It did yes, but we hope SME have put this arm in the right spot ...
Don't like it, looks awful, very expensive, I think SME have truly lost the plot.
They should ditch the cheap ass mat, it looks like a Garrard mat knock off
Fair point! But, I see the two knurled screws on the base are still present. It's those screws that lock the arm base down onto the slide, so I am now guessing that there is some movement available. In theory, you'd not need more that 10/15mm to get any modern cartridge spot on. It's hard to see in the WHF pics. Maybe when SME publish some better launch images.For which cartridge?
I do wonder how many SME Garrard 301s have actually been sold and what (if anything) is to follow 501/601/701?
Garrard originally did the 301, but SME have now done their version, adding many 000's to the price.....Loricraft already did the 501 and 601.
It is not their choice but a necessity before the lights go out completely. Sure, there is a vinyl resurgence but is has very little to do with audiophilia. When the fad finally wears out, it is over for good.SME have seemingly taken the decision to be (even more of) a niche/high end manufacturer towards the likes of Simon Yorke.
It is not their choice but a necessity before the lights go out completely. Sure, there is a vinyl resurgence but is has very little to do with audiophilia. When the fad finally wears out, it is over for good.
S own the GarrardThey should ditch the cheap ass mat, it looks like a Garrard mat knock off
Dont worry it's not plastic.More like the new owner has lost the plot - a plastic SME turntable, jeez.
It would be good to read a interview with those in charge at SME. It has to be remembered they are a specialist engineering company for aerospace, formula one and other area's. The turntable side of the business is second. When I orderd my turntable from SME it took 3 month as it was made to order. There has been many manufacturers of tomearms came onto the market. So SME share of the market will have shrunk as such just concentrate on their turntables. What cant be put into question is the quality of engineering into the products. Even What hifi recognise that in the model 6.SME must have done a reasonable amount of tonearm only sales. By restricting those sales to now only full SME Turntable packages means that those profits must now come from the SME Turntables. The vinyl replay market is relatively small already in the context of the bigger replay source picture. Normally, a business wants to open itself up to the biggest markets it can for sales, but SME have gone the other way and wants to be a smaller niche and deny many potential customers the choice of buying a new SME tonearm to use on their choice of deck. I don't think the lights will go out for many many years on vinyl replay equipment, but it might become a problem for SME Audio to survive in the market.
Sadly, according to Companies House, as of 15 August 2016, both Alastair's widow Marilyn and son Cameron are no longer with the company.
Dont worry it's not plastic.
It’s made of phenolic resin, which is a type of plastic.