Improved or pre-Improved? The above is a pre-Improved and if you were to add the additional rider-weight it will be happy enough with the Zu. If it is a S2 Improved you have next to no chance as it was never designed to balance out that sort of weight. The obvious visual difference is the counterweight assembly, the Improved is far shorter.
This is an Improved, its a fixed shell, but the counterweight assembly looks the same. These arms are designed for and give their best with MM carts. It can’t balance out a heavy cart without modification or finding a truly rare as hens teeth heavy SME counterweight.
Best modern cartridge for SME 3009 S2 improved
- Thread starter rhgbristol
- Start date
Tony L
Administrator
Yes, no problem at all.
PS When using the stock SME shell unless you are really going all out for the lightest possible mass with very high compliance carts I’d always recommend sticking a little blob of Blu-Tac underneath the SME logo as there is not much in the way of contact with the top of the cart, especially if you fit/use the finger lift. It makes for a more solid and less resonant cart/shell assembly without spoiling the aesthetic (it is totally invisible). Just a small blob works very well IME.
rhgbristol
pfm Member
Nice to see this thread still going some four years later.
The LP12 / SME series 2 is still providing sterling service. Cartridge wise the Shure m97xe is mainly the one I’ve been using, although I acquired a Shure V15vxmr a while back and use that occasionally in another headshell.
The v15 offers a slightly brighter sound suited to some recordings, but overall the m97 seems suited to the majority of pressings.
The LP12 / SME series 2 is still providing sterling service. Cartridge wise the Shure m97xe is mainly the one I’ve been using, although I acquired a Shure V15vxmr a while back and use that occasionally in another headshell.
The v15 offers a slightly brighter sound suited to some recordings, but overall the m97 seems suited to the majority of pressings.