Someone (through someone) approached me recently to have a look at his SME arm that was not sounding right. I took one look at the arm and could see that the arm had been fettled with (that, and the plastic bag with 'parts' in). This is an early example of the SME 3009 SII with a lowly serial number of #3045
Here were the problems:
I set about taking the arm apart and then got stuck with the headshell collet as it had been glued in. I had all but given up on it when someone from VE suggested acetone. I carefully put some acetone around the collet and it seeped in enough for me to get it out :wallbreak: .
Last night I rewired the arm. This morning I managed to find a gasket for the dashpot/cue and refilled it with silicone damping fluid. I rewired the headshell, reworked the play on the pillar bearings (they need just enough but not too much) and put the arm back together.
I put the arm on my test table, set it up and cued the first track.
All I can say is wow :Whoohoo: :Whoohoo: :Whoohoo:
This arm sounds amazing! I am a fan of the aesthetics of the SME 3009 SII but not a big fan of the sound. For me, lots of arms can sound so much better. Even an agricultural arm like the Thorens TP13a can sound better than an SME 3009 S2.
But, this arm sounds amazing (have I said that already ??? )?
Here are some pics of the arm in play (and in repair)...
SME 3009 S2 - pressed In Collet by arclients, on Flickr
SME 3009 S2 (early) - SelfPortrait by arclients, on Flickr
SME 3009 S2 (early) - In Play by arclients, on Flickr
SME 3009 S2 (early) - In Play by arclients, on Flickr
Here were the problems:
- Knife bearing screw/nut removed (If anyone here has worked on these arms then you know that to get it back is a PITA). The service manual recommends that the arm be returned to the factory to work on that...
- The wiring was not the original wiring and was wired wrong in the headshell collet (and the headshell). The armtube earth wire was missing with earth summed to the right channels shield (ala REGA style)
- The pillar bearings were re-tightened too tight.
- The dashpot/cue just dropped the arm with no damping at all...
- All fittings and fixtures were loose
I set about taking the arm apart and then got stuck with the headshell collet as it had been glued in. I had all but given up on it when someone from VE suggested acetone. I carefully put some acetone around the collet and it seeped in enough for me to get it out :wallbreak: .
Last night I rewired the arm. This morning I managed to find a gasket for the dashpot/cue and refilled it with silicone damping fluid. I rewired the headshell, reworked the play on the pillar bearings (they need just enough but not too much) and put the arm back together.
I put the arm on my test table, set it up and cued the first track.
All I can say is wow :Whoohoo: :Whoohoo: :Whoohoo:
This arm sounds amazing! I am a fan of the aesthetics of the SME 3009 SII but not a big fan of the sound. For me, lots of arms can sound so much better. Even an agricultural arm like the Thorens TP13a can sound better than an SME 3009 S2.
But, this arm sounds amazing (have I said that already ??? )?
Here are some pics of the arm in play (and in repair)...
SME 3009 S2 - pressed In Collet by arclients, on Flickr
SME 3009 S2 (early) - SelfPortrait by arclients, on Flickr
SME 3009 S2 (early) - In Play by arclients, on Flickr
SME 3009 S2 (early) - In Play by arclients, on Flickr
