SME tonearm
As SME tone arm is a series of tone arms referred to by the British company SME ( acronym for S cale M odel E are manufactured quipment Company Ltd.). The best known are the radial tonearms SME 3009 and 3012, which were developed in the late 1950s and built over decades. The 3012 is still being built in 2011 under a different name (M2-12R).
The single product on a tonarmlosen turntable mounted with a pickup free choice to be equipped arm was often part of HiFi equipment made of individual components, often in the respective high-end settled region, and was considered a time, for about a year, as best tonearm in the world.
It is available in two versions: 9 and 12 inches long, hence the names 3009 and 3012. Originally, the 9-inch version was much more widespread, as the 12-inch model requires more space on the turntable chassis or in the frame . In 2011 only the 12-inch version is advertised by the manufacturer.
history
Development and start of production are in the late 1950s . In 1972, called Series II in the development stage , production ended for the time being, but was later resumed (improved) and lasted until 2004. The last R version built was heavier and also included a 10-inch version.
The tonearm and its successors were or can be bought in specialized stores at four-digit euro prices. The product history spans over 50 years without any major design changes. The M2-12R is another name for the 3012 and is still produced and sold today.
Construction
As with all conventional (non-tangential) tonearms, a vertical axis is attached to a base plate with several adjustment options, around which the arm can be swiveled. When playing, the arm follows the movement around this axis. The axis can be adjusted in height by at least 60 mm.
In order to be able to lower and also to lift the pickup with the stylus, the arm can be pivoted in a horizontally mounted bearing. A small hydraulic hand-operated device is available for this purpose. In later series the hydraulic oil is also used to dampen vibrations. In order to balance the weight of the arm and the pickup, and at the same time to set a constant, reproducible tracking force (typically between 10 and 25 millinewtons, corresponding to 1.0 and 2.5 grams), counterweights are attached to the point protruding over the axis. There is a boom with a separate weight for the lateral balance. All of these parts are solid.
The actual arm is J-shaped and consists of a thin stainless steel tube (thickness 0.25 mm) for the Series I, and a polished, light anodized aluminum tube (thickness 0.56 mm) for the Series II. An effective mass of 12.5 g (3009) or 14 g (3012) is achieved. Due to the principle behind the shorter tonearm, the tracking error angle is somewhat larger.
The carrier for the pickup is perforated. The mechanical and electrical connection from the arm to the carrier and the pickup is not carried out according to the widespread half-inch standard , but according to the SME standard .
As one of the very first tonearms, the SME was equipped with an anti-skating setting. This consisted of a small weight that exerted a counterforce via a nylon thread on a long shaft with 10 notches attached above the counterweights. From version Series II the weight was deflected with a small roller; previously the thread ran through an eyelet.
The Improved series was also offered gold-plated.
Manufacturer
The manufacturer is SME, founded in 1946 under the name The Scale Model Equipment Company Limited . The founder was Alastair Robertson-Aikman . In the 1950s , the focus was shifted to precision engineering products. In 1959 a test model for a tonearm was built, which was initially used privately by the company founder. The model was popular with friends with contacts in the audio industry, and production began in September 1959, initially with 25 units per week.
The company was renamed SME Limited and manufactures turntables ( turntables ) and tonearms.
marketing
There were a few complete systems, i.e. turntables with an already mounted SME arm, for example the Braun PCS 52 or the Thorens models 124 and 125. However, it can be combined with almost any other drive. For a while, SME worked with Shure ; these models bear the name Shure on the cartridge carrier (headshell). These models are also known as Shure SME tonearms , with Shure's contribution being the delivery of the cartridge.
The scope of delivery of the tonearm always included detailed operating and adjustment instructions and templates. Usually a specialist shop took over the assembly and adjustment. There are many combinations of drives typical of the time and the various SME versions in the used trade.
Today's retail price, which is mostly asked by mail order companies, is around 1,700 euros. This does not include any assembly work. The supply of spare parts is also ensured.
In addition to the "classics" 3009/3012, the company SME also builds other tonearms, which differ in the model designation: 309 and 312 are the names for the short and long versions. There is also a model IV and V and the M2 series .
Web links
- Internet presence of the manufacturer
- Repair and spare parts service
- 3012 disassembled into individual parts
- Picture gallery differences of the SME tonearm classics
Individual evidence
- ↑ http://www.theanalogdept.com/images/spp6_pics/SME/SME3009R/ModelsRtype.pdf
- ↑ http://www.hifimuseum.de/sme-england.html
- ↑ http://www.thorens-info.de/td124mkii_sme3012.JPG
- ↑ Archived copy ( Memento of the original from May 8, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ http://www.hifimuseum.de/sme-england.html
- ↑ http://www.vinyl-lebt.de/SME/SME.htm
- ↑ http://forum2.magnetofon.de/showtopic.php?threadid=3880 ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ http://www.fono.de/Tonarme/SME
- ↑ Archived copy ( memento of the original from July 15, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Archived copy ( Memento of the original from May 8, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ http://www.hifi-studio.de/hifi-klassiker/tonarme.htm
- ↑ http://hometheaterreview.com/sme-series-i-ii-iii-tone-arms-reviewed/
- ↑ http://www.theanalogdept.com/images/spp6_pics/SME/S2improved_manual/SMEmanspdf/SME3009.pdf
- ↑ http://www.smetonearms.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=36
- ↑ Archived copy ( Memento of the original from May 10, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ http://www.hifimuseum.de/braun-hifi-geschichte.html
- ↑ http://www.aaanalog.de/media/analog/pdf/analog_02-10_neu_Leseprobe.pdf
- ↑ http://www.stadtlist.de/kleinverbindungen/kaufen-verkaufen/tv-video-foto-audio/3361703-technics-laufwerk-model-sl-110-mit-sme-3009shure-v15.html
- ↑ http://www.audio-extasa.eu/shure-sme-3009-tonearm-p-946.html
- ↑ Archived copy ( Memento of the original dated June 6, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Archived copy ( memento of the original from September 15, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Archived copy ( memento of the original from September 16, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ http://www.fono.de/Tonarme/SME/SME-M-2
- ↑ Archived copy ( memento of the original from December 19, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
