Has There Been Changes To The SME V Over The Years?


So my V has a serial number of 57564, which from what I can tell makes it a mid 1990s era arm. The arm looks like new, no signs of heavy use or mistreatment. I zero the arm out and a moderate puff of air will allow the arm to travel the whole horizontal range of travel, and same when testing vertical. 

Does anyone know the history of the V arms? I remember talking with a dealer in England who was heavy into the SME arms, and he stated that over the years suppliers changed, and that certain eras of V sounded better than others. I have no idea. 

As I understand it the internal wiring has changed over the years. But I see little else. I know one member on Whats Best who stated that when he rewired his V and compared it to a 2016 era one, there were no significant differences to be seen. 

One of my options for upgrading the arm on my SOTA is getting the SME V worked on. Alfred at SMETonearms will do a disassembly and bearing upgrade, and then a single wire loom of Cardas. If I were to have the arm rewired I think I want to stick with silver, and it seems Audionote UK or Kondo, or Discovery1877 are the wires most often used with this. 

 

Anyone know the history of the SME V, or can share their experiences on having theirs serviced or upgraded?

neonknight

Here is the review by John Borwick when it first came out, from a 1986 Gramophone. and the Hi-Fi News review. What is not often remembered now, is that the Series V came out before the Series IV. They are essentially the same arm (with the V having a damping trough and VTA screw as standard, plus a thumbwheel to adjust VTF instead of the hex-screw used on the IV) but the V is assembled from selected parts with finer tolerances, whereas the IV uses the parts just as they come off the production line.

 

My question about brunelling was rhetorical, although I did have to look up the definition. My point is that I doubt any tonearm ever is used so often or so roughly as to cause brinelling. If it’s present, it’s probably due to a manufacturing defect. Which doesn’t necessarily conflict with Pindac’s point.

The following is posted by myself in another Thread recently:

Most record pressing standards have a production tolerances that are producing a centre hole to groove eccentricity tolerance of 0.2 mm maximum.

Apply the 0.2mm to a playback radius of 100 mm (approximately the centre of the LP modulated groove area) equates to a wow of +/- 0.2 % peak ( 0.14 % RMS). As this is for most an people inaudible, it does seem like a fair tolerance for a standard production item. 

Does a Premium production Item address the off-set to a Zero mm dimension?

Usually, when I refer to eccentricity of a rotation, I refer to the eccentric rotation of the LP, in conjunction, with the eccentric rotation of the Platter Spindle Bearing being the main concern.

What is an additional concern, is the condition of the TA in use, being able to maintain a True Axis when in use, decreasing any creep to the Spindle Axis / Pivot dimension.

Wear of the Tonearm Bearing has the potential to add to the movement at a critical mechanical interface, where maintenance of a dimension is a high importance.

Bearing condition, Quality of Bearing Parts along with Bearing Wear such as Brinelling, are if present able to add to the changes being made to what is ideally a fixed dimension. 

What is the main concern is that a Typical Bearing design has proven the use of Captured Ball Race Bearings have a design that will produce energy that is able to be transferred to the Styli, along with other influences being restrictive to the freedom of movement.

Add to the typical design concerns a wear is present that is a detriment, where an excess of movement has manifested. As well as being an increased risk to producing energies that are being transferred to the Styli. The condition of wear if suspected of being present is also able to contribute to changing a critical dimension that is best maintained. Measures selected as an attempt to remove the influence are worthwhile as an investigation.

I will make claim there are TA's in use today that are between 40 - 50 Years since their being new models, that are used regularly with no knowledge of what has developed in the Bearing Assembly. It would be of interest to know who is using such a Tonearm Type and which Cart's are mounted on them.

At what time of usage does a bearing wear become a concern or bearing wear manifest?

 In the modern day, there are Differing Materials selected to produce Captured Ball Race Bearings. The result being, Bearing Balls are available that are improved for being consistently Spherical, with improved dimensions between each Balls sizing.

Some Bearings as a result of Parts selected for the assembly, are offering Quality Control where very low micron dimensions are quoted as the contact between all contacts of balls in the assembly.

It is the levels of Polishing to the surfaces and how long these levels of Polish that can be maintained, that are one of the requirements to ensure low friction and substantially reduce the risk of stiction occurring.

When an individual does like the idea of renewing a Part such as a Captured Ball Race Bearing, it is not just the Model No for the replacement part that should be seen as the improvement.

What really matters is if the design has been produced to improve/decrease the likelihood of other concerns from older used items used for the same role still remaining. 

It is also best to fully satisfy oneself that the individual being entrusted fully to carry out the exchanges, understands the mechanical need of the TA, and is not just adept at swapping out one Captured Ball Race Bearing Type for another.

It is also best, if the same individual fully comprehends how free a bearing can be,  to be optimised for freedom oof movement when reassembled.

I have a adjustment device where one full turn is 1 micron, which then equates to an increased or decreased force on the freedom of movement.

It is the sort of control that only very very limited individuals should be let near. Certainly not a toy for myself to get an interest in.

From my end, I have a True Axis at the Platter Spindle, I have a True Axis at the Tonearm Pivot. 

The interface between Platter Spindle / TA Pivot are a consistent unchanging dimension.

I have a Album in the mix that has a possible 0,2mm eccentricity.

There is only one concern I have for an unwanted influence on the Styli, but if the above calculation is correct, as I am sure the Record Industry has allowed for, then this is a non-concern as well. 

I am yet to see any great difficulty in attaining such an attractive condition as a mechanical interface.