Origin Live Resolution Mk. V Turntable and Enterprise Arm | REVIEW by PT Audio

I’ve known about Origin Live, a UK manufacturer specializing in analog, ever since the days of Art Dudley’s Listener. That audio magazine, which featured plenty of fascinating high-end audio gear from smaller manufacturers, was instrumental in exposing me to another world of high-end audio, one not so dominated by large corporations and mainstream American priorities. Origin Live was championed by their staff, and since I was a happy Rega owner I took notice. Origin Live got its start, of course, by modifying Rega OEM tonearms into more sophisticated designs, and back in the ’90s they were undoubtedly one of the very best at improving the performance of the RB series while championing the strengths and integrity of the original tonearm design.

I once had a brief but highly positive experience with the Origin Live Silver tonearm, which maintained a very similar look to the original Rega arm on which it was based but with several key improvements in the design that elevated performance. The Silver at the time cost considerably less than $1,000, and when I tried it with my Rega Planar 25 I heard an obvious improvement in the sound. (The main obstacle to pulling the trigger, once again, was not having an Origin Live dealer anywhere close to me in Los Angeles.) After that brief but highly promising experience, I was determined to upgrade the P25 with the Silver at some point–which obviously didn’t happen since I splurged and went with a Michell Orbe SE and an SME V shortly afterward.

I did have another brief experience with an Origin Live tonearm just a few years later, during my early years of officially reviewing high-end audio gear. This is how many years I’ve been doing this, but I remember neither the turntable nor the specific OL arm model, or even if I finished the review. I recalled, however, that the Origin Live model was far more sophisticated and further up the line than the Silver, and I felt that it was a bit more fiddly with lots of “play” between the pieces–remember, of course, that I was used to those solid, one-piece arms from Roy Gandy. (That complaint was finally retracted when I learned a few more things about analog–I felt the same way about some of the more affordable SME tonearms, other than that SME V, of course.)

Eventually Origin Live dove into turntables as well as tonearms, but I’ve never heard an Origin Live turntable until now, when the $5,950 Resolution Mk V turntable arrived at my house a few weeks ago. I was first approached by David Baker of Origin Live to review the latest version of the Origin Live Enterprise tonearm ($6,860), but reviewing a tonearm without a properly selected turntable sounds like one of those reviewing experiences where I have to delay the evaluation while I wait for the right ancillaries to show up. (It happens a lot.) I asked if David if I could review an arm and ‘table combo, and he was more than willing to send an entire rig. So yes, this is another of my bucket list reviews where I finally get my hands on a piece of gear from a company I’ve long admired. Those are my favorite kinds of reviews to conduct, to be honest.

Inside the Origin Live Resolution Mk. V and Enterprise

Origin Live currently offers six turntable models, with each of them following the same “over-lapping circles” aesthetic. The Origin Live Resolution Mk. V is roughly half-way up the line, third from the top. The primary difference between the Mk. V and the previous models is a new power supply, which “introduces a new PCB in the PSU on all decks offering even more speed stability and improved sonic performance than the former Light Speed Controller,” according to the website. “Common problems like speed drift, motor jitter and cogging are avoided.” The power supply spins at both 33.3 and 45 rpm, controlled by a single knob on the top, and it has the same precise, instant start-and-stop feel of many direct drive turntables I’ve used. When I held my ear close to the surface of the Mk. V power supply, I heard nothing at all. This is a robust and precise motor with an iron-less core and an impressive level of fit and finish.

Even the belt has a unique design: “The belt is manufactured in house using special material which increases grip and reduces stretch under instantaneous loading, using a unique material which dramatically improves on widely used neoprene rubber. Benefits include increased dynamics and deeper bass performance.” The pulley is special, too, designed to close tolerances for maximum grip of the belt.

The platter on the Origin Live Resolution Mk. V is a multi-layer design that’s found on the other ‘tables in the line with the exception of the entry-level Aurora. Underneath the platter and armboard you’ll find OL’s Heavy Inertia Disc, which adds mass to the plinth while reducing further vibrations. The presence of this large and shiny metal disc is echoed in the rest of the plinth design–additional smaller discs are placed at the extremes of the plinth to achieve an equilibrium throughout the ‘table.

One of the reasons why Origin Live is so specific on the addition of oil to the bearing assembly (we’ll come back to that in just a bit) is because the bearing itself has also been scrutinized for the finest performance:

“Made in house, the new MK4 bearing has ultra low levels of vibration. The spindle rotates on a tungsten carbide ball bearing centered on a hardened thrust pad for low friction and long life. Low bearing friction is essential to avoid vibration. Unlike decks which ‘float’ the platter using air or magnetic bearings, we believe ‘earthing’ the energy out of the platter is essential for sound purity.”

Overall, the Origin Live Resolution Mk. V turntable is a simple ‘table to set up and operate. It’s compact, despite all those circles and curves, but it’s attractive enough to spark plenty of interest among those who come to visit. (That’s what I found at my house, at any rate.)

It’s notable that the Origin Live Enterprise arm costs $1,000 more than the Resolution Mk V, but at the same time it’s a truly gorgeous analog device that tends to steal the spotlight. All those shiny metal surfaces, especially from the “mirror-finished yoke,” positively gleam from a distance and add an air of luxury.

The arm tube for the Origin Live Enterprise is made from an aircraft-grade alloy that is further strengthened with carbon fiber, with the rear section of the tube sleeved to prevent the counterweight from vibrating. The counterweight itself is rigidly fixed to the arm and is decoupled from any energy moving up and down the arm tube, and it’s also finished with a coat of dampening material. The bearings in the arm are ceramic for “ultra-low” friction. VTA can be adjusted with a simple Allen wrench applied to a screw near the base, and azimuth can be adjusted the same way through the screws on the top of the yoke. All of the internal wiring for the Enterprise is silver hybrid, as are the supplied phono cables (which have Rhodium-plated connectors as well). Even the cartridge clips, which are robust and easy to slide on and off, are plated with silver.

Finally, the Origin Live Enterprise tonearm is available in either 9.5″ or 12″ lengths–I received the shorter version for use with the Origin Live Resolution Mk. V turntable.

Set-Up

I don’t often begin this section with a discussion of the packing materials, but I do want to praise Origin Live for finally dealing with the nightmare that is packing and re-packing a turntable, especially when it’s the end-user trying to figure out all the inventive and space-saving methods the manufacturer employed to cut down on shipping costs. When I opened the box to the Origin Live Resolution and started removing all those layers of cardboard and foam and product, I suddenly noticed all of the printed instructions on each piece that described its function, as well as its place within the packing hierarchy. It also helps that the Resolution comes mostly assembled, with the main chassis lifting cleanly out of the box in one piece. Kudos, Origin Live.

This thoroughness carries over into the owners manual, where the instructions are precise and easy to understand with just enough illustrations. The manual does go into precise detail on how much oil to add to the bearing with the supplied syringe, since the gap between too little and too much can be critical to the performance and operation of the Resolution. (I got it right the first time, but there might have been a dash of flopsweat added to the oil as I labored to achieve the right amount.) But other than that you’ll probably figure everything out on your own if you’re familiar with turntable set-up. Even the Enterprise arm is very simple to install correctly–the two products, of course, are designed to be compatible. Just drop the arm through the hole, tighten the collars underneath and follow your usual cartridge alignment routine.

I used three different cartridges with the Origin Live Resolution Mk. V turntable and Enterprise tonearm–the Van den Hul MC-One Special, the Van den Hul Crimson Stradivarius XGW and my usual reference, the ZYX Ultimate Airy X. Phono stages included the Van den Hul The Grail V3 and the Allnic Audio H-6500, the latter being independently tested with the Stradi 5U4G rectifier tube. The Origin Live rig was grounded with both the Telos Audio GNR and the CAD Ground Control GC1.1 earthing devices. In addition, the OL rig was present for my ongoing project with 300B amplifiers, so that meant it was matched with the Allnic Audio T-1500 Mk. II and the Audio Note UK Meishu Phono Tonmeister Silver integrated amplifiers, and high-efficiency speakers such as the SoundSpace Systems Robin (96 dB) and TriangleArt Selene (97dB) loudspeakers. Most of the system was wired with Turnbull Audio cables.

Finally, I used the Doehmann Helix record clamp at all times. It’s the proverbial cherry-on-top for all my analog systems, and it always does wonders when it comes to lowering the noise floor even with all of the power conditioning and grounding boxes I use.

Origin Live Sound

From my first listening session with the Origin Live Resolution Mk. V turntable and the Enterprise arm, I felt relaxed and confident about its performance. There was no real break-in period, and I didn’t spend too much time dialing everything in. The sound quality, from those first few moments, was solid and natural and tonally correct. That’s an excellent sign, I thought at the time.

Since the review period coincided with my testing of two 300B amplifiers and a handful of high-efficiency loudspeakers, it was easy to get lost in those sonic characteristics and not even think about the Origin Live rig. But that’s where the “solid” part comes in–the OL was so true to the music and so honest in its tonality that I could focus on the amps and the speakers while knowing I could depend on the Resolution and Enterprise. There is a flip side to solid, however, which brings up my comments in the past about high-mass turntables and their ability to sound strong and collected in the groove. The OL rig, along with many other British turntables, isn’t an exercise in pure brawn–it’s about maintaining the natural energy levels of the music without controlling or restraining those same qualities.

In fact, the overall sound of the Origin Live combo might be placed on a spectrum, where at one end you find those high mass turntables and their laser-focus on imaging and soundstage definition, but perhaps at the expense of an airy, light sound, and those British turntables that use a lightweight structural design that favors a more energetic, fast sound at the expense of low noise as well as deep bass performance. Are we talking about neutral here? Perhaps we are, which brings up discussions about “getting out of the way of the music.” I wouldn’t classify the Origin Live sound in either of those two aforementioned categories and it did what I expect an analog rig to do–to reproduce the original recording without editorialization.

The Origin Live was also masterful in the way it drew out the individual strengths of the three cartridges I used during the review period. The Van den Hul MC-One Special, at just a hair over $2K, was forward and exciting and full of rock and roll energy, the Van den Hul Crimson Stradivarius XGW was airy and revealing of everything else in the playback chain, and the ZYX Ultimate was dependably balanced and musical without highlighting one strength over another. (Someone in the industry just asked me why I favor ZYX cartridges so much, and that’s always the stock answer–it’s more than just an excellent all-arounder, it’s brilliant at creating a believable sonic portrait that always works as a whole.)

In that way alone, the Origin Live Resolution Mk. V turntable and Enterprise arm sounded like one of the many big and expensive ‘tables I’ve had in for review over the last few years, but at a far more reasonable price. Again, I’m not suggesting that nearly $13K for a turntable and an arm is reasonable for a mainstream playback system, but the sound of the Origin Live duo seemed to be one that stand out clearly at its price range. That, of course, makes me think about the Resolution and Enterprise’s position at the middle of the line, and that Origin Live offers both arms and decks that improve this feeling of refinement to new levels. Personally, unless I conducted rigorous A/B comparisons among all the models I wouldn’t keep thinking about how it can possibly be better. I’d stay in the moment and be deliriously happy that I found an exquisite turntable that doesn’t cost as much as a new car, or even more. This an excellent turntable at an excellent price, period.

Listening Sessions

Since I’ve been spending so much time with the two Analog Tone Factory LPs I’ve recently reviewed, Jerome Sabbagh’s Heart and Chris Cheek’s Keepers of the Eastern Door, it makes perfect sense to start there. I’ve already remarked how intimate and detailed these two jazz recordings are, and how the combination of those two strengths results in the ability to feel close to the music and how it is created. Both of these albums have a reach-out-and-touch-it quality that is singularly rewarding, not to mention exciting, and the Origin Live rig was quite adept at building that space around the instruments. (So far, all that initial praise for these two wonderful albums, now among my all-time jazz trio and quartet recordings, was gathered under the watchful eye of the Resolution and the Enterprise.)

On The Paul Sawtelle Big Band’s new one-step album, Live at the Pacific Audiofest, the Origin Live Resolution and Enterprise were able to define that almost intangible difference in sound that happens when you record a live performance at a high-end audio show, as opposed to recording in a carefully prepared studio or a night club where all the technical bugs have already been worked out. I talk about how this recording is naked and full of the delightful immediacy that should be typical of a such a project–since the Origin Live rig I’ve played this album on other turntables and that clearly defined feel is nowhere near as obvious. The Origin Live, for lack of a better word, was honest in its interpretation and added to the sheer excitement that’s important to the pure appreciation of this amazing recording.

Finally, on saxophonist Owen Broder’s Hodges: Front and Center Vol. 2, I heard plenty of sparkle and life in the way this skilled quintet pays homage to Johnny Hodges in a way that isn’t designed to capture that historical feel of those earlier recordings. This album features a group of modern jazz musicians who want to expand upon Hodges’ sound through slightly more modern sensibilities while staying loyal to Broder’s original vision. Quite a few jazz tribute albums try to retain that elusive patina of old jazz recordings and still manage to sound like the real thing in today’s world, but listening to this album with the Origin Live rig resulted in a sound that was the proverbial breath of fresh air, and that Hodges would be quite happy to heard some of his signature tunes in a newer, suddenly clearer light.

Conclusions

I can summarize my time with the Origin Live Resolution and Enterprise combo with the following observation. During the review period, I kept looking over at the OL rig and thinking, “That just got here. I don’t have to worry about taking notes on its performance until later.” Then, one day, I realized I had been listening to this analog rig for quite some time and that David Baker was probably getting anxious for an update. That all goes back, of course, to my insistence that great hi-fi makes the time fly by, which might have something to do with achieving a trance-like state when you’re listening to music. For me, that can be my Prime Directive in this hobby.

But this isn’t so much about a vinyl rig that breaches the time-space continuum than a simple heraldry of the Origin Live Resolution Mk. V and Enterprise, a declaration that its time here was so effortless and trouble-free that its operation became second nature to me far quicker than usual. While this combo looks fancy and complex at first glance, it’s quite easy to set-up, and it has a solid and sure-footed precision to its design where all the features nod to proper ergonomic practices–it’s a delight to use, in other words. It’s a turntable and arm combination that doesn’t make you nervous every time you cue up another record.

Plus, the Origin Live Resolution Mk. V turntable and Enterprise tonearm sounded great to my ears. They had to, considering they were on the same Fern and Roby equipment rack as the Master Fidelity NADAC digital playback. I’m glad the OL rig was there instead of something with lower performance. It kept grabbing me by the collar and saying “You still love vinyl, right? RIGHT?” Then it would remind me that I do still prefer vinyl, even when there’s a $55K DAC and clock nearby on the same equipment rack that sounds an awful lot like vinyl.

But here’s the real reason why I’m giving the original Live Resolution Mk. V turntable and Enterprise my enthusiastic recommendation–it reminds me of my love for British turntables. Anyone who has followed my high-end audio misadventures over the years knows that I have owned several Rega turntables in my life, only switching brands when I purchased that Michell Orbe SE turntable with the SME arm–another gloriously British analog rig. I’ve long wondered if I would ever wind up with a Linn LP-12 turntable in my life, and that’s been renewed lately after hearing a couple of Sondek Klimax decks that knocked me for a loop. A couple of years ago I was able to finally review the Audio Note UK TT-Two Deluxe turntable, and it surpassed my expectations for a surprisingly low investment. Pink Triangle, Systemdek, Heybrook, Wilson Benesch, Roksan, Nottingham, Vertere and, of course, SME–I have plenty of fond audio memories and long, rambling stories involving each one. For me, British turntables are simple, easy to use, relatively affordable and they always seem to sound fantastic to my ears. This Origin Live rig effortlessly meets and surpasses those standards, and reminds me of my true priorities when it comes to delivering music to my ears. Highly recommended.

-By Marc Phillips