SME 3012 series 2 value?

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dhaen said:
Is it a sensible buy

Good arm. If your TT can support the length and you have low compliance carts. Effective mass with the standard perforated headshell is about 14g. Denon 103C's seem to be a good match, and I'm running a 103S in mine.
I like my later R version a lot and am looking forward to getting the bronze bearing kit for it.

Any tips and comments welcome.

If you can get it for a good price, buy it.
 
diyAudio Senior Member
Joined 2002
Hi,

John,

Even if you happen to not like it eventually, it's still a very much sought after collectors item especially in Asia.

I'd offer a hundred quid if that doesn't break the bank, knowing quite well it can be sold for much more in the end.

Cheers,;)


P.S. Note that Japanese customers are very demanding on having everything in its' original condition, even a silly box.
 
Hi Brett,

Another colleague is giving me a 401 in plinth with arm.
I was thinking of re-plinthing the 401 and chosing the best arm.

This is really funny, because a year ago I sold a 401 (in a marble plinth) that my son had been using as a TV stand, to pay his phone bill.

I know the 401 is an acquired taste, but as it's there, and I seen destined to have one....so be it.

Cheers,
 
dhaen said:
Another colleague is giving me a 401 in plinth with arm.
I was thinking of re-plinthing the 401 and chosing the best arm.

I know the 401 is an acquired taste, but as it's there, and I seen destined to have one....so be it.

Cool. You could do a lot worse than a 401. A Linn for example.

My 3012 is currently on my suspensionless Gyro and sounds great with the Denon. I hope the bronze bearing is as good as I've heard.
 
Update...

Just got my SME 3012 II. The guy accepted £100 gratefully.
It is boxed and has never been used!
Looks ideal for rewiring for balanced signal.

I also got my 401. Used, but VGC. It's got an arm that I don't recognise, fitted with a Shure V15 mk3. I'll post a picture when I get some time, and hopefully someone will recognise it.

Thanks for all the advice.

Cheers,
 
On the topic of old SME's.........

I recently picked up a 3009 that seems to be a series 1. I can't seem to find out anything about it. The only obvious difference i can see is the anti-skating (but i've machined up a series II knock-off that does the job). Does anyone know if the dl 103 will go ok in this arm? Seems pretty heavy.......

Thanks
 
dhaen said:
I have some ideas that would make Frank shudder

Sounds good. What are they?

dhaen said:
Just got my SME 3012 II. The guy accepted £100 gratefully.
It is boxed and has never been used!
Looks ideal for rewiring for balanced signal.

I hate people who get deals like that. Unless it's me of course.

Congrats. That's a great price, one you could probably quadruple on ebay in the right market. Don't though, it's a good arm and one you're not going to better except for a lot more money.


Hamish said:
I recently picked up a 3009 that seems to be a series 1. I can't seem to find out anything about it. The only obvious difference i can see is the anti-skating (but i've machined up a series II knock-off that does the job). Does anyone know if the dl 103 will go ok in this arm? Seems pretty heavy.

OTTOMH it's effective mass is somewhere around 11g so whether it will work with a DL103 depends on which 103. There are lots of models in the lineup with greatly varying compliance.
 
OTTOMH it's effective mass is somewhere around 11g so whether it will work with a DL103 depends on which 103. There are lots of models in the lineup with greatly varying compliance.

The combination of 3012/plain 103 is found to work very well by me and others. The 3012 of course needs to be rewired. 3009 (non-improved) also works, albeit marginally less well with 103.

Is that the one with rim drive rumble generator

As a friend in Singapore says about the 301: 'rumble king'. I've read cautions about using any of these pottery wheels indoors but their intrinsic musicality more than makes up for the danger
 
analog_sa said:
The combination of 3012/plain 103 is found to work very well by me and others. The 3012 of course needs to be rewired. 3009 (non-improved) also works, albeit marginally less well with 103.

I know that's a good combo, as is the S (how I'm currently running), but the D is too compliant.

Soon (before 2006) I'll get the brass bearing and rewire mine, but there are a couple of projects before it in the queue, and it's not my main arm/cart.

I thought the 301/401 were going to be really awful, until I heard a 301/3012/103 and was very impressed.
 
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