SME 10A...worth upgrading?

FrankDeckard

FrankDeckard

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Hi,

My current analog system is quite good, but a tad long in the tooth. My carts and arms are fine and could always use them on another table.

Would the SME 10A (using my SME arm and Shelter cart) be a MAJOR step-up from my Nott system?

Cheers.
 
I'd expect you to see improvements in bass texture and solidity but thats it. Whether or not you'd deem it to be a massive improvement all depends on what you deem to be massive!!
 
Either rely on the opinions you read online, or find out for yourself by auditioning. The SME turntables all get excellent reviews. The 20 is stunning.
 
Hmm...in terms of actual execution of the design the 10 is quite different to the 20 and the 30 (which are much more closely related). I have to say though that an audition does sound(;-)) by far the best solution.
 
Hi,

I've heard the 20/12 and loved it, but it is never ending up in my home. Not unless, I mind living alone without the wife and kids. And living in a trailer.

I don't see how one can compare a $28,000 set-up and a $9,000 one. The execution of the design is very different.

I like the sound of the SME arm with the Shelter, but I know that the Nott is not the ideal table for it. I just don't want to spend $9,000 for an improvement that isn't monumental.
 
FrankDeckard , you have a good arm and cartridge.If you really want to upgrade things and not just purchase a new table,you have 2 options.It is either the SME 20.2 or the Avid Volvere Sequel
Not the top-of-the-line Avid and neither the SME 10.
 
Yes, I have.

On the 20/12. I've also heard my cart in the 12" SME arm. It sounded wonderful.

My Interspace is from 2000. I've taken good care of it over the years, but I know that it isn't the "best" platform for the arm/cart. The Nott tables sound somewhat monochromatic, but I've managed to alter that somewhat by adding the Wave PS and the Mystic Mat.

I'm very satisfied with the rest of my system and it is very hard to find a good and more affordable platform for my arm/cart.

Another option may be to step-up to something like the newer Hyperspace and add my Wave PS and the Mystic Mat. I can use both of my arms and carts in that scenario.
 
Frank

I could just come on here and ask you some more pointed (and bone) questions about your thoughts but instead I will suggest something.

If you fancy the direct drive route why not try tracking down an SP10MK III and putting it in a nice slate plinth of your own choosing? The deck is a good match for the SME Arm. It'll no doubt take you a while but I don't think you'd lose any money and you might learn something new about how to get the best out of a TT

SP10-SME-ANIO017a.jpg


Sadly this isn't mine.


If you don't like the SP10MK III (or II) try the Pioneer Exclusive P3a or the Victor TT101. Or of course a Kenwood L-07D.

All of these should be available for the same sort of cash as an SME 10. Not sure about that 'emotive' sound but there are other positives to them. If you want belt drive try a quality old Micro Seiki. No idea how these work with SME mind you.

Hope this is of some help

P.S. can't seem to post pictures, just links tonight.
 
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Okeydokey, well the thing to do is audition. I'm sure dealers will be very pleased to see you right now. Hifi thought experiments are not very helpful.
 
H i Frank

Living in the states as you do, I would have said that finding what I am going to suggest S/H should be easier than here in the UK.

Your arm and cart would work very well on a Oracle Delphi TT. I would look for a mk4 with turbo power supply or if your lucky a mk 5 with the same power supply. I own an Sme 20 mk 1 and a mk 4 Oracle ( I have two systems). The Notingham TT you have is a very different sounding TT to the Sme sound which can be a wee bit to controlled and damped( one of the reasons I put a Graham Phantom arm on my Sme TT, the Sme 5 arm is good but IMHO the Graham is better( Bob Graham developed this arm for the bigger Sme TT's, mainly the Model 30. The Phantom will fit a Model 20 but a bit of fiddling must be undertaken to do this). If you saw a Model 20 with a Graham 2.2 that would also IMHO be better than with a SME 5 arm.

The Oracle Delphi ( Oracles who's own arm is a mish mash of SME arms a bit of a 4,5 etc) sounds very good with any SME arm this TT characteristics suit the SME sound very well indeed which is why I use the 5 arm here and not the Graham arm.

Avid TT I don't like the sound as it is too clean and sterile leaving vinyl sounding like CD IMHO. They are very good at lowering surface noise but the overall sound is not to my taste and having built a number of these TT my self when I worked in the trade I must say that fit and finish on the models below the Acutus was not very good considering the retail price(this may not be the case now as updates have happened recently). Certainly compared to a Oracle it is no contest as to which is better made IMHO. Conrad Mass would no doubt disagree but in the case of a Volvere I built he had used the adjusters of a chair for the feet(plastic adjusters you find on the back of a chair to tighten the screw that allows raising and lowering). This was a Volvere from a few years ago but really plastic feet made out off the shelf chair parts.

Another issue with Avid is Mr Mass loves SME arms and will not here tell of anyone using anything else but i know of many who use other arms to great success, including the likes of the Graham arms. He has recently changed his mind in regards to this and now says that the Naim arm is good. I suspect this is more about business as in the past he has been very hard on any type of uni pivot arm on his TT's

However you must try and get a listen to these options as you may not agree with me or any of the other opinions expressed here.

Regards D Louth 77
 
One thing I forgot to say is that if you are still using the vDH cable SME supply with their tonearms, ditch it on eBay.

Heard an Avid with Aro, not impressed.
 
The finish on the Avid turntables I have seen has not particularly impressed me (nor has the sound).
 
Thanks Lads,

Devil...I did ditch the vDH cable right away on both of my SME arms.

Ultimately, I have to decide what is more important to me; having a good table with two decent arms and carts, or one great table with one arm and cart.

I like having two arms and two carts. I have a very good phono stage which allows me to use either with the flick of a switch. I used to think it was silly to have two arms/carts, but when I finally tried it, I realized that (based on what I listen to) it was a solid investment (more so than spending 0000s on some new BS power conditioner (I've tried almost a dozen of them ranging from $300 to $4,000).

I don't need better cables than what I own (Nirvana/Auditorium 23, Cardas Neutral Reference). I also don't need a better tuner or digital set-up. I've figured out how to squeeze a lot out of my computer/iPod based separates and while neither is SOTA, they work exceptionally well in my system and give me access to almost 2,000+ recordings that I have ripped.

The Wave PS improves the sound a lot. I think trying it with another Nott table that can take both arms is the smart choice right now.
 
Hi,

I ended up buying a 2nd hand Nottingham Dais. Very happy with it so far.

My Interspace and Wave PS are now sitting in my office glaring at me angrily.

Thanks for all of the help gang.
 

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