Chaps
My vinyl system is a Garrard 401 refurbished by Loricraft and mounted in their heavy duty plinth.
I have a Rega RB 300 arm and a Dynavector 17D2 cartridge. I think the arm is the weak link in my set up.
I am seeking to up grade up and intend to throw most of my money on the Naim hardware such as supercaps/ XPS's etc but I have been scanning the ads for a second hand arm in good condition.
I have been looking for either an Aro, SME V or IV. There as hardly been anything around recently but I have just noticed a SME 309 up for sale.
I am unfamiliar with this model, do any of you know anything about it, how does it compare with the other models and is it worth going for.
Alternatively should I be patient and keep searching for the others ?
Many thanks in advance for any comments
Regards
Mick
Posted on: 14 August 2000 by Tony L
What is the arm mounting system on your plinth? All the SME arms use a different "4 screw and a big hole" system to the Rega with its single hole fitting. Unless your plinth has a detachable arm board of some kind it may be wise to stick with a similar arm mount. The Linn, Naim, Graham, and Zeta arms use yet a different mount still where the arm collar is bolted to the plinth using allen bolts. If memory serves me correctly, the Linn mount arms are a different length to the Regas so the main hole will be in the wrong place.
If you need to find an arm that will drop neatly into the Rega's single hole mount, the RB600 and any of the Roksan arms are a good option. The RB900 is a close match, but would require three additional screw holes around the RB300 mount. The RB900 is an excellent arm, which you could buy new for the price of a half decent SME - might well be a better arm too in the PRaT areas, if you can live without the fancy adjustment options of the SME. I think Nottingham Analogue make a unipivot arm that is the same length and mount to the Regas too.
Tony.
Posted on: 14 August 2000 by Frank Abela
Mick
I know where you're headed with the rest of your equipment. On that basis I would advise you not to go for the 309. The 309 is a fine arm, but given your eventual electronics setup, I believe you should go for either a IV or V.
The IV is excellent value for money (the best value for money in the SME line-up) and a real super-arm, where the 309 is still in the also-ran league. It also comes up occasionally in the 2nd hand ads. A step up to IV or V will mean your only real upgrade left will be a top-of-the-line cartridge (in about 4 or 5 years when your 17D2 dies).
Regards,
Frank.
Posted on: 14 August 2000 by Mick P
Chaps
Thanks for the information, you have talked me out of the SME 309.
Has anyone compared the Rega RB 900 with the
SME IV ?
Eagerly awaiting the info
Mick
Posted on: 14 August 2000 by Tony L
quote:
Has anyone compared the Rega RB 900 with the
SME IV ?
I haven't, but I did try a SME 5 silver arm lead on both the Ittok I used at the time, and on my friends Zeta - both arms were on LP12s. I know this is hardly a relevant dem, but the SME armlead was absolutely and fundamentally disastrous to any PRaT aspects of the music - it knocked the music totally dead in both systems. I love the SME products from an engineering point of view, though remain sceptical of their ultimate groove ability, a feeling that both Kevin and myself share relating to Joel's old Model 20.
Tony.
