I still recall the launch of the SME Series V which has since 1986 felt to me like the tonearm by which all others are judged. Fortunately I still have the original Hi-Fi News magazine that sported a beautiful image of a an SME V on the cover from back then, and I still recall how it filled me with lust for decades with its gorgeous design and staggering engineering.
Just over a week ago I was fortunate to be invited to the launch of its successor in London, but not content with launching the SME Vi (improved) we were also treated to the launch of the SME Model 35 and Model 8 too. The Model 35 is in my humble opinion the most beautiful turntable SME have ever made⌠Itâs a far more elegant design than the Model 30 it replaces and is better proportioned to my eyes than the Model 60 which caps the range.
The 35 comes as standard with the new SME Series Vi and itâs a tour de force of engineering precision and beauty. The Series Vi is identical to the Series V in all respects save for the arm tube which is now hewn from the same resin composite as the Series VA which is supplied with the SME Model 60 turntable.
Iâm not sure how many SME fans there are on the forum, but I thought it worth mentioning simply because in these troubled times itâs good to see great British audio firms still innovating and pushing the boundaries of whatâs possible in audio replay.
The only problem now is that I want one - badly!! Nothingâs changed since I was 17 in 1986, firms like Naim and SME are still torturing me with glorious products that are always just tantalisingly out of reach!!!
I am a fan of SME. Would love to have the 60, in black.
Itâs enjoyable to see that the company is still alive and continues to evolve and upgrade their models.
I like the 60 looking, but have to confess that the 35 doesnât do for me. I donât find it elegant. The 30 is gorgeous.
Letâs see how will look the 25.
I still love my SMEV on my Avid. Whilst SME no longer sell the IV/V/Vi separately they do still service the arms. Last year I took my 20 year old V over to Steyning where they serviced it - replacing bearings, internal wiring loom, bias mechanism, VTF mechanism, arm lift and various other screws and bits. Finally they cleaned and refurbished the head and arm tube before reassembling and sending back to me. All this work for the modest sum of ÂŁ900 (incl VAT) and the arm sounds wonderful, seeing off various newcomers that Iâve tried in my system !
I can only imagine what the 35/Vi combination sounds like
Like many others, I love the technical aspects and design of SMEs. But, and Iâm being serious here, whenever Iâve seen their models in shops, theyâve been covered in dust, and they are dust traps without compare given all the plates and crannies. The now covered bands are a big step forward IMHO. They really need to be sold with a massive cloche though
Unfortunately I have to report that Roksan have discontinued manufacturing turntables, Iâve had an original Xerxes for 40 years and was just about to upgrade to the Xerxes 20+. Sad days
Salvo, I canât help but look covetously at the pictures of your Micro Seiki RX-5000. Out of interest, what are all the silver discs/clamps for off to the right of the picture?
Yes, really sad action from Roksan.
The later Xerxes turntables were really nice.
Guess they no longer have the qualified personnel after Touraj sold on the company.
Maybe Vertere turntables could be seen as the new âXerxesâ generation turntables, created by Touraj - they are however much more expensive.
These turntables are some of the very best Iâve heard, no ambition to enter such price range though.
Richard, the idea there was to have different weight for different record thickness (90, 180,200 gramsâŚ). I donât use them anymore, I have one which is a clever design: the center part slides
gently on the record. It also serves to center the small old 45 record (donât have any though
Roksan has had a checkered history, Touraj owned the company on 2 different occasions, Monitor Audio are the present owners and as far as I know there has been no upgrades to the Xerxes in the last 17 years. All the spares have gone from the website as well.
I have also have an SME V, bought early 00âs to use on my Orbe (Full Plinth Edition) which dates from the same time.
I did use an existing Mission 774 (the straight arm tube version and not the LC)
Has always worked great.
How do you know if it needs servicing?
Mine has gone for periods without use, as either away or trying to get digital to sound as good as vinyl. Only used for âsit downâ listening, so not while cooking, eating etc and not with âdrink on boardâ
I saw the 60 in a Hi-fi store in Cape Town, during a recent visit.
They have a good record selection, hence my visit.
Sadly it wasnât set up or playing.
Looked impressive and very âSMEâ.
I liked the Model 20 & 30s
Here is a Model 20/12 being used to play a lacquer of The Lost Recording release of Ella Fitzgerald Live At The Concertgebouw 1961, in a Church in Dublin (arranged by Cloney Audio)
I have one of the limited pressing of this, plus quite a number of the The Lost Recording pressings, now.
That Series V looks so very good on your Orbe Simon!!!
I was told that the Series IV and V both used the Michell GyroDec as their development mule (their launch of course pre-dated SME manufacturing their own turntables).
I must say I have always loved the Series IV on my Gyro, which has the much nicer Orbe spindle and clamp, I havenât taken it further towards the Orbe than that yetâŚ
The biggest uplift sonically I have managed recently with the deck has been putting a Townshend Seismic platform under it and floating both my racks on Townshend Seismic bars - itâs quite extraordinary how much that has improved articulation and detail as well as producing darker backgrounds, but I do have sprung floors.
