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SME 309 or SME 3009r?

I have both arms. My turntable is an Avid Sequel. My cartridge is a Benz LP. I want to rewire one of the arms, but don't know which would sound best. I currently have the 309 on the table so I know how that one performs. I've had the 3009r for quite sometime just sitting on a shelf. It's in terrific shape and the person who gave it to me, and has since passed away, thought it would outperform the 309. Does anyone have an informed opinion? Thanks.

128x128neptune123
dover
2,179 posts
 

@dekay 

The effective mass of my SME 3009II (non-improved/detachable head shell) is 12.5 grams.

Yes I was referring to the more common Series II improved - 6.5g effective mass and S2 improved - effective mass 9.5

pesky_wabbit's avatar
pesky_wabbit
1,183 posts
 

Maybe the SME 3009 was top tier when it came out fifty or so years ago. If the SME wasn’t top tier back then, which arms were?

I certainly agree with you, when it was released in 1959 it was revolutionary, set a blueprint for arm design to follow, and displayed immaculate construction; however I was reviewing it in the contest of the early 80‘s by which time cartridge and arm design had changed markedly.

richard_crl032
29 posts
 

I think persky mean V can be worse than a IV 🤣

dogberry
561 posts
 

A V is not a IV with extra bits added: the IV is a V with bits deleted! The V came out before the IV (by about 18 months), and the reviews at the time quoted AR-A saying that a V was handmade with selected parts, whilst the IV was assembled with off-the-line parts, unselected. So you might get a IV as good as a V, but lacking a VTA screw, VTF dial and damping trough.

A 309 was a IV with a detachable headshell. An M10 was a 309 with a simpler mount.

And that's all you need to know!

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