Will a well-modded Technics 1210 see off a Michell Orbe?

OK I know it's a bit apples and oranges, one is belt drive and one is direct... but I'm curious about your opinions whether a fully (ish) modded Technics 1210 will equal (or outdo) a Michell Orbe.

I started the upgrade path for my 1210 back in 2012... adding a bit here and there over the years. Currently have it fitted with a Jelco 750 + Yannis silver re-wire/ Oyaide carbon-fibre headshell with Denon 103 / Funk Firm 'Audiophile' platter / Mike New bearing / Paul Hynes SR-5 external PSU / Isonoe feet. And it's sounding very lovely.

How is that going to stack up against a Michell Orbe, do you think? It wouldn't be with a SME arm (out of my budget) but probably a Tecnoarm A.
What might be the differences in sound? My understanding is that the Techie is punchy and precise, but the Orbe may be more 'musical'?

Asking as I've been tempted to try a Michell deck. I mostly listen to electronica/rock/reggae/dance/ambient type of stuff. Worth a go?

I sold my Orbe with SME V and kept a lightly modded 1210.

I didn’t notice £3000 + worth of difference so decided I would prefer the cash. Did use some of the cash on an Audiomods arm for the Techie ( which I like better than the SME)

Mel

Interesting! And with an SME V arm, too...! thank you for commenting on your experience, that's exactly the kind of thing I'm interested to hear.

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Originally Posted by Cycleallday

I sold my Orbe with SME V and kept a lightly modded 1210.

I didn’t notice £3000 + worth of difference so decided I would prefer the cash. Did use some of the cash on an Audiomods arm for the Techie ( which I like better than the SME)

Mel

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Which audiomods arm did you go for Mel?

Never heard any of the Gyro/Orbe family that didn't have a perceptible speed wobble. Depends whether this bothers you but it upsets me no end.

But then again I even heard it on my Voyd 'The Voyd' 3-motor deck - however sophisticated the PSU, very few belt drives can really pull off the speed stability of a DD or idler and the ones that do weight as much as a traction engine.

Yes Tom that would certainly bother me! Good to know.

Techie 2
Michell 0

Of course thats the Techies strength - lock tight speed equating to great rythm and timing.

Even the slightest speed waver would bother me. That said the only belt drive ive heard in many many years was our own Smangus's Nottingham Analogue Interspace Mahogany and as well as sounding really good I detected no speed wobble.

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Originally Posted by montesquieu

Never heard any of the Gyro/Orbe family that didn't have a perceptible speed wobble. Depends whether this bothers you but it upsets me no end.

But then again I even heard it on my Voyd 'The Voyd' 3-motor deck - however sophisticated the PSU, very few belt drives can really pull off the speed stability of a DD or idler and the ones that do weight as much as a traction engine.

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Long timer user of the SL-1200 & Co. I was on day lend a Thorens TD146 fitted with an SME3009 'Improved SII and fell in love with it's "open" and "airy" sound. Started tweaks on the tonearm mainly and gradually gained in clarity and so speed accuracy and constancy issues became a real issue to me.

My answer to that was to save some money and acquire a Phoenix Eng. 'Eagle' & 'RoadRunner' PSU & tachometer combo. Manage to buy it to just before it went out of business. Full satisfaction on both speed accuracy and constancy ! Measured variations at 45 rpm are oscillating at maximum 0,005 rpm !

My dream to acquire turntable was a grease bearing Garrard 301 fitted with a first generation SME3012. Out of my budget, I decided to see how I could improve that Thorens and SME. Learned to venture in such tech tweaks along the way and got to appreciate their evolutive potential not to desire anything else anymore.

The issue I have since with the SL-1200 & Co. is that in comparison they sound over dampened. Which is somehow inherent to their build. And where I keep on tweaking and seeking to improve and upgrade both the Thorens turntable and SME tonearm, I pay a lot of attention never to lose both the tonearm "open" and turntable "airy" sound.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by montesquieu

Never heard any of the Gyro/Orbe family that didn't have a perceptible speed wobble. Depends whether this bothers you but it upsets me no end.

But then again I even heard it on my Voyd 'The Voyd' 3-motor deck - however sophisticated the PSU, very few belt drives can really pull off the speed stability of a DD or idler and the ones that do weight as much as a traction engine.

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I have a Pro-Ject 10.1 TT , belt drive and can't say I have heard any speed wobble , it is fitted with the upgraded speed box
It's a tiny belt running around the outer radious of the huge platter :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Audio Al

I have a Pro-Ject 10.1 TT , belt drive and can't say I have heard any speed wobble , it is fitted with the upgraded speed box
It's a tiny belt running around the outer radious of the huge platter :)

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Many people can’t hear it and if you can’t, you are lucky.

As a musician with perfect pitch it drives me bananas.

For a period I owned a Voyd - 3 motors and 3 belts - next to a TD124 and while the Voyd was probably better at air and detail etc, the wobble was obvious. I had the same experience recently with a top spec (current) LP12 sitting alongside a Garrard 401. No contest for the Garrard. (It’s why I sold my own LP12 years ago).

The trouble is the more you get used to the stability of a DD or idler the less acceptable belt drive wobble becomes!