The AVIDHIFI Relveo: Serious Analogue Playback at £6,900
The new AVID Relveo represents over 30 years of turntable development distilled into a single design. This isn't an entry-level deck - at £6,900 for the turntable with Altus V2 tonearm (cartridge additional), it sits firmly in serious audiophile territory. The question is whether the engineering justifies the investment.
The Relveo uses a twin belt drive system coupled to a substantial 7kg aluminium platter. The motor-to-mass ratio has been carefully optimised to maintain precise speed through demanding musical passages - the kind of stability that reveals itself in solid bass response and accurate instrumental placement.
The bearing design uses a tungsten carbide thrust point running on sapphire - two extremely hard materials creating virtually friction-free rotation. This isn't engineering for its own sake; it delivers a stable platform that preserves transient detail and musical timing.
AVID's conical three-point elastomer suspension provides effective isolation from external vibrations whilst remaining straightforward to set up - easier than many turntables at this level. The separate DSP power supply ensures the motor receives precisely controlled voltage for consistent rotational accuracy.
The included Altus V2 tonearm features micron-tolerance bearings and AVID's dual adjustable bias compensation system. This maintains accurate cartridge tracking from the outer groove to the run-out, with the geometry precision needed to extract maximum information from your records.
The Cartridge Decision
You'll need to budget for a cartridge separately. At the accessible end, an Ortofon MC Quintet Blue (around £400) will give you excellent results and bring your total investment to approximately £7,300. For those building a no-compromise system, AVID's own Ionic MCC at £2,500 represents the ultimate pairing, taking the complete package to £9,400.
The right choice depends on your overall system and budget. There's no point fitting a £2,500 cartridge if your phono stage isn't up to revealing what it can do.
System Matching Matters
At this investment level, system matching becomes critical. Your phono stage, in particular, needs to be capable of doing justice to what the Relveo can retrieve from the groove. If you're currently running a modest phono amplifier, that's likely where your next investment should go.
Similarly, your speakers and amplification need to be in the same league. A £7,000+ source component will ruthlessly expose weaknesses elsewhere in the chain - which can be revelatory if your system is up to the task, or frustrating if it isn't.
Setup and Installation
The Relveo is designed for customer setup, with comprehensive instructions included. The conical suspension system makes this more straightforward than many turntables at this level. That said, we offer turntable setup services for an additional cost if you'd prefer professional installation.
Why Buy From Martins Hi-Fi?
Here's where buying from us rather than online makes genuine sense. We can demonstrate the Relveo through different system configurations in our Norwich showroom, allowing you to hear how various phono stages and speaker combinations affect the overall result.
This good-better-best comparison helps you understand where your budget makes the most difference. Perhaps your existing phono stage is absolutely fine, and the cartridge choice matters most. Or perhaps upgrading your phono amplification would transform what you're hearing. You can bring your own records to test familiar material.
We'll advise on cartridge selection, phono stage matching, and system configuration based on your existing setup and budget. With over 40 years of serving East Anglia's audio enthusiasts, we understand that building a system at this level isn't just about individual components - it's about getting the complete chain working together.
Who Is This For?
The Relveo makes sense if you're building or upgrading to a serious analogue front-end. You should be looking at a total system investment where a £7,000-9,000 source component sits appropriately. If your amplification and speakers are substantially below this level, you might want to address those first.
This is a turntable for someone who takes their vinyl collection seriously and has the supporting electronics to reveal what it can do. It's not a lifestyle purchase - it's a precision instrument for extracting music from grooves.
Available for Demonstration
The Relveo is currently set up in our showroom. Contact us to book a demonstration where we can configure a system around your budget and requirements, and help you understand whether this represents the right investment for your particular situation.
