Michell Audio has announced two new turntables, the Revolve and the Gyro. Retailing at £3995 (around $5400) without arm and cartridge, the Revolv is now the step-up model in the company’s range, sitting between the long-established entry-level Tecnodec and the new Gyro.
The Revolv builds on the rigid design principles of the Tecnodec but features plenty of the technology of its new upmarket sibling. The main plinth, if it can be called that, replaces the 10mm acrylic of the entry-level model with an impressively weighty, precision-machined aluminium slab.
This more rigid and higher mass base has allowed the company to change the way the arm is mounted too, improving performance.
The deck’s single helix main bearing is the company’s well-proven inverted design, but now it is topped by a Delrin platter with extra mass added to the circumference with peripheral brass cylinders. This extra mass helps speed stability.
Other points of note are cleverly designed and specially tuned Sorbothane feet for isolation, a new motor pod (that sits separately to prevent any vibration from reaching the sensitive cartridge/record interface) and a smart two-speed outboard speed controller.
Next up on the price ladder comes the new Gyro. This costs £5995 (around $8050) without arm and cartridge, and effectively replaces the classic Gyro SE and Gyrodec models that have been the core of the company’s output for decades.
It is a wholesale revamp of those designs, where every part has been evolved. The baseplate is now a substantial aluminium piece rather than acrylic, and the chassis – where the main bearing and tonearm attach – is now a far more rigid and damped structure.
This new chassis is a 19mm thick precision-machined piece rather than being cast. It features ten embedded brass weights that not only serve to balance the weight of the tonearm but also provide a useful amount of damping, something also helped by dense foam inserts.
Other highlights include a clever double helix main bearing that improves the flow of oil to ensure minimal noise, the same outboard metal-cased power supply as used in the Revolve and a set of carefully tuned and shaped Sorbothane feet.
Both turntables are available in two finish options: black and silver.
Expect the Revolv to be in the shops mid-November and the Gyro a month or so after that. We’re expecting a review sample of the Revolve soon, so watch this space for our review. Given the excellence of Michell’s previous generation Gyro SE, we’re expecting great things.