SME tonearms on a japanese market


Good day! With a plan to add another tonearm to have a backup for my Sumiko tonearm I recently did browse the ebay and realized there is a big selection of SME tonearms mostly 3009 in the range of 400-500$, and even IV and V under 2600$. Is there any polytical connotation in the fact or I just have not been there for a while (which is very true)? I was considering between Jelco and SME but now I am so very positive about the latter. Thanks for the feedback

 

anatoliy

@noromance 

Yes, exactly what I was looking at, thank you! The one doubt I have with this model is the knife- edge bearing, may be just because I don't know how this works exactly. Would you say it's an empty concern of mine? :) 

I bought a Jelco 370 H mid 1980's vintage fluid damped tonearm to install on my 1984 SYSTEMDEK IIX. The 370 H is NOS and ran about $300. They're great tone arms for the money. 

@anatoliy I’ve three TK850 tonearms. 12" and 9". Running them with Decca cartridges with zero issues. The knife edge 850/950 series are a large step up from the others. They replaced three SA 750 Jelcos.

Visualize a knife, edge up, placed transversely across the armtube. Now, fit the armtube in a metal block with a presisely machined 'V' groove that is placed on the knife edge and balanced. You have now created a stable, extremely low-friction, rattle-free vertical knife- edge bearing, just like SME.

It's also quite durable, unless you drop it and damage the knife edge. A point to remember when buying or shipping an SME arm - it must be blocked up and preferably removed from the plinth and laid sideways to protect the knife edge.

Do note, there are Analogue Source users within this Forum and others, where it is no secret their funds seem unlimited  for the value of ancillaries that can be purchased. 

There are a few of these types with serious spending opportunies, that are using Vintage Knife Edge Bearing designs on Tonearm in use.