Michell Gyro & Revolv turntables
Michell Audio, the British manufacturer of the world’s most iconic turntables, is introducing the latest iteration of the legendary Gyro, the product that revolutionised the approach to turntable design. The new design represents the most significant re-imagining of everything beneath the surface to present a deck that is undeniably a Gyro, but delivers dramatic improvements in performance.
“When engineer John Michell produced the first parts for Transcriptor turntables back in 1969 he started a process that eventually led to the launch of the Gyrodec in 1982, a product that came to redefine the way turntables are designed,” says Jonathan Nye, Michell’s managing director. “Today’s introduction continues this legacy, with an instantly identifiable Gyro that retains the ethos of the original, but packed full of technical innovations that drive the performance forwards in the most dramatic manner.”
Radical developments include the introduction of a precision-machined, solid 19mm aerospace-grade aluminium chassis, replacing the cast aluminium that has been a consistent part of all Gyro models. This move ensures absolute uniform mechanical performance across the entire structure, which reduces colouration in the midrange, creates tighter imaging and ensures more efficient energy flow away from the tonearm and bearing.
During the development of the Gyro, the Michell engineers employed cutting edge analysis tools, such as FEA and AI-assisted simulation. This has enabled an overhaul of elements such as optimised vibration control of the suspension and chassis, through fine-tuning of mass distribution and damping zones to dissipate vibration and resonance. The result is an audibly lower noise floor and improved rhythm and microdynamics in the music.
Other developments have seen the familiar three-point spring suspension system tuned down from 4.5Hz to 3.5Hz through the use of a self-centring mechanism called Equilibria, which provides better low-frequency control, timing and pitch accuracy. A quieter background and greater resolution at low volumes has been achieved by introducing bespoke composite Sorbothane feet. With six contact nodes they offer superior vibration absorption and control than a single point puck.
The innovative helix oil pump bearing has been upgraded to a double helix, meaning twice the oil flow to lubricate the inverted bearing, reducing friction even further. And, for both user operation and a lowering of noise, the new motor assembly is a shielded design that incorporates a grounding cable and also enables electronic speed selection of 33.3 or 45 RPM.
Stylistically, the new Gyro is unmistakable, but includes enhancements to the aesthetic design. For example, the Delrin platter now has a grooveless precision turned edge, instead of a visible groove for the belt, which now self-levels. While not affecting the performance, this refinement presents a more minimalist appearance which sits comfortably with the lines of the new base and feet. The base is now a high-mass aluminium design, replacing the existing lightweight acrylic spider frame. The result of its reduced flex and increased mass is to allow the suspension and feet to perform more predictably, with far greater bass definition and midrange clarity.
Commenting on the introduction, Alister Smith, sales manager – home audio for PMC Distribution UK, says: “It is a very exciting time in the evolution of the Michell Gyro and we are delighted to bring the latest design to the UK audiophile market, continuing the long tradition of Michell turntables leading the way in terms of engineering and musical performance. We know our retailers will be looking forward to demonstrating it to their customers, and are equally sure that those customers will be more than thrilled by what they experience.”
Manufactured in the UK and designed from the ground up by the Michell Audio team, the Gyro is distributed by PMC Distribution UK through carefully selected retailers. The Gyro is £5,995 (without arm or cartridge) and includes a unicover and record clamp, it is expected to be in stores before Christmas.
Michell Revolv
New from British turntable legends, Michell, comes the Revolv. A turntable that brings decades of engineering excellence from the Gyro to an extended product range, allowing more audiophiles to experience the precision, clarity and enduring quality that defines the Michell name.
Positioned between the minimalist TecnoDec and the new Gyro, Revolv elevates the design ethos and engineering achievements from the past four decades, reimagining just how good the Tecnodec platform can be when mixed with elements from the Gyro.
“The Gyrodec has long been a much coveted product for discerning audiophiles. Now, with the launch of Revolv, we’ve taken many of the key Gyro features, such as the constant development of skeleteal turntable design, and developments in manufacturing and measurement, to provide a deck with the highest levels of musical detail and dynamism for its price point,“ remarks Jonathan Nye, managing director of Michell Audio. “We are very confident that this engineering tour-de-force will delight many fans of analogue music reproduction and can’t wait for them to experience it.”
Revolv is a rigid design, which provides direct mechanical grounding from its inert 19mm aerospace-grade aluminium chassis, machined from a single block. The high mass design provides a stable mechanical foundation to control and dissipate unwanted vibrations. The feet each incorporate six bespoke Sorbothane damping nodes to isolate the turntable from external vibration. These innovations, combined with the precision tonearm mounting, rigidly coupled to the chassis for optimal energy transfer and cartridge stability, minimise colouration for precise dynamic control, enhanced low-level resolution and the preservation of nuance in the music.
One of the most famous of Gyro innovations, the inverted bearing, is carried over to the Revolv. A mono-helix groove actively circulates oil to the thrust point and bearing walls for consistent low-friction rotation. This ensures minimal wear and longevity and clearly demonstrates Michell’s ethos of robust engineering solutions that do not follow the convention if there is a better way.
Another proven feature is the Delrin® platter, a material chosen for its vibration damping properties and a boundary impedance closely matched to vinyl, which gives it a very neutral sound characteristic. As with the Gryo, the platter includes the signature solid-turned brass weights. These give the platter extra mass and subsequently more momentum when spinning, which serves to greatly improve speed stability and keep wow and flutter to ultra low levels.
Drive comes from a new isolated, free-standing motor and highly regulated PSU that is grounded and electromagnetically shielded to prevent interference. Machined as a clamshell, from a single billet of aluminium, the housing for the power supply follows the design cues of the recently launched Apollo phono stage. Speed selection, 33.3 or 45 RPM, is easily controlled via electronic switching.
The UK designed and manufactured Revolv has been created to grow with its owner. The minimalist footprint, timeless engineering and upgrade-ready architecture makes it a turntable that can be built up and built around, to give many years of listening pleasure and genuine pride of ownership.
The Revolv is £3,995 (without arm or cartridge) and is expected to be available in November.