SME 345

I am also looking at purchasing an Oracle Delphi MKV
with the SME 345 tonearm.Can anyone give any advice on cartridge matching for this combination,eventual partnership will be with Audio Research amps & Maggies.
What will go well with this arm/i like most music styles
the budget is $2500/$3000 tops.I am thinking Benz/Koetsu
or van den hul.Not been able to demo any thing yet so some direction would be great.

Cheers,Sknad

I have both the 345 and the V. I can detect no performance difference between them. The 345 has a removable headshell the V is easier to set tracking force and vta. I havent found a cartridge that doesnt sound good with either one but I am currently using a clearaudio stradivari and it is magic with either arm but Im using it in the V which is easy to dial in.

I have just added the new Oracle Thalia ($1500) cartridge to my Oracle Delphi MKV + SME 345. It replaced a Koetsu Black, and the improvement is amazing. This combination works very well together.

To Skand,
I have the Oracle DelphiV and an SME 345. You may wish to consider the Dynavector line. I am currently running a Te Kaitora Rua but have heard all the Dyna carts in my system and think they are a very very good match.IMO of course.

I've owned an SME 345 for 5 years now, and I've not found a cartridge that wouldn't track with it.

I'm running it on an Avid Diva II SE with a Sumiko Pearl/Jico SAS Stylus-1. Yes this is a budget cartridge, and I've used an Ortofon Jubilee, Koetsu Black, AT 33PTG, Madrigal Carnegie One, Dynavector DVXX1, ZU 103, Blah blah blah, but the thick smooth sound of the SAS Pearl is what I can listen to for hours upon hours.