Spacedeck compared with Gyrodec SE

One thing that PERHAPS the dealer is not considering is the fact that Tom Fletcher designed the Spacearm with two stabilizer bars (which you can see from the bottom of the arm). This design seems to allow for a bit of exception to the normal compliance issues with a medium mass unipivot and, from the experience of many, the 501 mates well with the Spacearm, though I wouldn't stretch things to something like, say, a Denon 103. I cannot comment specifically about the 700 but the Spacearm with 501 sounded better to several of us than an OL Silver with 501, ON THE SPACEDECK, FWIW.

I am surprised that somone finds the spacedeck to be literally superior to the Gyro in detail, musicality and pace (same as speed consistancy, yes?). I would have thought that they would be equals on some terms and one better than the other in other cases. I would have thought that the real difference between the two would be that the spacedeck was blacker in the background, and images more vivid and solid. And the Gyro would be lighter fleet of foot like, more nimble, less vivid. As for differences in detail, I am surprised that a spacedeck is superior. Was that Gyro one that you personally owned for some time and were very familiar with setting up and in particular were you confident that you had its suspension tuned properly? If the suspension on a Gyro is off then it will not perform well. As for musicality, thats such a subject thing to quantify and ultimately I think that one comes down to what a deck does to someones brain. Someone may really key on the standout strengths or differences of a spacedeck (big, vivid images for instance) and to them thats what makes the one more "musical" over the other.

Also, another thing to keep in mind is that if that Gyro SE was the one with an AC motor, and no QC powersupply, then its not the same deck someone would buy new today. A person today would get one with a DC motor and it sounds quite a bit better and different than the older Gyro. The AC motor Gyro is literally a completely different beast when it is QC'd, and the DC motor sounds basically the equal to an AC + QC.

And that is another nice thing about the Michell decks. They evolve and are improved thru time (AC to DC motor wasn't by design however - but recent SE chassis sure was). I don't know if Nottingham does this with their products or not, but its something to think about from a long term ownership perspective. Hell, NA came out with what they thought was a better, thicker platter, that users are saying sucks. Not exactly a swift move on someones part.

Actually, Nottingham came out with the thick platter as an option resulting from the American market which demanded a "thicker is better platter". Tom Fletcher, himself, will tell you that he prefers the original platter on the Spacedeck and that his customers in Europe and Japan have and continue to eschew the thicker platter.

It is true that the Gyro benefits greatly from set-up tweaking. That said, it is also one reasons (other than sound) that I don't prefer it (I'm lazy) and may not recommend it to someone who is new to tables or does not have a resource to help them with the table in their home.

When comparing the two tables, I was listening in the shop of a long-time acquaintance who has been in the business for many years. As such, I feel fairly confident that both tables were at least close to their ultimate, respective setups. The Gyro was of the DC variety. I fully agree that this feature improves the table markedly.

As far as updating, 'Nots basic premise is "the simpler the better", so there are not many design features to update. If Fletcher's collective inspirations accumulated sufficiently, he'd probably just do a new model as in the case of discontinuation of the Interspace in favor of the Horizon (a super-value table in its own right).

One thing with respect to the DC motor in the 'Not. It is extremely low-torque, you have to give it a nudge with your thumb to start it up (no on-off switch!). While it is DC, it is also very quiet, in my experience, and exceedingly stable with respect to speed consistency. 'Not and others sell separate power/speed control units - some costing thousands. Experience reports on these with the 'Nots are a mixed-bag, with some claiming improvements while others feeling it is a waste of money that can be spent better elsewhere. A friend of mine brought a VPI unit over and we could not tell much, if any, difference using it in conjunction with the Spacedeck. Maybe, as long as you have a steady and clean power source to begin with, these units are not necessary.

OK, I just have one more question about the conditions under which you have listened to these two tables, just so we can understand the complete context. Did you listen to the two tables in the same system/room with the same equipment at the shop? Cartridges, phono amp, the works. I assume the shop carries both tables in this case and while you may not have a done a direct comparison side by side, same everything, at the same time, you have at least done it over some period of time, and in long enough sittings, to have basically compared an apple to an apple. This isn't some sort of inquistition, it's just a desire to understand. And this isn't some I Love My Gyro Its Surely the Best maniac getting all defensive. Hell, I have no problems accepting that some other table may be superior in some respects to the Gyro. However it is nice for someone who's about to make a decision between two tables, who can't hear them both for him/herself, to get as much context as possible in a discussion thread like this. It's not every day that someone asking a which one is better question actually gets an answer from someone who has done a true comparison.

And that part about the thicker platter being the result of perceived market demands in the Big Old USA is pretty funny. On a related subject, I also believe that the Interspace was not discontinued at all; it is just not imported in to the US anymore. It is still available in Canada, and the UK, I believe, as is the Horizon. I guess the US importer doesn't want to confuse Americans with two different decks at the same price point. Actually, I was thinking of getting an interspace instead of the 2nd Gyro because it might have been a better match for one of the arms I use which is never secured or mounted to a plinth or armboard, and it isn't exactly something that I want to put on a sprung open style chassis like a Gyro SE.

It certainly is interesting time for buyers of turntables in the $1500-$2000 range. I don't believe you can go wrong with some of the options out there if you chose wisely, and in that group its more a question of personal preferences in things like sonic traits, design, looks, trends, peer pressure and ease of use etc that decisions are made on.

I will not go into the vagaries of the US 'Not distributor, though I should. Yes, I meant to say that the Interspece is no longer being sold by ASL, not that it is no longer being produced. As for the thicker platter references, these comments came directly from a conversation I had with Tom Fletcher. As others have said, Tom Fletcher makes the comment in alomst every conversation, to the effect, "don't unduly fret over the details, just sit back and enjoy the music!"

The comparison was based on the same EVERYTHING, expect for swapping one arm and cartridge combination between those two, and three other decks. Comparisons done in the same acoustically treated display room over the course of about 15 hours on two separate weekends, using a variety of jazz, classics, rock, and bluegrass on 33 1/3 records and on 45 rpm media when the deck so allowed.

Bottom line. You are correct. There are some very good choices in the price range you mention - clearly tables that one could be satisifed with for a lifetime.