What are good options for re-wiring an SME 3009 tone arm?

What he said above.
First find the tech, then order the equipment you want - e.g. you might chat with the Vinyl Source people...

@stereo5 @gregm 

Thanks for the advice.  The Vinyl Source can install the tone arm cable, but this would mean shipping the arm round the world - Australia to England and back again.

My own inclination is to always do any job myself, otherwise how can I learn?  It certainly de-mystifies a lot of hype when you find out how things are actually assembled!

I now have prices for The Vinyl Source at GBP-110 plus shipping and SME, at an eye-watering GBP-370 plus shipping.  The latter is more than the arm is worth and I still have no details of what is included.

These are the trade-offs I am looking for help on:

• is it better to eliminate two connections by running the Litz wire all the way to the pre-amplifier, or
• would conventional RCA cabling be better from the arm base to the pre-amplifier
• would 'better' Litz cable, for example silver versus copper, make much audible difference
• does the topography of the Litz cable, for example its weave, make much audible difference

I sent my SME 3009 S2 (Non-Improved) off to “Robert Graetke”, at Analog Tube Audio. The Website is http://www.analogtubeaudio.de

I had it rebuilt and rewired with his silver wire, which I believe you could possibly purchase from him separately?

I cannot comment on the sound changes as, I unfortunately never got my TD-124 back together and running….

Eliminating the original SME connector block and getting an RCA or 5 pin Conversion kit, is a good option to take.

Verses running litz or other wiring, all the way to the pre-amplifier. Which I feel, would lock you in to whatever sound that cable provides.

On doing the tonearm wiring yourself…take a look at this site and see what is involved with the re-wire SME 3009 first: https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/sme-3009-series-ii-tonearm-rewire-tutorial.989728/

@d-vinyl-3009

Thank you so much! The audiokarma thread is very informative. My biggest fear has been reconnecting the ground (black) wire inside the arm tube using that little floating nut! Gluing the nut to the cable eyelet makes sense.

The Vinyl Source claims the capacitance of their full-length Litz cable is too low for them to measure. This length is the tone-arm plus one metre. They supply a strain block to replace the SME DIN block.

If I just replace the tone arm cabling, I would prefer to keep the SME DIN block and the original DIN block to RCA connector block cable, which is where those two connection points are located in each wire! This is using the engineering principle "if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it".

I started down this path because the original SME head-shell connectors have oxidised and I broke one from its wire.  Looks as if they are tinned copper, not the gold plated items common today!

In general, I am not a fan of spending big money on cables, but I reckon the tone arm cable should be the most important in the whole reproduction chain for vinyl playback.

Yes, the original SME tinned connectors were not that great and SME of Canada actually are on the side of removing those old SME DIN block connectors. Their postion on it, was that "the best type of connection, is no connection at all". 

That appears to be why SME of Canada and some other rewire services. Remove the SME DIN Block connectors and rewire out fully to the RCA connectors. Using custom designed cable stand off and strain relief systems.

On my side of it, after first having the SME Canada setup. I heard about what Analog Tube Audio was doing tonearm rebuild wise and internal silver cabling wise.

So, when I decided to rebuild and upgrade my beloved TD-124 turntable. I had them rebuild by SME 3009 S2 tonearm, install silver wiring and add in the RCA conversion kit setup. 

I went this way, as cables do matter to me and I wanted option to change out RCA cabling, as needed based on my system configuration (which does change), using my desired cable builder and needed cable length.