With the present restriction to the SME Arms as a New Model, there is the situation where these designs do move to new owners without too much waiting.
Staying with the SME will not remunerate funds to enable an alternate Arm to be considered, with the funds raised from the SME Sale.
A Service won't do any harm, it will allow for it to be used once more in a improved condition, if it has a thorough cleaning of the areas that are needing to be mechanically free. It will also enable the assessment of the Arm to be a fairer comparison if the curiosity leads to experiencing other arms.
The SME V will enable the replay of music very effectively, it will even do that with a pride of ownership, as the aspired to Tonearm is present.
If moved on for a Arm that is a better performer to your evolved preferences born from the period of new experiences encountered.
It will not take too many demonstrations to show where betterment is to be had. , Betterment is available, if using the accounts of others offering their subjective evaluations of other Tonearms impressions made in place of a V or IV.
The Arm will be easily forgotten, it is only the Ego Born from the period of making such a purchase that will be sticky for a while. The Marketing and Collaboration with HiFi Media proved to be very good at making the SME V one to be aspired to.
My IV is now viewed as a Cash Exchange for a Grandchild when Older if they do not want to keep it as a memory of GrandPops.
The fact the Media in the UK took to being a 'Duck to Water' on the Subject of Refurbishing Idler Drives and the SME V or IV were the Arms selected by the Companies and Media to be the tool to rein in the Noticeable imbalance of Bass, the Arms were furthered in appeal as a result of this use.
My closeness to this movement and extended communications about the Idler Drive TT, pretty much pointed to the Rega Arm, as being proven to do very similar for Bass Control to a Idler Drive by the DIY'ers, from the day.
As a Commercial Venture for the Idler Refurb, the end product was being claimed by the Companies to trounce all TT competition, the snobbery of it all, and support from the media on such claims required a SME Price Tag, to further substantiate the claims and worthiness of the TT for such an Arm.
This mental manipulation of the Marketing and the period of time where Media Support was on offer for the V and IV used with the Idler Drive sticks in many minds, even through to the present.
I don't know of anybody who let the V or IV go, in either 9" or 12" that has pined for the return and rued the decision, in general there is decent remuneration and monies still spare, if a parity type arm is selected, a small top up in funds might be needed to purchase a New Model that has a better presentation, but if still considering a used Model from many Brands, there should be funds available to cover the Purchase.
If I sold my IV, I would have approx' £1K profit if the funds were used to off set the against the purchase of the present used arm.
