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What are good options for re-wiring an SME 3009 tone arm?

My SME 3009 must be close to its 50th birthday and the connectors for the cartridge are quite corroded.  I broke one off when changing cartridges but was able to resolder the connector back on without too much trouble.  I am looking for a more permanent solution.

I am aware of The Vinyl Source and their DIY kit.  This runs copper Litz wiring straight to the pre-amplifier, bypassing two sets of connectors in my case.  There is a 1-metre cable length from the base of the tone arm, where an anchor block replaces the standard SME connector

Then there is van den Hul, who have more sophisticated conductor choices including silver Litz and carbon hybrid.  They apparently supply SME these days.  It is not easy to get much detail from van den Hul or from SME when you live on the other side of the globe!

Or I could just buy Litz wire plus new cartridge connectors and replace what is in the tone arm.

The other end of the wire feeds a Krell KSP-7B pre-amplifier, and my current cartridges are moving magnet - a Shure V15 and an Audio Technica VM540ML.

What are your suggestions?

128x128richardbrand
stereo5's avatar
stereo5
6,407 posts
 

If it were me, I would send the arm out to a competent tech who knows how to rewire this arm. 

gregm
3,405 posts
 

What he said above.
First find the tech, then order the equipment you want - e.g. you might chat with the Vinyl Source people...

 

richardbrand's avatar
richardbrand OP
185 posts
 

@stereo5 @gregm 

Thanks for the advice.  The Vinyl Source can install the tone arm cable, but this would mean shipping the arm round the world - Australia to England and back again.

My own inclination is to always do any job myself, otherwise how can I learn?  It certainly de-mystifies a lot of hype when you find out how things are actually assembled!

I now have prices for The Vinyl Source at GBP-110 plus shipping and SME, at an eye-watering GBP-370 plus shipping.  The latter is more than the arm is worth and I still have no details of what is included.

These are the trade-offs I am looking for help on:

  • is it better to eliminate two connections by running the Litz wire all the way to the pre-amplifier, or
  • would conventional RCA cabling be better from the arm base to the pre-amplifier
  • would 'better' Litz cable, for example silver versus copper, make much audible difference
  • does the topography of the Litz cable, for example its weave, make much audible difference

 

d-vinyl-3009
2 posts
 

I sent my SME 3009 S2 (Non-Improved) off to “Robert Graetke”, at Analog Tube Audio. The Website is http://www.analogtubeaudio.de

I had it rebuilt and rewired with his silver wire, which I believe you could possibly purchase from him separately?

I cannot comment on the sound changes as, I unfortunately never got my TD-124 back together and running….

Eliminating the original SME connector block and getting an RCA or 5 pin Conversion kit, is a good option to take.

Verses running litz or other wiring, all the way to the pre-amplifier. Which I feel, would lock you in to whatever sound that cable provides.

On doing the tonearm wiring yourself…take a look at this site and see what is involved with the re-wire SME 3009 first: https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/sme-3009-series-ii-tonearm-rewire-tutorial.989728/

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