Model Comparison

Galibier Design: Stelvio-II - Low Angle View

Galibier Stelvio - Platinum Gray Metallic

Design Notes:

With our modular design approach, several parts are shared across the model lineup - a reflection of how one model spawned another.  As a small manufacturer, this simplifies our inventory model.  The consumer benefits, as every model in our line uses the best (and only) bearing and drive system we make.  Additionally, the interchangeability of our platters, confers future upgrade possibilities, as well.

Drive System:

All of our belt-driven turntables share the same drive system.  The customer who purchases a re-manufactured Serac, receives the same drive system we specify for our Stelvio II turntable. 

This is also the same drive system we offer for upgrades to non-Galibier turntables.  A history of our drive systems is documented here.

Bearing:

The same is true for our bearing.  In over two decades, we have not been able to improve on this bearing, and all models benefit from this robust design.

Generational Differences

Drive System

Bear in mind that we're on the 4th generation motor controller (see link, above) and this most recent release can be retrofit to any turntable we've ever manufactured.  So from this perspective, all turntable generations can be considered to have the same drive system.

Bearings

They have been a constant over these two decades, with one minor improvement - a shift from chrome thrust balls to ceramic ones.

Platters

Our composite platters (the Gavia and Stelvio) have evolved slightly, with the key change being a move from a Teflon surface to the TPI © layer introduced in the late 2000's - initially fabricated from graphite and carbon fiber for the past decade.

Armboard Architecture

The transition from the Mk I to Mk II generations marked a shift from pivoting armboards to the more stable, sliding armboard. 

Shortly after release of the Mk II architecture, we released an upgrade for the Mk I turntables:  the Mk 1.5 (sliding) armboard, and this brought performance parity to the MK I generation, although dual arm capability was sacrificed to achieve this.

Designed from the ground up, the Mk II architecture has dual arm capability.

Bases

Architecturally, Mk II Gavia and Stelvio bases mirrored their Mk I predecessors, with both generations of Gavia bases being solid aluminum, and their Stelvio siblings having the damping chambers (see below).

Model Differentiation

Models differ only by their  platter, base architecture, and finishing.  

Platters:

Stelvio:  at 44.5 Lbs, the best platter we can make

  • An aluminum carrier with 24 damping chambers filled with lead and oil
  • A 14 Lb. central brass layer
  • A 1/4" thick carbon fiber top plate - the TPI © layer

Gavia:  a small step down.

The brass layer of the Stelvio platter is replaced with a PVC layer, reducing the platter's weight to 32 Lbs.  We'd put this platter up against any platter from any manufacturer at any price.

Don't underestimate this platter because of the Stelvio's existence.  It's 98% of the Gavia at half the price.

Serac (PVC):

This is historical in nature, but since we receive a few trade-ins for Gavia upgrades, we document it here.  The solid PVC platter weighs 14 Lbs, and we've found this material to be far more consonant with LP playback than the ubiquitous acrylic platters which have been all the rage over the past two decades.  Enough said.

Bases:

The Stelvio  (both Mk I and the current Mk II) employs the same damping strategy as our platters.  Machining these chambers into a 3.5" thick billet of aluminum is an expensive machining process.

The Gavia  (both generations) is externally identical to the Stelvio.  It is solid aluminum, rather than having the internal damping chambers however.

Finishing:

Platters and armboards are finished identically across the models, with platters being black, anodized and armboards being clear anodized.

The Stelvio base, motor pod and front headshell pillar is finished in your choice of custom paint colors  Provide us with the color code to match your Audi, Porsche or anything else, and we can do it.

The Gavia's equivalent parts are clear, anodized aluminum.  The photos of polished turntables on the website are no longer available.

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