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In Reply to: RE: Gyrodec SE vs. EAT C Major... posted by PAR on December 09, 2016 at 00:29:26
Long time Gyro user here (30 years) as well.
Definitely some serious problems with belts in the past couple of years.
I tend to replace belts every 2-3 years and the two that I bought about 12-16 months ago were simply unusable out of the bag with audible wow and flutter. I should have asked for a refund from the dealer I buy from (I'm in Canada) but they were a relatively small item so I resurrected the older belts I had around and went another 8 months to a year with them.
When I went back to order another couple of belts (figuring it was just a defective batch that I got) my dealer told me that the Michell distributor in North America did not currently have any belts and that they were changing the manufacturing/sourcing for belts as there had been problems and that the dealer would notify me when they came in. I got some new belts again in the past 4-5 months and they are definitely better, although obviously different material and they seem to be ridged on either side of the belt, which the older belts were not, which I'm not thrilled about. Not sure if they are as good as the older, pre-problem belt/design though.
The latest, however, seem to be ok, but it's given me thought to maybe try a couple of the aftermarket belts available on Ebay next time. I know someone that just bought a few of those so will let them be the guinea pig and see how they work out for them.
But there have definitely been belt problems at Michell in the past 18 motnhs.
Follow Ups:
I am glad to find another Gyrodek user echoing my problem with recent drive belts. Here are two pictures ( sorry for the orienation, I have tried to rotate but they still load like this into the AA message box).
As you can see one is circular, forming an elipse when suspended from a single point. That is an old stock belt. The other picture is of a new belt and displays irremovable kinks, each one of which results in a speed fluctation when it meets the platter. Incidentally this ia after attempts to stretch and pull the belt into shape. Straight out of the pack and the result is sconsiderably worse than in this image.
The inferiority of the new belt is also measurable and very audible. The old belt providing a superb speed accuracy of 3149.8 Hz for a test tone of 3150 Hz with a deviation ( speed variation across the test period) of only 0.5% max. The new belt gives a reading of 3178.5Hz and a deviation of 1.31%. So, given that the old belt is at least 5 years old means that the old belts give a service life considerably in excess of 2-3 years ( although that may depend upon intensity of usage).
The ribbed belts recently available are the result of an attempt to improve things by altering the moulding process. They are not using a new supplier just changing things a bit with ( as far as I can tell) no positive result. "Ribbed for extra pleasure" does not appply here :-)
Hi, PAR,
I'm glad I held off on ordering a replacement belt. Eager to hear if Michell Engingeering fixed the problem with the newer belts.
Regards,
Tom
" Eager to hear if Michell Engingeering fixed the problem with the newer belts "
I wouldn't rush. That kinked belt in my picture was new stock from June. New at the factory that is. So 5 months or so old. As they have to order from their supplier in quantity I am going to leave it another 6 months before I approach them again. Frankly my impression is that although they know it is a problem and have known for ages, they don't have much idea of how to resolve it.
The reason for the change is now several years old. The Japanese manufacturer of the original belt ceased to make it and would/could no longer supply Michell even given their request to pay for a custom manufacturing run.
Had I not discovered an old, used but still good, belt in my spares I would now be looking at an alternative brand of turntable. Sad for such an otherwise superb table offering exceptional value.
It's funny that you commented about having to purchase a completely different turntable because you're unable to find a belt that works correctly. I was recently thinking about that reality with any belt-drive turntable: What happens when the (correct) belt is no longer manufactured?The Gyro is a 'table that could last for decades with proper care yet be rendered useless without a simple loop of synthetic polymer.
Makes me wonder why we audiophiles don't insist on belt-drive turntable platters driven by belts made from universally available materials. The motors and pulleys could be somewhat proprietary and yet easily substituted (if you don't care about OEM integrity) and belts could be essentially interchangeable, with a range of standardized lengths. Like windshield wipers or toilet seals, only audiophile. '-)
Tom
Edits: 12/10/16
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