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… It’s 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 it’s 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.
I’m not sure how many SME fans there are on the forum, but I thought it worth mentioning simply because in these troubled times it’s good to see great British audio firms still innovating and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in audio replay.
The only problem now is that I want one - badly!! Nothing’s 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.
It’s 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 doesn’t do for me. I don’t find it elegant. The 30 is gorgeous.
Let’s 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 £900 (incl VAT) and the arm sounds wonderful, seeing off various newcomers that I’ve 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 I’m being serious here, whenever I’ve seen their models in shops, they’ve 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
