Choosing a turntable....

If you're looking for a turntable that gets you closer to the music with minimal colorations then I suggest you audition the Teres and Galibier tables.

Both are sold direct, so offer stunning value for money - excellent materials, engineered for a lifetime's listening and fantastic quality. Sonically both compare favorably with tables that retail for double their price.

Galibier and Teres are similar in that they are both run by guys who are passionate about pushing the boundaries of analog reproduction.

I agree with Aoliviero, I wouldn't have an SME arm - they tend to be bass heavy but very bloated and flabby. They sound acceptable on classical music but poor on all other genres. You can upgrade the wiring and cable so why not just go for a Tri-planar or OL Illustrious in the first place?

One of the best vinyl dealers in London says that he will only sell SME arms with SME tables - otherwise they give a really slewed frequency response fitted on anything else.