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SME 3009 question

killie99

killie99

pfm Member
I've acquired a SME 3009, series 2 non-improved.
I can't remove the outrigger from the counterweight and there is no grub screw in the hole holding it in place, surely this is meant to be able to be adjusted?
I'm thinking the grub screw has been lost and someone has glued the outrigger in place?

sme-count-sm.jpg
 
Yes, that should certainly move/come out without a grub screw. Are you absolutely certain there isn’t a grub screw in there? It is a weird size that no one ever has an allen key lying around for so there is a chance some idiot has rounded it off with the wrong size.

If you are absolutely certain there is no grub screw present try twisting the rider-weight arm as there is a little plastic grommet at the bottom of the hole that may be seized somehow. SME being a proper engineering company never did metal on metal connections to avoid scratching, so there is usually some little plastic protector in these interfaces. If some ‘Linn tight’ chimp has been at it there is a good chance it is now distorted and may need freeing up.
 
Is the grub screw for the outrigger a different size to the other grub screw in the counterweight? The key I used to remove the other grubscrew is definitely the correct size so I expected it to be the same on the outrigger screw
 
killie99 said:
Is the grub screw for the outrigger a different size to the other grub screw in the counterweight? The key I used to remove the other grubscrew is definitely the correct size so I expected it to be the same on the outrigger screw
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Yes, and with the VTA bolt on the side.

PS With a good torch at the right angle you should be able to see it, I’ve just looked at mine and it is visible down at the bottom of the hole.
 
Tony, you're correct. It has been trashed, either by the wrong key or being super over tightened. I 'tapped' an oversize torx in to the remains of the grubscrew and have managed to get it out. A little 3mm long brass piece also came out, is that normal?
 
Yes that's normal. The brass plug stops the screw from being in direct contact with the rod and being a softer metal won't mark it. It fulfills the function of the plastic plug Tony was referring too up thread. Replace the grub screw and you should be good to go.
 
Fortunately had a correct size grubscrew in my ‘various grub screws’ tub! Knew they would come in handy one day 🤣
 
Mike P said:
It fulfills the function of the plastic plug Tony was referring too up thread.
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I just assumed it was plastic, I’ve never stripped one down that far, they are likely all brass!

PS Definitely don’t over-tighten anything on a 3009. They sound their best when done in the Tom Fletcher ‘tight enough to stop it falling apart, but no more’ to my ears. As does nearly everything IME. Get it right and it has a lovely natural and open midband, just sounds ‘right’. As an example I just use the flimsy plastic acorn-nut spanner that came with the Improved arms to hold the arm in its slide-base, just turning gently from the top is all that is needed. Listen to everything. So much is misunderstood and mismarketed about resonance and energy transfer in arms and speakers IME. Assume nothing, just use your ears and in time you’ll end up pointing and laughing at spikes, ‘Linn tight’ etc. The last thing you want is an arm to behave like a tuning fork!
 
Mike P said:
Carpet spikes seem to one of the most misunderstood things in audio. The purpose of carpet spikes is to pierce through the carpet to the underlying floor.

Rant over.
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On light and otherwise wobbly speakers they can certainly be an advantage, e.g. I use them with my JR149 and LS3/5A stands. The logic turns to crap with top-spikes, spikes onto granite blocks, spikes onto cross-head screws driven into the floor etc. At that point you just turn the stand into a tubular bell, which is not an especially bright thing to do!

PS If you have a look at this page of my JR149 thread you can see my current stands which, despite being a little too low, I really like as they are a tripod so incredibly stable without having to couple them to the floor. The spikes have just found their own way down so they don’t turn the suspended floor into a soundboard the way some spiked stands clearly do. Not sure what they are, possibly Meridian, or a knockoff. Shame the top plate is a bit big! FWIW I use felt there, again as an attempt not to produce a tuning fork. Sounds better than cones or BluTac to my ears. Everything matters!
 
Tony L said:
On light and otherwise wobbly speakers they can certainly be an advantage, e.g. I use them with my JR149 and LS3/5A stands. The logic turns to crap with top-spikes, spikes onto granite blocks, spikes onto cross-head screws driven into the floor etc. At that point you just turn the stand into a tubular bell, which is not an especially bright thing to do!

PS If you have a look at this page of my JR149 thread you can see my current stands which, despite being a little too low, I really like as they are a tripod so incredibly stable without having to couple them to the floor. The spikes have just found their own way down so they don’t turn the suspended floor into a soundboard the way some spiked stands clearly do. Not sure what they are, possibly Meridian, or a knockoff. Shame the top plate is a bit big! FWIW I use felt there, again as an attempt not to produce a tuning fork. Sounds better than cones or BluTac to my ears. Everything matters!
Click to expand...
I know you get it Tony.

How many times have we all seen 'isolation spikes' for sale?
 
The cable which came with the 3009 looks completely original, is this what original SME phono sockets looked like, never seem ones like this before?
Can you buy a 4 pin SME arm connector so that I can make up a new cable? Don't really want to mess with the arm side and fit a RCA kit and would like to just leave this old cable the way it is but don't fancy using it.

sme-plugfs.jpg
 
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