Questions to J.A. Michell turntable owners...

I have owned Michell tables since the seventies and with my first Gyro around 84 . I have owned a couple DC units after that original AC motor unit including the current SE I sold a couple years back. Now have my second Orbe SE, the first with AC motor and now with current DC motor/controller.


I change the oil every year. Not a recommendation , merely a service I choose to do to keep them performing new and "clean". I repaired tables in a past life so I take it as a very inexpensive opportunity to tune it up when removing the platter to thoroughly clean the residue around the perimeter, built up from the belts contact. If I don’t have the Michell oil at hand , Mobil synthetic 0W40 is what is recommended. It has no additives that are used to bond and fill micro scratches in cylinder walls for engines. The rifling in the bronze bearing is how the oil climbs from the well to the ball above.

Doing it yearly when the belt residue is cleaned just makes sense to do as it also puts the ball back at a new point of contact instead of 5 years of wear on a single point. The residue left on the platter/pulley is more detrimental to drag/speed and belt wear and should be done to all belt drives routinely/yearly. The oil can be left but for how little time and cost it takes why do a half arse job. Its a good opportunity to clean the table thoroughly of any dust and keeping it looking as new as well as performing as such and checking all layers for level and checking/ fine tuning suspension. Contrary to the false claims mostly by OCD individuals , The Gyro and Orbe are very easy to set the suspension and get the proper bounce , and they stay that way till moved or manipulated.

The platters don’t come "coated with a black substance ". They were aluminum first with aluminum bearing model , then delrin platter with an inverted bronze bearing. Delrin is like acrylic but closer to the composition of vinyl making it a better cunduit to let vibration travel through it and not reflect back to the cartridge. The best thing I found to safely clean the grooves of the platter of a Gyro is q tips dipped in endust for electronics. Its all natural and leaves no residue of its own and easily removes the residue the belt leaves from use. A micro fibre rag is good for the final wiping folded on edge into the groove to clean the groove . There is no scrubbing involved.
Make sure its "endust for electronics" in a blue spray bottle and not endust the furniture cleaner which has waxy oil residue to polish. The endust electronic cleaner is all natural based and works well , for this and for cleaning faceplates safely. Squirting it on the rag or q tip is more effective for obvious reasons. 

@best-groove 


Delrin is simply Dupont’s propriety name for the material. If you haven’t already , research it. Carbon/vinyl-loaded acrylic...…. all Michell’s info ever says is "Michell makes the platter from a proprietary self-damping compound of carbon/vinyl-loaded acrylic". Copolymer or polymer ??? There is a big difference in price between the two variants and performance. From my experience , regardless, it is one of the better sounding solutions for a platter and no need for fiddling with mats and adjusting arms with added height and suspensions with added weight.

Yes , actually @best-groove , I did.

Perhaps you should do the same. After owning Michell tables since 1978 (Michell reference electronic, still have it and working) and my first Gyro, a Mk1 in 84 then 2 more gyro’s a full plinth, then a current SE version. I owned an Orbe MK1 Ac unit as well and instead of modifying as I had done extensively with my Gyro’s I happened upon a current Orbe SE DC/NC controller unit for a steal and jumped on it. I am well versed in Michell tables and spent 25 years part time repairing turntables with more complex movements but not necessarily better , but some were , complete with their own drawbacks. I like the simplicity and quality of build in Michell’s design and the reliability to just enjoy with little fuss and upgrades are available yet not that big a deal with the current tables like the upgrades were on a MK1 to the better platter/ bearing / suspension / power supply now standard.
I was simply trying to answer and help the OP. This is why many of us don’t bother much with the forums. People like you seem to see others as a VS. type personal engagement instead of a fellow enthusiast , thus stifling knowledge and the connections and advantages they bring.


Well wishes apologies, to THE OP, …………..