range and focus were also way better. It was like a clogging hazy blanket had been lifted from the music, making it crisper, clearer and much more alive. In fact, all the benefits that the Orbe used to offer over the Gyro. How close the Gyro (with the Orbe platter) gets to a current Orbe, I don't know, but given the new interchangeability of parts, it's going to be easy for you to experiment. This is one of the biggest single improvements I've ever made to a turntable (and you don't want to know how many decks, arms and cartridges I've owned). Given the modest cost involved, every Gyro owner should invest immediately In short, John Michell has done it again. Highly recommended!

Michell Orbe
As you can see elsewhere in this issue, Michell Engineering have been unusually busy of late, providing us with new Spider versions of the Gyrodeck and the Orbe. Intending to make the new products easier to set up, Michell have changed the design of the posts that support the suspension springs. Having done this they discovered that (surprise, surprise) the new posts also alter (and improve) the sound of the deck, and so have made them available as an upgrade for existing Orbes. Having owned an Orbe since they first appeared, I was very interested to see how the new posts would affect the sound, and if it would indeed be an improvement.

The original posts were made from a single piece of steel, threaded top and bottom. The bottom thread screwed into the Perspex sub-base of the Orbe, and top thread supported a knurled nut around which sat the Deflex spring supporting collar. Adjustment of height was performed by holding the spring still and twisting the knurled nut, centreing involved the reverse, holding the nut still whilst twisting the springs. This could be a bit awkward for those with chubby fingers, although I never found it a problem. The new supports are a two piece arrangement, with a thinner pole which threads into the base, and a metal outer sleeve with a knurled top to which the Deflex supporting collar is directly attached. A ball bearing separates the two like a miniature inverted platter bearing and a layer of grease holds everything firm. Adjustment is performed almost the same way as before, change height by holding the spring and twisting the knurled top of the sleeve and centre the suspension by twisting the spring, only with the new arrangement you allow the sleeve to turn with the spring.

Fitting the new posts to the turntable was a doddle, and also gave us the opportunity to check the tightness of the main bearing mount in the subchassis. I'm glad to say this was OK, as otherwise the pre-change listening session would have been invalidated. The next job was to adjust the height and bounce of the subchassis. This seemingly simple job turned out to be deceptive. Making the adjustments was much easier than before, and a good bounce was soon achieved, but within an hour the bounce had drifted off completely. This happened several times during the evening, and proved to be extremely frustrating. It would appear that the grease between the two parts of the posts is sufficiently viscous to allow the spring to be held slightly twisted, this tension causes a turning moment which is evened out over a period of time by the sleeve settling into a new position. If you go ahead with this change, he prepared to adjust the centreing over a period of several hours. The good news is, once you have achieved the correct positioning, it does not drift off again. I understand that DD suffered no such problems with his Gyro, so you may be lucky.

At last our esteemed editor and I had the opportunity to listen to the differences, and there were quite a few. Before I continue I should point out that my system has a very substantial bass end; years of working with live bands having given me expectations of serious solidity from a drum kit. On first listening, the sound had opened out quite considerably but seemed to be missing the real bass foundation than I am used to. As we played more tracks and discussed this result so the sound changed, with each track gaining in solidity the whole process taking about half an hour. It seems that the new suspension needs time to bed in, most probably due to a combination of the metal sleeve revolving slightly as the tension in the spring relaxes and residual grease under the ball bearing being displaced.

Having discovered this phenomenon, we started our listening session again. Surprisingly the track that most demonstrated the differences between the two suspensions was Evil Woman by Black Sabbath from the Castle 160gm reissue of their first album. In essence a very simple track, it lives or dies on the timing of the bass line and the clarity and attack of the rhythm guitar. With the old suspension, the bass was thicker and slower whilst the guitar which is heavily panned right was much more laid-back, yet fuzzier. The sense of interplay and the tension between the two was much greater with the new suspension. Comfortable from Peter Hammill was next: this track contains a good mixture of acoustic and electric instruments, and some very clear percussion. Once again the sound was more open, the percussion positively sparkling out of the mix. Hammill's singing was also delivered with greater expression, freed as it was from a small degree of chestiness that had been previously present. Saint Seans' Jonathan Creek (sorry Danse Macabre) from the album Witches Brew was next up. Once again the same trends could be heard, the double basses benefiting from the improved clarity in the bass, whilst the solo violin sounded clearer with more attack and less distortion. The recorded acoustic was much clearer (as were the underground trains), and there was a greater sense of front to back separation to the orchestra.

So what we have here is a simple and inexpensive upgrade for current Orbe owners. Already an outstanding performer in its price bracket, this change nudges it a little bit nearer to audio nirvana. As for me I won't be going back to the old suspension posts, and I can't say fairer than that.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Prices: Gyro or Orbe Suspension Posts - £39 for a Set of three.
(Michell call them Spring Adjustment Pillars)

Motor modification to existing Gyrodec - £155
(Motor serviced and built into new housing, Bass-board drilled and polished, connector changed on power Supply)

Manufacturer:
J. A. Michell Engineering
2 Theobald Street
Borehamwood
Herts
WDG 4SE
Tel. (44)(0) 181-953-0771
Fax. (44)(0) 181-207-4688
Email: john "at" michell-engineering.co.uk
net: www.michell-engineering.co.uk

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