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Michell Gyro Deck Black Techno Arm with Concept Cartridge MM

Our Price

£3344

About This Product

Michell turntables clamp the record to a hard platter. This flattens out warps, and it also couples the LP tightly to the platter so that internal resonances can be drained away from the stylus, as if the LP effectively is of a much higher thickness and rigidity. The Gyro SE and GyroDec models use a simple clamp to press down the LP record; the Orbe and Orbe SE benefit from a more advanced screw-down clamp and a washer that raises the LP at its center: under action of the clamp the record’s playable area is then very tightly pressed down onto the flat platter, right to its edges. The platter is made from a proprietary self-damping compound of carbon/vinyl -loaded acrylic. This material closely approaches the mechanical and acoustical properties of the vinyl record itself, enhancing the coupling between both. Indeed, at boundaries of materials with like acoustic impedances, transmission of vibrational energy occurs. Whereas at boundaries of dissimilar materials, be they LP versus felt, metal, glass, or just air, only part of the energy is transmitted, the remainder being reflected back into the album, towards the stylus. Above measures not only result in a neutral and precise sound, but also in a very low susceptibility to record blemishes, ticks and pops. This is one of the reasons why a Michell Engineering turntable not only excels in the replay of good LP’s, but also pulls the same trick with less than pristine records.

Michell employ a unique inverted bearing that locates the point of rotation above the center of gravity of the platter, and exactly at the height where the drive belt invokes. This makes the platter/bearing a self-stabilising component that can not be provoked into rocking modes. The precision bearing has a case-hardened steel shaft that is secured upright in an oil well, threaded into the subchassis from below. A massive bronze housing, precision-machined as a pair with the shaft, is attached to the platter via the integral record spindle. A thrust ball sits on the flat top of the shaft centralized by an inverted cone in the top of the housing. This housing has a spiral machined into its inner bore to draw a high quality synthetic oil from the bath to the top of the bearing shaft as the housing rotates with the platter. A hole is drilled from the top of the shaft down to the oil well to allow the trapped oil to return to the bottom. This unique oil pumping mechanism results in low friction and wear, and in low rumble and noise.

The Gyro suspends the heavy subchassis and platter from three extension springs. This is an elegant and self-stabilising solution as the center of gravity of the floating mass is conveniently put below the suspension points. Rocking and nodding modes of the subchassis are hence discouraged, while overall turntable setup is straightforward, and drift is virtually inexistent. In addition, the total suspended mass of about eleven kilograms ensures that any incoupled energy can not result in large displacements. The spring towers double as the actual turntable supports, terminated in heavy aluminium cones. The towers are sectioned in two vertical parts, making a high-pressure point-contact with a bearing ball. This makes for a true three point support, which gives the springs and the suspended subchassis a firm reference to ground. The floating chassis’ task is to keep the bearing and arm board rigidly in relation to each other. It is a heavy and rigid cast aluminium component, internally strengthened with beams and ribs.

The 3.5 kg heavy platter, precision balanced, acts as a large flywheel. The GyroDec and Gyro SE employ a single-thickness acrylic platter, loaded with the gold-plated brass weights which over time have become Michell’s signature.

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  • Once again thanks for your help. I first visited Bartletts in 1993 and bought the Audiolab 8000a to equalise and compete with whatever the neighbours were playing at the time through the very thin walls of a Victorian Mansion Block. My Quad at the time although could musically could not compete. I had bought the Quad in 1984 at a place in Camden by Mornington Crescent, although I felt that I bought what" that particular shop "wanted to sell me rather than what I wanted.

    D.R. - London

  • I would just like to thank the Bartlett's team for pulling out all the stops when an order failed to materialise through no fault of their own. Terrific service and would certainly shop with Bartlett's again.

    J.L.L - London

  • Firstly delivery was estimated at 7-11 days - it was actually delivered by courier the next day (Free). Item was an excellent price and although it was advertised as used - it was absolutely mint. This is what internet buying should be like - well done all at Bartletts!

    Anon