Gyro/Orbe owners--suspension questions

For owners past or present of Michell Gyrodec or Orbe, I'm wondering if you could help me understand:

• how easy it was to set suspension initially--did you do it yourself, did your dealer? How long did it take etc.
• once set up, how often did you have to tweak it? Assuming no changes to carts/arms/table location etc.

Considering a Gyro and dealer support is woeful so would be foregoing this important aspect of buying a new table.

 

I am a relatively new owner of an Orbe. I did the setup myself. It is hard to get a dealer to do this kind of setup because it really needs to be done in situ, as moving the deck will inevitably throw off the suspension tuning. I found a couple of very useful guides/threads where people outlined their processes and following them made the task quite easy -- a little tedious perhaps, but never difficult. I have not tweaked the springs since setting it up and I check the "bounce" quite often. I think it's safe to say that the suspension is very stable (as in stays in tune). I don't think you need to let lack of dealer support stop you from buying a Gyro; it really isn't as difficult as some people make it out to be.

 

Did them myself, reasonably easy and there are guides online and possibly on Youtube, it's been some time so can't remember how long, under an hour, I don't tweak, it's pretty much set up and forget although others seem to like to tweak, different arms and carts make no difference as the arm boards are machined so that the mass of the board and arm are always constant, carts will only vary by a few grammes.

 

Werner's guide has become an online classic.

http://www.angelfire.com/music5/michell_gyrodec/step_by_step/manual.html

 

That one is definitely a must read. You can find it on the US distributor's site as well. I also found this thread on pinkfishmedia to be hugely helpful as the poster goes into some more details which one might overlook when following Werner's guide:

Gyro/Orbe Bearing Cleaning, Oil Quantity etc.... - pink fish media

 

I was able to build an Orbe fresh out of the box (well, not fresh really, but used, packed up, sent to me, then reopened). Building it including setting the suspension took me a couple of hours...and I'm not all that proficient at building much of anything. A little research, a little space, and some focused time generously set aside for the task so as to remove stress...combined with a bit of prep (ie ensuring you have the necessary tools, and figuring out how the tonearm fits in with the whole kit), and pretty much anyone can do it. It's certainly no Oracle table...I was completely incapable of setting one of those up.

 

Good replies folks thanks. My main concern was whether or not it needs constant tweaking after its set up. I've heard mostly positive on that front but a few saying it needed more care and feeding (some but by no means all are selling other things).

 

Unless I've made some other changes or adjustment to the table, I only check mine every couple of months. It doesn't go out of adjustment from normal everyday use.

And even if it does need adjustment, it's much easier with the Michell as all adjustments are made from the top of the table! No reaching underneath to make adjustments, like on some of the older classic suspended tables.

 

Some people seem to have an obsession with tweaking and can't leave their components alone, the Michells really are set and forget.

 

I agree, I didn't touch the suspension on my Gyro SE for 7 years before I moved to the apartment where I live now and I've been living there for 2 years now- so set and forget it is.

 

If nothing is moved Michell decks stay in tune for years. Probably worth an annual check up (when cleaning). The later 2 piece suspension is even more stable.

 

Great insights folks! Now I just have to decide where to put my funds best....I like a sound that's an edge closer to the warm/full/lush side. Was considering the Orbe but not sure I want to stretch the budget that far. I Have a Soundsmith MIMC (non star) which I love on my MMF 5.1.

I'm between the technoarm and an SME 309 (also considered an origin arm)....

Likely will get the Orbe clamp as I've heard it's worthwhile despite it's high cost and I'm used to a screw clamp having one on my MMF

Thinking I will pass for now on the HR power--I'd get used to the sound and be able to appreciate the upgrade months/year down the road.d

Would be grateful for anyone's thoughts on the above!

 

As others have said, best done yourself at home. I found the instructions easy enough to follow but (as above) there are web links. It's sort of intuitive and shouldn't take too long though you'll no doubt want to just take it a step at a time. Just go at your own pace. I have the Techno arm but of course so is SME. I did a thread recently on whether the Orbe platter upgrade is worth it on a Gyro SE. General consensus was no, but Orbe clamp and Hr PSU worthwhile. I have the PSU and recommend it.

 

The Technoarm/Gyro is a great combination I have one on my SE, but the 309 is a better arm, although at a cost, I have a SME IV on my Orbe and I believe Classicrock uses a 309 on his Michell, great arms with great synergy on the Michells. The Orbe clamp makes sense and is much better than the standard Michell clamp, the HR is a fantastic, possibly essential upgrade, but the Gyro is still a great deck without it and a few months getting to know the deck will allow you to appreciate just how much of an upgrade the HR is.

 

I started my Michell Gyro SE journey with the Rega RB300 tonearm- already that humble combination sounded just great. I then went for the TechnoArm and it sounded even better but it was when I got the SME IV I for the first time realised how much built in potential the Gyro SE had. IMHO the HR PSU is essential but as Dubmart says it's smart to move slowly as you've time to really appreciate the deck as it is and then the HR PSU upgrade as well.

 

I'm running my Orbe with the Audiomods Series 5 arm (which is based on a Rega armtube so perfectly compatible). I've not been lucky enough to have the chance to compare it with an SME or similarly high end offerings but I am personally very happy with it. Certainly worth adding it to your list of potentials. Happy shopping!

 

For the folks that changed arms (particularly on the Gyro), can you comment on the sound signature and what it was in your system and what it went to? I know so much of this is system dependent but I'm unable to listen to these decks (taking aside the point as to whether even if I could there would be any value) so trying to get a sense of what you found.

I listen probably 60-70% jazz with the rest being a mix of classic & indie rock, classical music, reggae and blues.

 

I set mine up 8 years ago and haven't touched it since. Doesn't need it if you don't move it.

 

Although my Gyro started with a Rega RB 250, progressed to a RB 600 and now has the Technoarm there are too many variables to really describe the sound signatures, in fact I think that's one of the strong points of the Gyro as a platform, you can really hear the other components, I don't remember specifics, but I do remember that I noticed a genuine upgrade when I switched to the RB 600, harder to tell with the Technoarm as I switched carts at the same time, but I can say that I like how the Gyro and Technoarm sounds with an Ortofon MC30 Supreme so much that I have had no inclination to change it whereas I originally fitted it just to get an idea of the combination's potential and planned to switch back to an Ortofon OM body for playing Jamaican Reggae singles and rougher records. In an attempt to answer your question I'd say the Gyro SE/Technoarm/HR is detailed, accurate, if not totally neutral and most of all very enjoyable and involving, it's a combination that genuinely encourages you to listen to more records, incidentally the HR really helps the bass response with Jazz and Reggae.

 

Thanks Dubmart...when you say "if not totally neutral", which way would you say it leans? Totally understand other changes et al...

Funny you mention bass with reggae--i listened to more reggae when i had my subs...it sounded worse overall with other genres but my reggae is not the audiohile variety (if there is such a thing) and the boom and bounce was there

I miss the bass on jazz with mr lafaro and a few others but my trade off is on smooth horns. I'm hoping to keep (increase?) the smoothness factory with this upgrade.

 

I'm not very good at this describing sounds thing so I'll say that any character it imparts is beneficial, a bit of warmth rather than being on the lean side of neutral, with regard to the HR and bass it's the icing on the cake, not overblown or artificial, but more filling things out, a little extension, but all very natural and realistic, it really is great for Jazz and Reggae.

I'd qualify the above by saying that my system is quite neutral and the speakers are largish three way studio monitors, but even on a very bass heavy or warm system I'd say the HR adds enough control that things wouldn't sound anything but realistic, not OTT like some subs can. The HR also gives you an admittedly limited pitch adjust option if you need it.

 

The first Orbe I built, alone, must be 15 years ago. That exploded photo copy that Michell gave you seamed wrong, i wanted more. No Youtube then, but after a couple of hours it was running.
What threw me was the oscillation, moving from my Linn taking some time to settle to the tight vibration of the Orbe.
I was using the RB250 a big upgrade was the Technoarm. then I got a new Orbe this time built by an expert, poking my old one he said it was spot on, so it can't be that hard and that was after a decade.
My new one had an SMEv and Koetsu so its hard to say how much difference the arm made as the previous cartridge was an Audio Technica AT 32

 

Love my Gyro/Tecno/HR PSU/Orbe clamp combo. That's all.

 

The Gyro SE/HR PSU combination is indeed a neutral sounding unit and when these two are combined with the SME IV they all together moulds in to a precision tool. The SME tonearm really brings great dynamics and that thunderous high quality bass in to the combination that brings the best out of the Gyro. IMHO Michell Gyro SE is an affordable and upgradeable platform with a lot of built in potential and when given the right partners it really shines.

 

For the money you can't get a better deck and the fact that you can stick SME Vs and top end MCs on it and it's capable of doing them justice as well as sounding great with a RB-250 and a 2M red shows just how versatile it is, plus it looks fantastic as a bonus.