{"id":1885,"date":"2020-06-05T13:26:19","date_gmt":"2020-06-05T11:26:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lancedixonturntables.co.za\/?page_id=1885"},"modified":"2020-06-06T11:24:36","modified_gmt":"2020-06-06T09:24:36","slug":"video-and-review","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.lancedixonturntables.co.za\/index.php\/video-and-review\/","title":{"rendered":"REVIEW"},"content":{"rendered":"

Revolve Turntable an audio obsession.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Many of us dream of being able to afford a truly high-end turntable. But Lance Dixon has taken that dream one step further: he\u2019s designed, developed, engineered and assembled his own top-class turntable. And it\u2019s truly a work of sonic art \u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

By Deon Schoeman.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Despite digital\u2019s dominance of the audio world, there has been a slow and steady resurgence of analogue technology \u2013 more specifically, of the vinyl record and the turntables required to play them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s not fool ourselves: vinyl record sales are still miniscule compared to the demand for CDs, and the increasing popularity of digital music downloads. And then there\u2019s also the fast-growing trend favouring music streaming services to consider.<\/span><\/p>\n

Even so, vinyl sales are on the rise globally. As a result, record pressing plants are being reopened, vintage recordings are being remastered and reissued, and new turntables, tonearms and phono cartridges are being released.<\/span><\/p>\n

So much for the predictions that the compact disc would sound a death knell for the LP record. Yes, vinyl is no longer the mass-market music medium it once was, but despite its obvious technical shortcomings, its sonic appeal has been firmly re-established.<\/span><\/p>\n

Against that backdrop, it should come as no surprise that the demand for turntables has increased significantly. We\u2019re not just talking mass-market, cheap-and-nasty brands here, but high-end disc spinners, too \u2013 and with new materials and tech available, they\u2019re better than ever.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Revolve is hand-made in South Africa. This is the prototype, but quality and attention to detail is exemplary<\/span><\/p>\n

A trained furniture designer, Capetonian Lance Dixon has more than three decades of experience in design, manufacture and engineering across a spectrum of disciplines. He also happens to be a music lover and an audio enthusiast, and is the Mother City\u2019s representative for several local audio component manufacturers, including Valve Audio and Sonor Audio.<\/span><\/p>\n

That unique combination of talents and interests would stand Dixon in good stead when he decided to embark on designing and building his own high-end turntable. Little did he know how arduous and challenging that journey would be!<\/span><\/p>\n

That was back in 2013, and the idea was to create a world-class turntable that would compare favourably with commercially available high-end record decks.<\/span><\/p>\n

But what started out as a hobbyist project soon became an obsession, while reflecting Dixon\u2019s considerable capabilities as far as design, craftsmanship, manufacturing and engineering are concerned.<\/span><\/p>\n

It took four years to create the prototype, now dubbed the Revolve. I first heard it at Audio Exchange in Johannesburg\u2019s West Rand towards the end of last year, and it has subsequently spent the best part of six months in the Audio Video listening room.<\/span><\/p>\n

As the accompanying images show, the Revolve is a substantial piece of kit that certainly looks the esoteric, world-beating part. Despite its prototype status, the build quality is immaculate and attention to detail impressive.<\/span><\/p>\n

Perhaps more importantly, the level of engineering employed not only reflects considerable prowess, but a close understanding of what sets great turntables apart from merely competent designs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Space constraints prevent a full description of the Revolve\u2019s design and development odyssey, but fortunately Dixon has documented the process on his own Sounds Natural website, and I\u2019d urge you to visit it\u00a0here<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0for more technical detail and insight.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Layers of jacaranda hardwood are meticulously laminated and hand-finished. Customers can specify different woods and finishes<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

AT FACE VALUE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Revolve is a substantial record deck with an unusual, curved profile that is both distinctive and aesthetically pleasing. The 35kg hardwood plinth consists of five laminated layers of jacaranda, although customers will be able to specify any suitable hardwood.<\/span><\/p>\n

The plinth is suspended from a trio of foot assembly pillars containing extended spikes that locate in brass feet with silicon pads. The front assemblies are height adjustable.<\/span><\/p>\n

A separate motor pod is centrally positioned behind the plinth. The heavy steel pod houses a high-precision, Swiss-made Maxon 24V DC motor, chosen for its accuracy, stability and non-cogging characteristics.<\/span><\/p>\n

The motor turns the platter via a dual-belt pulley system featuring a 55:1 reduction gear. The platter itself is arguably the most complex part of the Revolve, and consists of spectrum of materials aimed at ensuring inertness and countering resonance, while also allowing for stability and consistent rotation speed.<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ll discuss it in more detail in the \u2018Under The Covers\u2019 section, but consider this: the platter weighs around 17,5kg, and uses a combination of steel, brass, aluminium and Delrin. The anodised aluminium armboards are mounted on either side of the platter.<\/span><\/p>\n

For this review, the left armboard was unoccupied, while the right armboard was fitted with a Graham Phantom II tonearm. The Graham provided a welcoming home to a Van Den Hul Colibri moving coil cartridge.<\/span><\/p>\n

The third component of the Revolve record deck system is the control unit, which is accommodated in a separate, slim enclosure with a front fascia that mirrors the curved profile of the plinth, and has the same, matching laminated wood finish.<\/span><\/p>\n

It includes rotary controllers for start\/stop and speed selection, together with a power on\/off button linked to a blue LED indicator. A USB socket allows the unit to be linked to a computer for unit-specific speed programming purposes.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

All parts were custom-made to high tolerances from Dixon\u2019s original designs. Complexity obvious from all the parts required<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

UNDER THE COVERS<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

As already mentioned, the very detailed description on Dixon\u2019s Sounds Natural website provides comprehensive information on the technical aspects of the Revolve\u2019s design \u2013 and the level of thought and attention that\u2019s been sunk into the turntable.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s clear that Lance carefully considered every aspect of the turntable with the aim of ensuring that each element meets the highest possible standard.<\/span><\/p>\n

The platter is perhaps the best illustration of this. It consists of no less than four main components: the central boss, a lower platter, a centre platter, and an upper platter. The three platter discs are separated by intermediate layers of isolating felt.<\/span><\/p>\n

The central boss is made of brass and fits over the bearing shaft. The lower platter is steel, the middle platter aluminium, and the top platter features a Delrin construction.<\/span><\/p>\n

The stacked multi-disc platter configuration ensures effective decoupling of the top platter surface from the bearing shaft. The platter assembly\u2019s substantial weight ensures ample inertia for absolute rotational speed stability.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, to limit the force of the platter on the thrust bearing, the Revolve features a magnetic levitation system employing a pair of ring magnets that create an upward force of approximately 16kg, therefore limiting the force onto the thrust bearing to just 1,5kg.<\/span><\/p>\n

The main bearing consist of a 20mm diameter stainless steel shaft in a 60mm diameter brass housing lined with polymer bushings. A reservoir filled with synthetic oil keeps the surfaces submerged and lubricated.<\/span><\/p>\n

These are only some of the technical highlights. As mentioned, every aspect of the Revolve \u2013 from the viscosity of the oil and the programmable motor controller to the make-up of the vibration-absorbent material sealed in the base of the plinth \u2013 has been carefully considered, tested and fine-tuned.<\/span><\/p>\n

Indeed, as this is the prototype, some aspects continue to be evaluated and tweaked.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Plinth is suspended from three substantial mounting pillars, with front two adjustable<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

SETTING UP<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Given the sheer substance of the Revolve, it should come as no surprise that the packaging it comes in is equally substantive. Total system weight exceeds 100kg, and the turntable comes in a custom-made plywood box fixed to a shipping pallet.<\/span><\/p>\n

That said, the actual unpacking and set-up procedure is pretty straightforward, again underlining Dixon\u2019s penchant for intelligent design and efficient engineering. I was fortunate to have Lance and Sonor Audio\u2019s Roy Witelson on hand to unpack and install the Revolve in the AVSA listening room.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Revolve was set up on a sturdy four-tiered Sound Structures stand, which allowed the deck to be placed on the top tier, with the control unit directly below it. That still left space for the Valve Audio Whisper phono stage used for this review, and an IsoTek Evo3 Aquarius power conditioner to provide a consistently clean stream of AC power.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some time was spent setting up and checking the alignment of the Phantom\/VdH Colibri combination using a Dr Feickert protractor, but even that process was relatively quickly completed.<\/span><\/p>\n

While the Primare PRE32 pre-amp and Parasound Halo A21 power amp were used throughout the review period, several loudspeakers were tried in the process, including our usual KEF R500 reference floorstanders and KEF LS50 bookshelf speakers, as well as B&W 702 S2 and B&W 705 S2s, Sonor Audio Clario 6.2s, and Vivid Audio V1.5s.<\/span><\/p>\n

What should be factored in here is the sheer quality of the Graham tonearm and Van Den Hul Colibri cartridge. They not only contribute well over R200k to the value of the turntable, but are major contributors to the Revolve\u2019s stellar sonic performance.<\/span><\/p>\n

That said, remember that a tonearm and cartridge of such elevated quality would also be more than capable of exposing any flaws in the record deck\u2019s make-up. It\u2019s to the credit of the Revolve that the tonearm\/cartridge combo sounded very much at home in this application.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Platter consists of several parts \u2013 seen here are the steel bottom platter, aluminium center platter, Delrin top platter, with felt layers between each, record clamp and belts.<\/span><\/p>\n

SOUNDS LIKE \u2026<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

From the outset, I was struck by the Revolve\u2019s ability to deliver its sonic wares with an uncanny sense of clarity and presence, linked to expansive but always cohesive staging and almost delicately rendered, pin-point focused imaging.<\/span><\/p>\n

The music picture wasn\u2019t just painted in bold strokes, but carefully coloured in with finely textured tonal hues.<\/span><\/p>\n

The three-dimensional realism of the delivery endowed the music with an almost tactile quality that precisely placed instruments and voices on a soundstage seemingly undeterred by the actual, physical boundaries of the listening room.<\/span><\/p>\n

The sound picture conveyed scale and ambiance with exceptional clarity and purpose, adding to the powerful realism of the music\u2019s rendition, and its ability to engage the listener.<\/span><\/p>\n

A total absence of any background noise afforded the music full, free passage, adding to the visceral intensity of the music. Also, the exceptional dynamic scope and agility of the delivery ensured that nothing buried in the record\u2019s grooves escaped the Revolve\u2019s attention.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Substantial, steel motor pod is home to high-precision, Swiss-sourced motor<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There was an inherent honesty and a beguiling charm to the sound that compelled extended listening, while the turntable had an astonishing ability to extract and explore micro details and musical subtleties, adding to the immersive nature of the listening experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

Listening to the opening track of the Cowboy Junkies\u2019\u00a0Trinity Revisited<\/em>\u00a0revealed a dead-quiet background that created a deep, inky backdrop against which the music was juxtaposed with a vividly powerful intensity.<\/span><\/p>\n

The haunting vocals were perfectly presented in both spatial and tonal contexts, allowing a sense of presence that was almost eerily real and believable.<\/span><\/p>\n

The instruments were presented with clarity and intent, while the banjo and acoustic guitar on the left given the starring role, even if the electric guitar\u2019s more subtle contribution was always acknowledged.<\/span><\/p>\n

The powerful, incisive bass lines and almost delicate drumming were also revealed with an unwavering honesty and approachability that made for riveting, compelling listening.<\/span><\/p>\n

Turning to Mary Black\u2019s\u00a0Full Tide<\/em>, the lucidity and engagement of the music were the key hallmarks.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Separate control unit has power, stop\/start and speed selector controls, and is computer programmable to ensure absolute rotational accuracy<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

On \u2018The Land Of Love\u2019, the performance was spread wide and deep, with close attention paid to every element: from Black\u2019s lyrical, emotive vocals to the layered harmonies, the powerful yet poised electric bass, and the dialogue between guitar, banjo and a mournful harmonica.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite the relatively polite, understated mix, the sound had a light-footed ease that added to the accessibility of the music, while the generous staging allowed wide-open imaging, with plenty of air to accommodate and reveal finer nuances.<\/span><\/p>\n

Not that the turntable lacked anything in terms of impetus and intensity: it displayed a musical potency borne not only of a broad tonal range and a real talent for momentum and pace, but also the utter believability of its imaging.<\/span><\/p>\n

The layered arrangement and abundance of fine detail on \u2018Your Love\u2019 made for a sparkling, carefully rendered and yet utterly spellbinding performance, where every facet of the music was presented with such poise and balance that I didn\u2019t want the music to end.<\/span><\/p>\n

I remain a sucker for Dire Straits, and\u00a0Brothers In Arms<\/em>\u00a0is only one of the band\u2019s albums on my favourites list \u2013 especially this Mobile Fidelity 45rpm version.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Without the plinth, rigid and heavy chassis is obvious, as is the bearing assembly, and the magnet array need to levitate the platter<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

On \u2018So Far Away From Me\u2019, the Revolve made the most of the recording\u2019s inherent precision, creating an engaging listening experience, with the muscular bass and circumspect drumming providing a solid backbone for the guitars, swathed synths and Knopfler\u2019s almost melancholy vocals.<\/span><\/p>\n

The table\u2019s inherent transparency highlighted the huge, engaging soundstage that seemed completely unconnected with the point sources, and benefited the recording\u2019s beguiling atmospherics.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Revolve revealed an uncanny ability to capture the ambiance of the studio \u2013 something that few sources manage to do as precisely.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite its power and momentum, the bass was kept in careful but unrestricting control, while there was a cohesion and an integrity to the music that further contributed to its compelling nature.<\/span><\/p>\n

The interplay between the fuzz-edged guitars and soaring synths on \u2018MTV\u2019 was spellbinding, while the percussion sounded almost too sharp, too edgy, but was never allowed to become aggressive, steering a fine line between incisive precision and impact instead.<\/span><\/p>\n

The luscious, generous performances on Sting\u2019s\u00a0Symphonicities<\/em>\u00a0provided a further, compelling platform for the Revolve deck\u2019s considerable talents. The turntable had no problem doing full justice to the rich tapestry of sound that typifies this recording .<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The bearing and housing are substantial, while specifically selected synthetic oil looks after lube duties<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

On \u2018When We Dance\u2019, the orchestra\u2019s smooth strings and soulful horns provided a smooth, shimmering backdrop to Sting and Jo Lawry\u2019s vocals, with the voices majestically soaring over the dense orchestral backdrop.<\/span><\/p>\n

Moving on to \u2018End Of The Game\u2019, the Revolve managed to explore the momentum and muscle of the orchestra, yet never lost sight of the delicate details. The tonal balance was smooth, even rich, but never over saturated, with the lower registers expressing an almost tactile intensity.<\/span><\/p>\n

The deck\u2019s penchant for imaging allowed the full majesty of the orchestra to be expressed with vivid intensity. It always maintained a perfect equilibrium between the rock band and the orchestra.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thus, the drum kit\u2019s incisive beat and the eloquent electric bass were comfortably accommodated in the broader orchestral vista created by the strings, while Sting\u2019s polished vocals were allowed to soar freely above on \u2018I Burn For You\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

The emotive interplay between Sting and Lawry on \u2018The Pirate\u2019s Bride\u2019 was powerfully expressed, with the orchestra\u2019s full but thoughtful accompaniment providing a perfectly modulated, suitably dramatic backdrop.<\/span><\/p>\n

Again, the Revolve\u2019s ability to nurture a full harvest of detail, while maintaining sonic and musical decorum, was impressive. It easily retained the musical and emotive context throughout, making for a thoroughly gripping and ultimately engaging listening experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Exquisite attention to detail and painstaking manufacturing quality pay handsome sonic dividends<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

THE BOTTOM LINE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

No doubt, the Revolve is a fine turntable \u2013 a top-end product that can stand its ground among the best of the genre, not only in terms of engineering integrity, attention to detail and outright build quality, but also in sheer sonic terms.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, where to from here? Dixon\u2019s intentions are to produce the Revolve commercially, while offering customers an element of customisation through allowing choices as far as wood selection and finishes are concerned.<\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, this level of manufacturing quality, linked to impressive sonic capabilities, doesn\u2019t come cheaply, and given the very limited scope for truly high-end turntable sales in South Africa, the Revolve needs to find an international audience to succeed commercially.<\/span><\/p>\n

For Dixon, the challenge will be to overcome the significant hurdles associated with exporting such a high-tech, labour intensive and quality-critical product. It\u2019s not easy building up sufficient stock, finding a committed distributor for foreign markets, and creating international awareness through marketing, attending shows, and earning media coverage.<\/span><\/p>\n

Even so, the Revolve is a remarkable achievement that epitomises rare perseverance, a true commitment to quality and a desire for sonic excellence. On that basis alone, the Revolve deserves to succeed.<\/span><\/p>\n

VITAL STATISTICS<\/strong><\/span>
\n Plinth:<\/strong>\u00a0Five-layer laminated hardwood, 15mm aluminium base plate<\/span>
\n Platter:<\/strong>\u00a0Three-part steel\/aluminium\/Delrin construction, magnetically levitated<\/span>
\n Bearing:<\/strong>\u00a0Stainless steel shaft, polymer bearings, ceramic ball on hardened steel disc<\/span>
\n Motor:<\/strong>\u00a0Maxon 24 DC brushless, digitally controlled<\/span>
\n Drive:<\/strong>\u00a0Dual-belt<\/span>
\n Arm boards:<\/strong>\u00a0Two<\/span>
\n Tonearm:<\/strong>\u00a0Graham Phantom II (optional)<\/span>
\n Dimensions:<\/strong>\u00a0500 x 600 mm footprint<\/span>
\n Weight:<\/strong>\u00a078 kg<\/span>
\n SUPPLIED BY<\/strong><\/span>
\n Sounds Natural<\/strong><\/a><\/span>
\n * Tonearm and cartridge supplied by\u00a0<\/em>Audio Exchange<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT<\/strong><\/span>
\n Avid Diva II SP\/SME 309\/Van Den Hul Frog<\/span>
\n Valve Audio Whisper<\/span>
\n Primare PRE32 pre-amp<\/span>
\n Parasound Halo A21 power amp<\/span>
\n Vivid Audio V1.5, KEF R500, KEF LS50, B&W 702 S2, B&W 705 S2 speakers<\/span><\/p>\n

SOFTWARE<\/strong><\/span>
\n Cowboy Junkies \u2013Trinity Revisited (Diverse)<\/span>
\n Mary Black \u2013 Full Tide (3u Records)<\/span>
\n Sting \u2013 Symphonicities (DG)<\/span>
\n Dire Straits \u2013 Brothers In Arms (Mobile Fidelity 45rpm)<\/span>
\n Antonio Carlos Jobim \u2013\u00a0(Speakers Corner Remaster)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

BACK TO REVOLVE.<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Revolve Turntable an audio obsession. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 Many of us dream of being able to afford a truly high-end turntable. But Lance Dixon has taken that dream one step further: he\u2019s designed, developed, engineered and assembled his own top-class turntable. And it\u2019s truly a work of sonic art \u2026 By Deon Schoeman. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lancedixonturntables.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1885"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lancedixonturntables.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lancedixonturntables.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lancedixonturntables.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lancedixonturntables.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1885"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.lancedixonturntables.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1885\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1957,"href":"https:\/\/www.lancedixonturntables.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1885\/revisions\/1957"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lancedixonturntables.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1885"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}