SME Model 60 coming up, apparently

[notevenclose]

I can’t remember what I earned 1981, but I know it took most of my savings to pay for the L-07D and a Koetsu Rosewood cartridge (£500 then).

Was the Rosewood not rather more than that? As I recall, I paid £500 for my Black at roughly the same time. Either way, it was still a lot of money back in the day.

 

[poco a poco]

The Koetsu was very expensive back then comparatively. It depends what your overheads were obviously.

Certainly very expensive in comparison to the L-07D that was just over double and that was for something that eventually wears out. When I auditioned it on the L-07D it was so much better than anything else I heard on it I couldn’t resist buying the turntable without it. I had it rebuilt twice, the second time by Van Den Hull so it lasted for quite awhile. I still have it, but the suspension finally gave out. I have thought at times that I might send it to Goldring to see if another rebuild is possible.

Was the Rosewood not rather more than that? As I recall, I paid £500 for my Black at roughly the same time. Either way, it was still a lot of money back in the day.

No it cost £500 then that I think that all the few dealers that had them asked as Absolute Sounds, permitted to or not, would not sell them to dealers who discounted. I still have the receipt for £1600 for turntable and cartridge. Are you sure the Black was available in 1981 at that price? I though it arrived in the UK at least a few months later at about £350?

 

[notevenclose]

No it cost £500 then that I think that all the few dealers that had them asked as Absolute Sounds, permitted to or not, would not sell them to dealers who discounted. I still have the receipt for £1600 for turntable and cartridge. Are you sure the Black was available in 1981 at that price? I though it arrived in the UK at least a few months later at about £350?

I wouldn't argue, not least because it was 40 years ago... 500 quid was the figure I had in my head, but you may well be right.

 

[poco a poco]

I wouldn't argue, not least because it was 40 years ago... 500 quid was the figure I had in my head, but you may well be right.

Well given the 40 years I can’t be sure of what the price of the Koetsu Black was then either, but it has always been cheaper than a Rosewood or Red. I only know what I paid for my Rosewood then. There are also suggestions that only a few of the early Blacks were fully made by Sugano Sr. and for others he just built the interior coils etc. that went into a body built by Musashino.
https://anamightysound.com/fixing-the-minuscule/

 

[tobermory]

Have to agree it looks a bit loud. Design echoes VPI or Basis. The towers are so fat that the poor arm looks a little lost, and is fighting a losing battle for some attention. I have the M30 and its design and execution looks better thought out than this. Maybe it really was an April 1 joke after all?