2. analog
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Should I buy an SME 30/12A for 15K?

I am a vinyl newbie with maybe 100 LPs (or less) in my collection. I have had a Technics SL1210GAE for past 2 years, I just plugged and played it. It’s good but my digital is almost as good or sometimes better.

I recently heard a SME 30/12A at the dealer’s, and it blew my mind, and my digital was no where close (the dealer had almost the same digital -- mine is Nagra Tube DAC, his was the Nagra HD DAC -- and we did on spot comparison, not an apples to apple of course but still best that we could under the circumstances).

 

Now given my relative inexperience with vinyl (I know next to nothing about setup), should I plunge for this offer which is offered to me at 1/3rd the retail price and probably an endgame TT for me.

 

Thoughts?

Also, is this as great an offer as I think it is, are there better TTs at 15K$ retail price (I cannot/will not buy used) than the SME 30/12A?

essrand

Showing 2 responses by lohanimal

lohanimal
659 posts
 

I think people are. being unfair to the OP for having 100 records. MAny people claim to have 10k or more records and to know each one well which is almost impossible ie 10k records of 45 mins equates to 7500 hours - about 312 days 24/7. Can i just say that before embarking on a format for the special occasions - and before you really build a collection - listen to a good reel to reel. I was gobsmacked when I heard them in a room by Meridian (yes of digital fame) i've heard many a great turntable - and it was in a different league. 

I digress - if it is vinyl you want to build up (reel to reel takes a lot of space) go for it - enjoy it - we only live once - you clearly have a good ear with the Nagra gear you have already. Please factor in a cartridge and phono stage. A deck of that calibre requires a great cartridge - the best value high end cartridge which is.a great all rounder is a Benz Micro LPS - phono stages... Nagra PLP is very good - Parasound JC3 I understand to be good (I have a Vendetta SCP2A) - Whest make some very good ones too.

lohanimal
659 posts
 

@essrand 

Can I just add that you won't lose much when selling it either - in fact it will probably hold value or even appreciate a bit because you would have got it at a great price in the first place.

BTW i'm not a huge fan of SME decks - but you clearly like it.

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