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SME 312S arm pulling into the center too much.

I have an SME 201/12 with 312S arm.
It has been a great system for several years.
Recently I did not use it for over a year and when I did get back to it I have found that the arm is pulling to the center way too much.
Even when i set anti skating at maximum it still sends the arm to the middle way too fast on a blank record.
Obviously the sound is out of balance to the right.
I called SME England the the guy told me that the groove forces would send the arm outwards and that the anti skate acted in the opposite direction!!!!
I was stunned to say the least.

It is made worse by the fact that the new US distributors do not even publish a phone number let alone answering it when you call.

Before i pack up the arm and return it to the UK just wondered if anyone had similar experience with SME anti skating.

Aloha!
mauidj
mauidj OP
127 posts
 
Many thanks mate.
I felt that i had a handle on the problem but wanted confirmation after the guy I spoke to sent my head spinning.
Yes...I would never use a blank to set it up but wanted to see if in fact the anti skate was doing anything at all.
So, is there anyone out there ever fixed one of these things?
Ag insider logo xs@2x
rauliruegas
12,842 posts
 
Dear @mauidj : Make this test:  put your tonearm perfectly balanced with zero VTF and it will be floated freely and must stay in the position you decide and you can change its horizontal position and stays inert down there. Tha's how almost any tonearm works if in good operation condition. Try to do it and see what happens.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.
mauidj OP
127 posts
 
@rauliruegas Many thanks.
It floats perfectly in any position I place it.  
OK so further messing has revealed that when i rotate the output plug at the extreme anti clockwise of the travel  (it rotates 270 degrees) the arm is virtually stationary when running a blank disk with the anti set at max. So it appears like there is an internal issue with wire dressing and or the anti skate mechanism.
But at least i can now play a record and it sounds pretty decent with no distortion :-)
Now if only I could find someone in the SME organization that knows what is what so i can get it permanently fixed!!!!
yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
5,497 posts
 
Give this place a call. They are a SME dealer!!
http://analogshop.com/
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
A quick search turned up almost the exact same thing with this arm, right down to the internal wire affecting skating. Sounds like another fine example of genuine British crapsmanship. And I say that being the happy owner of an Origin Live Conqueror. They have good ears, those British. But its a small country. Maybe Williams and Cosworth got all the good engineers?
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