I have a two year old SME 10 with a V arm, upgraded the wires to Nordost Frey.
It sits atop a Grand Prix Audio LeMans SE rack(the legs of the rack have the same filler of the more expensive Monaco)
I use a Clearaudio Talisman V2 Gold into a Manley Steelhead.
In the past I've owned LP12, Oracle/ET2,VPI scout,Rega P9,Sota Saphire/Sme V,and various pre amps with internal phono stages and most recently a Sutherland PHD phono stage.
I am very pleased with the solid control of the SME10, but truth be told the only table that I can fairly compare it to was the Rega P9, and that was with a different cartridge.So table comparisons aren't fair.
All the other tables missed the pleasure of the manley and the Grand Prix rack, and several other upgrades of the last few years.
My take is that the SME 10 is a great table,in that I don't think it adds or subtracts much from what is in front or behind it.
In other words, give it the best ancilliaries you can, and it will let you hear those improvements.
Leave it stock and it will still please you, but not as much.
I can't say the same for all tables.I think some tables have a limit to how much they can be improved upon and throwing a lot of money at them won't really improve them to the extent that you are getting your dollar's worth.
I have a couple of friends who are also in the SME camp, one with the 20 /IV arm, and the other with a 30/V arm.
I don't feel that the 10/v is a distant third runner up or a cheap entry level version of it's bigger brothers.
I don't suffer from table envy, because I think that the qualities of the bigger tables are very much in evidence with the 10 as it sits in my system.
There are a lot of new and very good turntables available now, so the SME line has some good competion.
But if solid build and a less finicky type "set it up and leave it" table is what you desire, I still think the SME 10 is a good place to start or end up in vinyl replay.
