Avid has grown to become one of the UK's foremost turntable makers thanks to the popularity of its heavyweight, sprung-subchassis designs. The Volvere is its base model and its appearance here marks the first major revision that the design has had since its introduction.

Avid's turntable range is fairly compact and is comprised of just four models; first comes the Volvere, seen here in an all-black version with green LEDs, specifically finished to match Naim equipment (it comes in silver, too).

Next up is the Volvere Sequel, which has the same platter and chassis, but an upgraded motor and power supply. Then you get to the Acutus, which comes in basic and Reference guises, with the latter costing £6,500.

The Volvere has changed in a number of small but significant ways; the main bearing was originally made from aluminium but is now fashioned from stainless steel, while the record clamp and adjustable feet are now scalloped rather than being knurled.

This is both easier on the fingers and, in our opinion, also more attractive. More importantly, the thread on the clamp has been coarsened so it's much quicker to put on and take off, a significant factor given that you have to do this every time you change a record.

The suspension has also been changed to allow adjustment from above with a supplied Allen driver, whereas previously you adjusted it at the side.

The current method is very easy once you get used to the idea that you're turning a spring and the high degree of friction involved in that action. The Volvere can be upgraded to Sequel status should the funds become available.

What you get with this deck is a heavyweight platter topped with cork that sits on a tapered stainless bearing, with the mass being taken by a tungsten-carbide ball at the top of the spindle.

Unusually, this bearing doesn't require the addition of oil, but has oil-impregnated phosphor bronze bushes like those found in electric drills. Heat caused by friction draws the lubricant out of the metal, making it self-lubricating.

Avid uses a large tapered shaft that fits over a spindle fixed to the aluminium casting that forms the suspended part of the chassis. The subchassis then sits in three springs and forms an extremely rigid platform for the arm and platter. Being a casting, it's not quite as slickly finished as the MDF that forms the base of the chassis, but it's solid and carefully shaped to minimise resonance.

Another change that Avid has made to the suspension is the way that the damping 'O' rings now hook onto screws on the underside of the subchassis. Previously, the design was more complex and presumably more expensive to make, but this arrangement seems to achieve the same end of controlling excess movement in the springs.

The motor's drive shaft sits under the platter, which makes hooking on the drive belt a little fiddly, but keeps belt length to a minimum. The belt used here is a round section, and Avid claims this type can move up and down the sub-platter with greater ease than flat belts.

The high-torque PAPST motor is driven by a power supply located on the underside of the chassis; this keeps costs down by avoiding an extra box and keeps practicality high by having the switches on the turntable where they should be.

The only drawback with the arrangement is that you have to find the stop/start switch by feel, as it's hidden underneath the platter - it's easy to press the speed change by accident.