Audio by mark jones

Founded in 1946, and with over one million tonearms sold worldwide, SME Limited is the world’s most accomplished manufacturer of high quality turntables and tonearms. SME is well known for its no compromise passion for engineering perfection and extreme attention to detail.

SME turntables feature precision engineered construction, extensional damping of major surfaces and vibration free moving parts, allowing them to deliver outstanding dynamic range and pitch stability, exceptional detail and resolution, superior tonal neutrality and a unique ability to more closely reproduce the sound of the original studio master tape.

Other Products by SME
Model 12A Mk II
$18,900

The Model 12A has been designed for those who would prefer to select their own unique combination of phono stage and cartridge for a more personalised listening experience. This introductory model benefits from the finest materials and craftsmanship found throughout the entire SME turntable and tonearm range. Every component part has been precision engineered in-house to the strictest tolerances to contribute to an outstanding musical performance.

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Model 12A Mk II technical specs
30/12A Mk II
$71,900

Created as a companion and to compliment the Series V-12, the Model 30/12 precision turntable enjoys all of the features associated the Model 30/2 precision turntable. The differences are merely ones of scale. The suspension now provides 60 purpose moulded ‘O’ rings supporting the sub-chassis, which has been increased in thickness by some 16%, on one hundred and twenty strands of rubber. The main chassis has received similar attention but in this case the thickness has been increased by 19%. Small differences but necessary to afford the increased rigidity required to ensure acoustic neutrality.

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30/12A Mk II technical specs
  • SuspensionNo sonic footprint, the sub-chassis is hung on one hundred and twenty strands of rubber in the form of sixty purpose moulded ‘O’ rings. An ingenious method of anchorage allows them to be removed or replaced instantly.
  • DampingSub-chassis motion is disciplined by four fluid dampers, one in each of the supporting columns. These eliminate overshoot and give almost zero Q recovery. The isolation needed to prevent acoustic feedback is bridged by the resistive coupling of the damping fluid through which unwanted reacted energy is conducted away to ‘ground’. This function is adjustable through trimmers which can be used in conjunction with a gauge to give recommended settings or varied to suit individual conditions.
  • Platter330 mm (13”) diameter weighing 7.5 kg (17 lbs). The face is machined with a fine scroll found to interface better than a plain surface. A substantial reflex clamp ensures maximum contact with the platter even when severe record warp is present. The sub-chassis/arm mounting board interface is extensionally damped and the mounting board is reversible to allow mounting of nine inch pick-up arms when necessary.
  • MotorThe turntable is driven by a 3 phase, brushless outrunner motor with 8-pole Neodymium magnets and 3 integrated Hall effect sensors and virtually vibrationless by reason of its 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs) weight as well as being isolated on urethane mounts that are adjustable for accurate belt positioning.
20/12A Mk II
$47,500

A larger and more massive version of our well known Model 20/2. It will accept nine, ten and twelve-inch arms but is especially directed at the exciting Model 312S. This offers a performance some 27% better than a nine-inch arm in respect of angular error distortion. The wand and headshell are pressure die-cast in magnesium and are 27g lighter than they would be in aluminium.

Probably the stiffest and lightest twelve-inch arms ever made these dual problems are at last addressed and on listening, the benefits of minimal tracking error and harmonic distortion are clearly revealed. A turntable should address the problems of extraneous vibrations. These emanate from numerous sources including air and structural vibration from loudspeakers, groove modulation, stray electrical fields and mechanical imperfections in moving parts.

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20/12A Mk II technical specs
  • SuspensionNo sonic footprint, the sub-chassis is hung on 80 strands of rubber in the form of 40 purpose moulded ‘O’ rings. An ingenious method of anchorage allows them to be removed or replaced instantly.
  • DampingA large centrally placed fluid-damper disciplines sub-chassis movement with a pleasing sense of security when handling records on and off the platter, offering a resistive ground-path for acoustic signals.
  • Platter6.5Kg (14.3lb) platter. The face is machined with a fine scroll found to interface better than a plain surface. A substantial reflex clamp ensures maximum contact with the platter even when severe record warp is present. The sub-chassis/arm mounting board interface is extensionally damped and the mounting board is reversible to allow mounting of nine inch pick-up arms when necessary.
  • MotorThe turntable is driven by a 3 phase, brushless outrunner motor with 8-pole Neodymium magnets and 3 integrated Hall effect sensors and virtually vibrationless by reason of its 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs) weight as well as being isolated on urethane mounts that are adjustable for accurate belt positioning.
20/3A Mk II
$42,700

A larger and more massive version of our well known Model 20/2. It will accept nine, ten and twelve-inch arms but is especially directed at the exciting Model 312S. This offers a performance some 27% better than a nine-inch arm in respect of angular error distortion. The wand and headshell are pressure die-cast in magnesium and are 27g lighter than they would be in aluminium.
Probably the stiffest and lightest twelve-inch arms ever made these dual problems are at last addressed and on listening, the benefits of minimal tracking error and harmonic distortion are clearly revealed. A turntable should address the problems of extraneous vibrations. These emanate from numerous sources including air and structural vibration from loudspeakers, groove modulation, stray electrical fields and mechanical imperfections in moving parts.

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20/3A Mk II technical specs
  • SuspensionNo sonic footprint, the sub-chassis is hung on 80 strands of rubber in the form of 40 purpose moulded ‘O’ rings. An ingenious method of anchorage allows them to be removed or replaced instantly.
  • DampingA large centrally placed fluid-damper disciplines sub-chassis movement with a pleasing sense of security when handling records on and off the platter, offering a resistive ground-path for acoustic signals.
  • Platter6.5Kg (14.3lb) platter. The face is machined with a fine scroll found to interface better than a plain surface. A substantial reflex clamp ensures maximum contact with the platter even when severe record warp is present. The sub-chassis/arm mounting board interface is extensionally damped and the mounting board is reversible to allow mounting of nine inch pick-up arms when necessary.
  • MotorThe turntable is driven by a 3 phase, brushless outrunner motor with 8-pole Neodymium magnets and 3 integrated Hall effect sensors and virtually vibrationless by reason of its 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs) weight as well as being isolated on urethane mounts that are adjustable for accurate belt positioning.
15/A Mk II
$21,600

The Model 15 could be described as “the ultimate in recovery vehicles”, allowing the cartridge to retrieve the last iota of recorded material whether digital or analogue, from the vinyl disc and approaching the ultimate in perfection. Receiving its inspiration from the superb Model 10 precision turntable, the Model 15 seeks to emulate the excellence of our Models 20/3  & 30/2 turntable whilst retaining the more compact footprint preferred by many of our enthusiasts.

The Model 15 has been designed with the same attention to detail combined with simplicity of operation that has come to be expected from all SME products. Its superb performance together with laid back styling make it a glamorous addition to your sound system that will astound and amaze listeners for many years to come.

The main spindle is 19 mm (3/4″) machined from high chrome tool steel, it is ground, super finished and supported in a sealed housing with individually fitted sintered bronze bearings of generous proportions needed to support the platter.

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15/A Mk II technical specs
  • SuspensionThe Model 15 sub-chassis is suspended on 30 purpose moulded ‘O’ rings and weighs, together with the platter, more than 11.0 kg (24 lbs), thus meeting all the requirements of high density construction that is required to maintain freedom from colouration.
  • DampingControlled by a central fluid damper which controls the sub-chassis motion, offers a resistive ground path for acoustic signals, eliminates overshoot and gives almost zero ‘Q’ recovery.
  • PlatterMachined from aluminium alloy and weighs over 4.6 kg (10 lbs). It is extensionally damped, the top surface being diamond-turned with a fine scroll. This method of finishing contacts a myriad of tiny fibres with the underside of the record, firmly coupling it to the platter. A substantial reflex clamp ensures the largest possible platter contact even when an appreciable record warp is present.
  • MotorThe turntable is driven by a 3 phase, brushless outrunner motor with 8-pole Neodymium magnets and 3 integrated Hall effect sensors and virtually vibrationless by reason of its 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs) weight as well as being isolated on urethane mounts that are adjustable for accurate belt positioning.
Model 6
$11,300

The Model 6 is a class leading integrated turntable delivering a unique sonic performance. Audio engineering excellence is achieved with technologically advanced new materials whilst maintaining the definitive craftsmanship that SME is famous for.

Primary features include a CNC machined chassis made from a unique polymer high density resin material providing high mass, small footprint and superb resonance absorption. Main bearing, spindle and drive pulleys are precision made to the same exact standards as all SME high-end turntables. A new generation highly sophisticated electronic speed control unit provides fine pitch speed adjustment within a wide band range.

The Model 6 is equipped with an improved version of the highly acclaimed SME M2-9 tonearm which is internally dampened with a unique single element balance system catering for cartridges weighing 5 to 12 grams and suitably designed for both MM and MC cartridges. The headshell is magnesium alloy for lightness and its ingenious design provides rigidity and allows azimuth correction.

Design and engineering excellence built by audio enthusiasts for audio enthusiasts.

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Model 6 technical specs
Model 60
Starting at $97,900

The Model 60 is the most technically advanced SME turntable ever made, evolved from 75 years of engineering excellence, innovation and perfection, delivering precise and pure audio reproduction. Extremely high build quality, close tolerance precision engineered componentry, striking design and a range of none painted uniquely engineered finishes.

Introduced 60 years after SME entered the elite high end audio world, the Model 60 is far superior than the highly credible Model 30 which has been the reference precision turntable for over 3 decades. The new flagship is an entirely new turntable design with clever engineering and technological advancement.

The Model 60 is equipped with the new Series VA tonearm which is an advanced version of the famous Series V tonearm which has been extensively sonically improved by use of a non-metallic tonearm CNC machined from an advanced polymer resin material with high density and high rigidity properties. The Series VA tonearm tube is acoustically inert with a significantly reduced resonance signature, optimised effective mass and a wide cartridge balance weight range

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Model 60 technical specs