Price Paid:  $1900.00 from eBay

Summary:
This review is about Orbe S.E.
In my opinion this turntable sounds amazing and truly audiophile. If you want to get TRUE musical improvements, you'd better look at some very expensive hi-end t-tables like Vyger, Audio Tekne, maybe Verdier and a few others (don't fool yourself, this is the range in which you have to look to better significantly an Orbe...).
It also means this turntable is probably the reference in his price range (and a resounding bargain if you can get one priced around 2000$ in the second hand market).
If you know how the Gyrodek sounds, just add more extended highs, more body, much more weight and bass, and you've obtained the Orbe sound.
For the best musical results I think Sme (IV or V) tonearm is without any doubt the way to go.
Just try to listen to an Orbe in your system, and you'll understand why vinyl is still the best way to hear music: it just blows away any digital source I've compared to.
An analogic dream for the reasonable peoples. Enjoy it.

Strengths:
Sound, easy to set up, perfect speed stability thanks to QC power supply, great dynamic and deep bass.

Weaknesses:
Dust, due to the open design, but the lack of the plexy base/cover is at the same time a sound improvement, so I don't know if this is a real weakness.
No other remarkable faults.

Similar Products Used:
Acoustic Solid, Rega P9.

Price Paid:  $4500.00 from Hongkong

Summary:
This turntable sounds so good, that even a $1 TDK/Maxell tape recorded (and played back) on a Nakamichi tape deck kicked a fully equipped and upgraded Linn LP12 all over the place. We tested this intensively and except from the tape hiss, there wasn't a single criteria where the Linn (Graham/Koetsu) even came close to the recorded Orbe SE, equipped with an SME V and a Ortofon MC Rohmann cartridge.
I have owned a GyroDec for quite a while, and I thought it could hardly go further than that; but when I replaced the GyroDec with the Orbe, I was truly amazed by the difference. The Orbe brings much more stability in, next to that there is an easily audible upgrade in almost all fields. The bass goes even deeper, detail is tremendous, it was like rediscovering my vinyl collection moreover; similar to the experience I had when I first got the GyroDec after selling off a Thorens TD124 w/ SME series III.
Even though I was a bit reluctant at first to spend that kind of money on a turntable, I now know that it's been worth every single penny. Sure, these don't come for a nickle and a dime, but be aware that this one will last you a lifetime. I'm sure mine will anyway...

Strengths:
Just about everything: soundstage, depth, imaging, detail, DEEEEEEEEEEEP bass and I can go on for ages

Weaknesses:
Fine tuning can be very, very time consuming; but that can also be listed as a strength, because it seems that you just keep on moving forward and discover new strenghts of this incredible piece of machinery

Similar Products Used:
Michell GyroDec/SME IV/Ortofon, Linn LP12/Graham/Koetsu

Summary:
Finally deciding on the Orbe was a lengthy process to say the least. I was tired of frustrating and strugling with the Linn adjustment process. I loved that LP12 sound but was really shocked at what I heard when I started to listen to other tables. Some of the others I heard were: Basis 2500; RPM; VPI Aeries. The Basis was to be my choice till I heard the Orbe. Since I use Naim gear I was concerned with keeping the "rhythm and pace" thing intact. I found the Orbe to perform very well on all types of music, which is what I listen too.
I put a Graham 2 and Benz Ruby 2 on it. It's only similarity to the LP12 is its ability to "swing." It is great at rock, which my Linn never could do well. It is great with Classical, and Jazz.
It has none of that LP12 mid-band warmth but it does give you so much more of what is on the LP. I would like a tad more mid band wrmth that I do miss from the Linn but when it cves to female vocal music, it is no slouch.
Since I never heard an SME arm on tje Orbe I cannot say if it would be a better match than my Graham 2.
Presently, I am using two 1/4" sheets of plate plass separated by sorbathane discs as the shelf on a S.O. turntable wall support.
I am pretty happy with the deck as a whole. My main gripe would be with some of the quality control issues mentioned above. Also, I found the lead weight attched to the plinth to vibrate when tapped upon. A bit of blue tack solved that problem. The Orbe needs a better tonearm cable support.
I was reluctant to buy another deck that had springs requiring adjustments. I have found it to be only a minor annoyance. It does not require anywhere near the effort to get right that a Linn requires. Another good thing is that if you need to disassemble it the unit is easy to reassemble.
t's not perfect but it is a very enjoyable deck which has really gotten me back to listening to LP's. As I have it configured, it is not overly forgiving of poorly recorded LP's. I have quite a few used LP's that sounded much better on the Linn but put a really well done LP on it and it is so, so good! I now buy of new LP's and no CD's.
My overall rating is a 4.5 Stars. I would like to see it's build quality a bit better, but then it would cost alot more than it does.

Strengths:
The Orbe SE is Dynamic, fast and has great/rhythm. Allows the arm to extract gobs of detail.

Weaknesses:
I had some problems with quality control of the motor, (scratched, dented slightly from factory) and was sent the incorrect arm board, (it was mismarked from the factory).
The bottom 2 plexiglass sub-chassis do not remain level across their surface as I expected. Leveling them is an averaging process. This holds true for the main metal cahssis as well. I concentrated on leveling the platter and not worrying about the chassis.

Similar Products Used:
LP12/Lingo/Ittok/Klyde.

Summary:
When my LP-12/Basik was turned on for the first time
in years I discovered the motor was bad. Rather
than dump $ into a Valhalla or Lingo I decided to try
the "other" classic british table. I considered
the Gyro Spyder but after hearing that the motor
controller is a must ($800 upgrade), I decided for the Orbe SE.

I also ordered from England the Origin Live modified
Rega 250 arm with Origin Live rewiring.

Not having even more money to dump on a cartridge, I
elected the Benz Glider

Well now that I have been living with this arrangement for
about 1 month I am quite happy, except with my CD player.

All reasonably well recorded records sound great. Yes
you can hear the limitations of the vinyl and the
recording techniques, but the good stuff really shines.

Music is dynamic, rich with good depth and sound stage.
Instruments are well defined and detailed.

I suppose there are better arms and better cartridges but
the table is great. The Mitchell screw-down record clamp
flattens all but the worst edge warps. The motor is
smooth and quiet. The OL tone arm rewire grounds the
tone arm at the head shell and so I pick up almost
no AC hum.

Only complaint about the OL rewire is that they
use a very stiff teflon wire which will pick up
microphonics. Routing the wire with a strain-relief
S-curve and affixing it to your turn table stand is
necessary. If it picks up vibration it will transfer
directly to the cartridge.

Strengths:
Quiet, smooth, musical

Weaknesses:
They don't make many records anymore

Similar Products Used:
LP-12

Summary:
This is a wonderful turntable. Unlike some competitors it offers both musical involvment and superlative sonics.
I have now had my unit for over 3 years , so I can confirm that once set up, it stays correctly set-up, unlike other turntables that require annual servicing.

In my set-up it is used with SME V, Lyra Clavis DC.

Absolutely no complaints so 5 stars.