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Michell Gyro SE-what arm?

Well, my turntable obsession continues. I bought an almost new Gyro SE mkII recently with no arm on it. Now I've really done it, because there are so many choices-and probably a lot of really good ones. For me, making a decision about something like his is more agonizing than fun, really. Not wanting to screw it up, you know. It seems like the Gyro must work well with a Rega arm; I've seen a fair amount of "Goners with modded 250's, 300's and the like, or the Technoarm, which as I understand it is a modded Rega. The guy from whom I bought the table had an Audiomods arm; again, a Rega. And I've seen a fair number of SME's as well. So, what about the Origin Live arms, like the Zephyr, or the Encounter? And what about those Jelco 750's? I've read good things about that arm. And if I have th option, should I go for a 10 inch?I don't have a huge amount to spend, but it seems to me somewhere around $1500 should buy a pretty decent arm, And I have an opportunity to buy a Rega RB1000 for about that -what about that? Would that be a viable option, maybe better than the modded arms or the low-mid priced Origin offerings? I will add this-I am one of the Naim sheep, so PRAT and musicality is probably more important to me than absolute accuracy. Please give me your input, Michell owners and those familiar with this dilema. Thanks!
goforth

Showing 2 responses by goforth

goforth OP
8 posts
 
Thanks for your response. I checked out your system-maybe in a couple of years I'll go with the TW Acustic Raven myself. I'd love to-in fact, that's probably where I'd like to end up. You liked the RB1000 on the Gyro/Orbe, though? Here's my question-if you did it over again, would you go with the RB-1000 way over an Origin Live arm or an SME? I know the Gyro SE will probably be good with any of them, and I'm worrying too much, but I am very interested in your thoughts.
goforth OP
8 posts
 
Thank all of you guys for your time to expound a bit on your opinions.. It sounds like it's pretty much a buyer's market and there are several arms that will work well. I normally am able to avoid being swayed by hype, but I'll confess, the Origin Live ads with "soundbyte" style quotes threw me...I was all set to buy an SME M2-9, an arm that I've heard from several people is a very good arm and an exceptional value. Then, on the Origin Live site, I saw the quotes from reviews stating that various arms were "the finest arm built to date", and "the SME V sounds monochrome by comparison." I find this stuff hard to believe. I have no doubt that Origin makes some fine arms, but really? An SME V sounds monochrome by comparison? Geez. And the one that really queered the deal, really made me doubt the choice I had made, was the statement made by the guy who started ADC saying something to the effect of "all the wasted years listening to SME." I gotta think this is nonsense. So-though I may buy an SME arm after all that, I'll always be wondering if an Origin Live Zephyr or an Encounter might've been a better choice. I guess I should know better, as to this date one of the nicest setups I've heard was a Jelco 750D on an old Sota Sapphire with a like-new Shure V15Vxmr on it. Almost NOBODY talks about the Jelco arms, and the apparent quality of their arms seems to be quite high. Sota's tables are venerable pieces of kit and several reviewers reference turntables, but they certainly aren't new and "in vogue." And the Shure cartridge-out of production for years now. From what I've seen, SME doesn't use defamatory quotes about other makers. Nor does Rega, or Jelco for that matter. I guess that should tell me the real story right there!

So I guess I should just pay my money and take my chances. I'm sure it's not going to suck. Thanks again, fellow "Goners!
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