SME IV Vs V...

I'm looking at getting one or the other in the next week or so. I was wondering if someone could highlight the differences between the two for me? I know about the silicon damping and the damped lift but is that it? I can certainly live without the silicon- most of what I've heard about it is negative and I'm not to fussed about a damped lifter, a manual lower thing will do me fine but are there any other differences i.e. bearing tolerance and such. Do they sound different to each other? Theres a rather large difference in price between them and if I'm paying for a couple of things I don't need then seems silly to get the V, especially as the IV can be upgraded to V spec if I feel the need to at any point.

TIA

 

Don't bother they're crap

From what I remember the IV is supposed to be the most musical, the V being drier and not as much fun, but plenty of people will know more than me. There are other good tonearms to look at. Got to say if it was me the SME would not be top of my list. One of the Linn's perhaps or the techno-arm

 

I'd love an SME IV or V. Can't afford either :'( just now!

Schroeder arms sound great if you can get an earwig too. What deck is it going on?

 

Its going on an avid (sprung) so pretty much has to be gimble.
Technoarm better than an SME?! No way am I paying good money for a rega in a jump suit!
Don't know the schroeder arms, I'll look them up.

 

Hi,

The SME V has better bearings (higher tolerence) and is more adjustable. It has the optional damping and VTA adjuster. The wire is silver litz. I have heard that the VI is supposed to be better than the V but I have heard no real evidence for this.

I own a SME V on my Acutus and it is a top combination. Very enjoyable.Top quality detail and dynamics.

I would put a SME on the top of your list. It is well built, offer high quality sounds, works well on a number of decks, looks the biz. I have not compared the SME to the Tecno arm but my feeling would for the SME. Most reports I have heard & read have been in favour of the SME.

As you have a Avid Volvere, a SME would suit it. I have heard this deck with Rega arms, SME arms and Linn arms (EKOS). But I would look at having your deck upgraded to the Volvere sequel. This gives the power supply and the motor from the Acutus. Not sure how much it is but it should give you even better pitch stability, dynamics and detail to your music.


SCIDB

 

I've already got the acutus motor. Don't feel any particular need to upgrade the psu to be honest, I think the cost is a bit steep for what you get.

A friend of mine uses a V on his acutus which is where I got the idea from, he ran it on mine for a bit and said they basically sound the same, the acutus just comes out on top for overall resolution (mainly in the really deep bass) so I should think the sme would work nicely on the volvaire too.

 

Hi,

I agree it's the resolution does get better. The SME is one to look at, new or 2nd hand.

SCIDB

 

Yeah, I'll be looking at second hand stuff, can't afford new and sme's are built to last anyway. Sounds like the V is the one to go for though with the vta slider and better bearings.
I was trying to figure out the differences between the acutus and volvaire psu's, avid told me the volvaire one is more advanced but I'm not entirely sure what they meant by that- better or more compact. Certainly didn't make me want to pay for one! From that I assumed the increased res mostly comes from the doubled mass in the platter.

 

Hi Amex,

I'm interested in what you are saying about the power supplies. The power supply on the Volvere Sequal is the same as the one on Acutus, the box is different. The motor is slighty different, the Acutus one is modified. This motor is has high torque. I do know there is a uprated power supply for the Acutus.

The Heavy platter on the Acutus will go along way towards the stability of sound but a good motor and power supply is still needed. This will cut down on noise, vibrations and mains harmonics being pushed into the turntable. It helps the turntable rotate better. It should improve the sound.

Another arm I have heard on an Avid is the Wilson Benesch arm. This is a unipivot but sounded very good. It's strengths were in the mid range, like most unipivots. I heard one on an Acutus. The SME had, to mine ears, better top to bottom consistancy overall.

SCIDB

 

Yeah I'm interested too I was over there the other day, having a look around and found a volvaire psu on the bench which I had a look at. I was told it was more advanced than the acutus, but like I said, that could mean anything really.
Yes, they rebuild the motors on the acutus but the volvaire have standard ones, but as I say, mines been done so I don't really feel the need to have the psu done. It'd be cheaper to buy a wave mechanic and I'd rather upgrade the tonearm atm. They all have high torque though- they're all the same motors but the acutus use properly matched coils etc. where as the volvaire just have off the shelf ones.
I've set the wheel in motion to get an sme but still not sure which I'm buying yet.

 

If you are spending that amount of money on a tonearm look at www.gtaudio.com

Graham (I think) is based in Buckingham. He sells some superb tonearms, ones that will wipe the floor with the SME models.

I find SME un-musical

 

The schroeder ones? Yes I looked them up when bottleneck mentioned them. I was put off by the fact they don't list prices on the site. £1K is as much as I'm going to spend, do you know how much they actually cost?

 

I do not know 100%, but if you give Grahm a call he is a sound chap, really knowledgable geezer !

He only sells things that are musical !

 

They certainly look nice. Its all going to come down to price in the end I think, I was either going to buy a used SME V or a new IV so anything over £1K is too much really with a new phono stage to sort, and there doesn't seem much chance of getting a used schroeder. I'll give him a bell after I've spoken to the guy whos helping me find an SME.

 

I was thinking of an SME, until I heard one ! I am interested in trying out the Schroeders but new car forces funds !

If you are looking for a phono stage I was thinking of an EAR 834P, these are ment to be amazing !

 

Anex, I found the SME V to be brilliant in many respects but ultimately it is rather uninvolving. I plumped for the 309 because it has the life which the V does not, plus the detachable headshell can be upgraded, and it has copper wiring whereas the V has silver (which I dislike). At least consider a number of other arms because a V would be a serious investment, even 2nd hand as they tend to maintain their value.

 

Hi,

The Schroder arm look very nice. It has a very good reputation. But I would think the price is out of Anex's price bracket. But you never know with the 2nd hand market.

Here is some info on the arm,

http://www.galibierdesign.com/prd_schroeder.html#comp_chart

SCIDB

 

With the Avid, being such a musical beast (as opposed to music reproducer) I'd go for a musical arm...
In which case stay away from the SME V!
If poss the best option would be a Morch.
They're the D.Bs (and I must get one myself!)

 

Unipivot though which I don't really want, bit worried it'll be a bad match for the bouncer. If I had a solid deck they'd be near the top of my list though.

Levi: Cheers but I'm building my own- cheaper and better result. I'm not actually a fan of the ear stages tbh.

EDIT: Sorry I'm an idiot, morch do a non uni model too. Definately worth investigating. Damn. This is getting more and more complicated.

 

Ok sorry to dig up an old thread but thought I'd share that I bought a Morch if anyone is interested. Just got back from walrus where I spent the morning listening to the UP4 and DP6. Haven't got much vinyl here as I'm staying at my parents till Sunday but managed to find enough stuff to give a good test. Started on the UP4, it sounded nice with Sun Kil Moon, Ryan Adams, Donovan etc. (acoustic guitar & vocal) the instruments and voices were perfectly outlined but then trying Black Eyes (a Dischord band- very noisy punk) Death in Vegas, D&B etc. it just couldn't hack it, the bass was SLOW and one notey, no real top end etc. and it just sounded boring. Still, could have listened to Sun Kil Moon all day.
The DP6 just sounded right from the first note. I played Six Organs of Admitance first on both arms. The UP was ok but not brilliant, the DP6 sounded stunning. The presentation was so well balanced and it could respond to the smallest shift in transients etc. Went through all the same tracks in the same order, every one sounded better on the DP. More detail, more music (including alot more notes) more eveness... I could go on. I was really suprised at how much better the DP was at everything. So I bought one, in Gold. To be bling. Or something.
Should be roughly a 10 day lead time as they're made to order and I'm waiting to hear back from Conrad at Avid about getting a mounting plate sorted as the morch uses a 20mm hole (much smaller than rega and nothing like sme).
Will post a pic when its all sorted. Thanks for the help everyone, especially Leonard Smalls for putting me onto the arm in the first place.