The Beatles played at the Granada.
Apologies for the thread drift: no more E17-chat from me.
2 Likes
Probably when they put the theatre upstairs…
2 Likes
My father, at my behest, nearly got a Pioneer PL12D to replace this (a rebadged BSR MP 60 that rumbled like a goods train):
But instead, swayed by the prospect of owning the best pickup arm in the world for not much more money if we (in practice, my father) were willing to do a bit of DIY, we got one of these (a Connoisseur BD1):
With one of these (an SME 3009 Series II Improved Fixed Headshell of course for lowest effective mass and it was cheaper than the detachable headshell version):
All images are from the web.
1 Like
A few of the above decks and arm are very nearly a complete history of my vinyl front ends lol.
First deck was a Garrard Sp25 MKII with a Shure M75 ED MKII cart.
Then a Pioneer PL12D with the same M75 ED MKII cart.
Then a Garrard Zero 100s with a brand new M75 ED MKII cart lol
Then a Technics SL150 with a SME 3009 Series II Improved with Shure V15. That cart got changed for a Goldring 1040 which i had until the deck i have now. Michell Orbe SE, SME V and Dynovector DV 20-X2.
Dear old Alan Sugar. He has sailed close to the wind at times, selling really grotty electronic equipment, but he seems to have got away with it, and is now Baron Sugar for his sins!
1 Like
I never owned an SME tonearm, which seems a major omission now.
They certainly looked the dogs’ doohdahs, but the “looseness” of their bearings was at the opposite end of the spectrum from the Ittoks of their day.
‘Overhang checker’
That’s a new one to me…thought it had be graph things /protractors…or somesuch.
Just an optical illusion…
Lol…but I haven’t been near an optic since last night!
1 Like
I remember a LONG time ago hankering after the ultimate at the time:
SME3009 + Shure V15
I am pretty sure the arm retailed for around £32 & the cartridge for £45
I could afford neither !
2 Likes
Beside the DV20xl2 sounds darn sweet. so not suffering here. 
1 Like
Bought my dream deck nearly 2 years ago - a Thorens TD 124. Mine is a MkII from the mid-60s. I’ve upgraded it with a MikeP belt, Hanze motor springs, a Swissonor armboard and plinth:
The tonearm is an SME M2-9R with a wonderful MC cartridge, the Ortofon SPU Wood A. The body is made in Japan from beech wood with urushi lacquer:
Below is my step-up transformer - it’s a Mini-Nano made by Sculpture A with a 1:26 ratio to suit the 0.18mV SPU:
I’m really pleased with the whole setup 
38 Likes
Bang for buck, one of the best cartridge’s available imho
1 Like
Looks good! Let us know how you find using the Clearaudio after the Technics, and how it sounds. I can imagine it’s different in both cases, but maybe not dramatically? The Clearaudio looks straightforward to use, I think I’ve cued up one of their magnetic bearing arms before and it was… fine!
1 Like
Looks lovely that 
Which arm is it?
1 Like
ClearAudio are seriously underrated on this forum - though there are some seriously good ClearAudio turntables featured
5 Likes
Exactly, Linn and Naim use them but comparatively few users in UK
1 Like