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Going from a Gyrodec to a SME 10

Hi all,

I'm thinking about going from my 10 year old Gyrodec to a near new SME 10. Would this be considered step-up in performance or just a different audio reproduction?

Currently my Gyrodec is up to date in specs including latest never connected power supply. Also it has all the Orbe upgrades including platter and using a SME IV arm. The SME would come with a 309 arm.

I'm wanting to swap carts from a mono to stereo frequently so I thought even though I I'd have the choice of arms I'd use the 309 and not keep the IV.

The rest of my system. Using Harbeth SHL5 speakers with a Aussie built KT120 amp into a Aussie built MM stage then a audio Techinca SUT..

Any thoughts would be great..

Thanks all
kensell21
yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
5,718 posts
 
That is an option on the 309 arm!
tketcham
291 posts
 
Peterayer: the height adjustment screw is not available separately from the damping trough. You must have received a special in-house setup from SME.

Regard,
Tom
peterayer
1,382 posts
 
Tkecham, Perhaps I was not clear enough in my previous post. The VTA height
adjustment screw has been an integral part of each the three SME arms I have
owned, the 309, the V and the V-12. The damping trough was not included with
the 309 but it is available as an option.

To my knowledge, the VTA screw comes standard with all of these arms. The
damping trough can be purchased separately as an option. The VTA screw is not
an option and the screw is not part of the damping trough assembly.
tketcham
291 posts
 
Peterayer; a correction to my post on the vta screw...
The screw is available separately but you need the damping trough in order to use the screw with the 309. Without the trough assembly there is no threaded insert for the screw. At least that's what all the posts on this topic have been saying and the email reply I got from SME implies. (Maybe they just wanted to sell me the whole FDIV assembly. :-)

I'm going to pull the plastic insert out of the hole in the tonearm plate to see if it does have threads or not.

Regards,
Tom
peterayer
1,382 posts
 
Tketcham, I just thought of something. A rather fine point, but it may make a difference to the discussion. My 309 was modified and included with my SME Model 10A turntable package. I was under the impression that this was simply a 309 painted with the #10 on it for this package. It may in fact be different from the standard 309 arm. What I remember is that it had the VTA screw like all of my other arms for height adjustment and it did not include the damping trough which I considered buying later as an option. I upgraded to the V arm instead.
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