Michell Orbe or Avid Volvere SP

Nothingface

Wammer
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Jul 13, 2021
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AKA
Richard
HiFi Trade?
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Contemplating switching my high mass turntable for the Orbe or possibly the Avid Volvere SP...maybe Sequel SP but that's probably unlikely.

If you own any of these what are your thoughts? What did you have before? During ownership is there anything you don't like?
 

Tarzan

Wammer
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Aug 13, 2007
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Andy
HiFi Trade?
  1. Yes
l have owned both and they are both very good, owned the Orbe first and it was a tad 'dark' sounding ( good for me)- in fact it was very good sounding indeed and visitors were fascinated with it- heard The AVID at a show ( the original Volvere in Chrome ) and luckily one come at a good price and it was amazing sounding thing for a while, the focus, bass and cleanliness of sound and the sound was forensic, detail was incredible.... however with this warts n all presentation did become tiring for me so flogged The Avid and was Turntableless for a while, in hindsight one thinks that the audio grass is better on the other side and should have kept The Orbe- have a Gyrodec now.


Orbe- dark, full and musical sound-slighty romantic

Volvere- detailed, lean, focus, very quiet surface noise with great bass.



Tone arm was SME V and the cartridge was a Lyra Helikon.

Amps and speakers were the same for both protagonists.


All views expressed were in the context of subjects being plumbed into my system and room.


Good Luck. (y) :geek:
 

DUVET

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Avid Acutus SP user here . I’d say @Tarzan has nailed the Avid house sound . I also use the SME V arm. I love it’s neutrality and paired together means you can find the sound you like further down the chain in the phono stage / cart combination .
 
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Tarzan

Wammer
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Aug 13, 2007
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Andy
HiFi Trade?
  1. Yes
Avid Acutus SP user here . I’d say @Tarzan has nailed the Avid house sound . I also use the SME V arm. I love it’s neutrality and paired together means you can find the sound you like further down the chain in the phono stage / cart combination .
Yes, this possibly were l went wrong with the Avid- bit off topic have you compared The Volvere with your Acutus- do they all share a 'house' sound as it were?
 

DUVET

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Yes, this possibly were l went wrong with the Avid- bit off topic have you compared The Volvere with your Acutus- do they all share a 'house' sound as it were?

Heard a Volere many moons ago and the Acutus just enhances the same sound . When I got back into vinyl I was running a Wadia 861 cd player and a lot of advice was you want neutral and precise and they were right . I now have an Allnic phono stage and Hana ML . This adds just enough lushness to the proceedings .
 

Nothingface

Wammer
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Jul 13, 2021
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AKA
Richard
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Thank you both for your insight.
@Tarzan from your evaluation I would think the Avid may be a more suitable option. But I like the upgrade tweaks that are available for Michell turntables. Did you experiment with any...?

Avid have recently implemented a steep price increase which does impact my decision.
 
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DUVET

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Sep 7, 2021
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Thank you both for your insight.
@Tarzan from your evaluation I would think the Avid may be a more suitable option. But I like the upgrade tweaks that are available for Michell turntables. Did you experiment with any...?

Avid have recently implemented a steep price increase which does impact my decision.

There is an upgrade path Avid within the various ranges . I upgraded to Acutus SP about 15 months ago also adding the adjustable leg suspension kit and a new case for the power supply . I asked Conrad then was there any wiggle room on the price and he said no as all the prices prices we’re going up and he had been putting this off for sometime. To be honest the prices had not changed for ages so a big increase rather than incremental yearly always takes your breath away at first.
 
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Nothingface

Wammer
Wammer
Jul 13, 2021
508
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West Midlands
AKA
Richard
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
There is an upgrade path Avid within the various ranges . I upgraded to Acutus SP about 15 months ago also adding the adjustable leg suspension kit and a new case for the power supply . I asked Conrad then was there any wiggle room on the price and he said no as all the prices prices we’re going up and he had been putting this off for sometime. To be honest the prices had not changed for ages so a big increase rather than incremental yearly always takes your breath away at first.

Interesting - I didn't know it was possible to upgrade Avid turntables. That certainly changes things.
What were you using before the Acutus SP & what improvements did you hear?
 

DUVET

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You can only upgrade your version to a higher spec . A Volere can't be upgrade to an Acutus

Upgrades
 

Tarzan

Wammer
Wammer
Aug 13, 2007
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143
Hornchurch, England
AKA
Andy
HiFi Trade?
  1. Yes
Thank you both for your insight.
@Tarzan from your evaluation I would think the Avid may be a more suitable option. But I like the upgrade tweaks that are available for Michell turntables. Did you experiment with any...?

Avid have recently implemented a steep price increase which does impact my decision.

Yes, Have the following Gyrodec upgrades;

HR PSU

Orbe Clamp

Double Spyder

True Point Audio Pylons and feet.

Ceramic Main Bearing

J7 Bearing Oil :)

Gert Pedersen Armboard


That's about it.:geek:
 
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maddog_007

maddog_007
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Oct 17, 2018
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Waterfoot ,Glasgow
AKA
dennis
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
l have owned both and they are both very good, owned the Orbe first and it was a tad 'dark' sounding ( good for me)- in fact it was very good sounding indeed and visitors were fascinated with it- heard The AVID at a show ( the original Volvere in Chrome ) and luckily one come at a good price and it was amazing sounding thing for a while, the focus, bass and cleanliness of sound and the sound was forensic, detail was incredible.... however with this warts n all presentation did become tiring for me so flogged The Avid and was Turntableless for a while, in hindsight one thinks that the audio grass is better on the other side and should have kept The Orbe- have a Gyrodec now.


Orbe- dark, full and musical sound-slighty romantic

Volvere- detailed, lean, focus, very quiet surface noise with great bass.



Tone arm was SME V and the cartridge was a Lyra Helikon.

Amps and speakers were the same for both protagonists.


All views expressed were in the context of subjects being plumbed into my system and room.


Good Luck. (y) :geek:
Gyro & Orbe were always a wee bit too flashy for me...
once i'd seen an LP12 in the flesh that was the deck for me...she's a late eighties black ash model - still going strong for when I get that 'digital brain fog'!...I reach for the vinyl ...yecannywhackit! 😀.
 

Minicoupeman

Wammer
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Jan 21, 2015
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Sittingbourne
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Andy Andrews
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Agreed with the above. My upgraded Gyrodec has Orb platter, SolidAir springs, Suspension ( great upgrade) and arm board tweaks. The deck is now nearly 30 years old. Serviced twice by Mitchell. Absolutely love it. If it had ‘a plane crash’ the only alternative I would look at would be Origin Live.
 
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Rockchild

Formerly Radiant Red 🎶
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Jun 22, 2011
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Jonathan
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Both turntables are excellent and as already stated, it’s down to personal preference.
I’ve had a Gyro and Orbe together to hear the sonic difference and tbh, it’s about different rather than better.
The Gyro is great from the off with a good arm and cartridge. The HR ads dynamics and the platter, more bass but it’s all down to preference. I’ve got a good relationship with Michell and I like to keep it all Michell.

Like I said, Michell or Avid, your in for a treat.
 

Nothingface

Wammer
Wammer
Jul 13, 2021
508
400
83
West Midlands
AKA
Richard
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Both turntables are excellent and as already stated, it’s down to personal preference.
I’ve had a Gyro and Orbe together to hear the sonic difference and tbh, it’s about different rather than better.
The Gyro is great from the off with a good arm and cartridge. The HR ads dynamics and the platter, more bass but it’s all down to preference. I’ve got a good relationship with Michell and I like to keep it all Michell.

Like I said, Michell or Avid, your in for a treat.

Which do you prefer?
 

HiFimanDan

Hi-Fi man Dan
Wammer
Sep 17, 2016
186
75
33
Essex
AKA
Dan
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Hi,

So about 6-months ago, I decided to change my Rega P8 for a full Orbe (though it also came with the ingredients to change to an SE) with a TechnoArm. I made this change blind (idiot,) but having heard a Gyro in the past (and loved it) I kind of knew what I was getting into.

The Orbe took around and hour to build (out of the box) then maybe another hour setting up (bounce, cartridge mounting, tone arm VTA and tracking force.) Initially I wasn’t blown away, was very bland, boomy bottom end and next to no sound stage. Then I realised after some research this was all due to my set up errors, particularly the VTA (tone arm set too low). After another hour of adjusting everything, there it was, the most amazing sound from vinyl I have heard in a long time. The speakers just disappeared, I’ve never heard soundstage like this before. The bottom end (which I think is the Orbe’s party price) is so deep and low (was like I’d added a sub to my system), the vocals flow effortlessly into the room and the top end is very detailed but not overly bright which was something I didn’t like with the Rega but then my speakers of choice are PMC which are on the bright/forward side of things.

The Orbe is now my forever deck, I may in the future look at fitting an SME arm but I’m supper happy with what it does right now.

Hope this helps,

Dan.
 

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