Turntables...

The 52 is a bit run of the mill, not at all exotic. 10 a penny.

 

Nothing wrong with the 52. But once you have the SME (and removed the yoke, which you will do eventually), you may find it instructive to have someone listen to a couple of alternatives on your behalf.

Btw, I find it mildly astonishing that SM is now among those to which you outsource your listening, didn't you tell us SM was extremely deaf not so long ago?

 

Any port in a storm. I'm going mainly on reviews & reputation.

What would you suggest, preamp-wise (not Dynavector!)?

 

I do like the idea of ears for hire. Very labour saving.

For a small fee, I would be willing to be 'Stunt Ears'.

 

Seeing that Sir has saved a lot of money by going for a 20, Sir may want to think about an ex-dem 552, for example. A friend of one of Sir's friends seems to also have found something usefully better, while the friend himself is experimenting with something a bit more left-field but also potentially rewarding, all this in keeping with Sir's preference for Buying British.

 

The reviews on the sme website are! I am not the only person to listen to sme and then buy another deck. Maybe the dealer thought you wouldnt go for a 30 in the end and preferred to go for a "sure thing"? I suggest you listen to both and then decide whether or not there is more to his comment than meets the eye.

All hifi has limitations - some kit has different limitations to others - some music shows up some limitations more than others. Therefore - some decks suit some sorts of music better. Does one need to know to hear?

Markus my hat is off to you.

 

BBV,

The SME doesn't colour the music - it seems to deliver only what's on the record. If you like to juice up your listening, I can understand why you might look for a more colourful deck.

The SME was heard initially at Definitive Audio, with a Kuzma Ref Cart into a delightful valve setup capable of showing the subtleties of the SME's replay. This remains the most lifelike replay of some well known albums I have yet experienced.

If you are looking for a better Linn, look at the Yorke S7 or the BLG. For me, the SME simply made it easier to suspend disbelief and that is what I want from a hifi system.

 

I've seen some contorted "logic" in my time, but not much to rival that.

 

That's all too cryptic for me. 552 would have to be cheap (and good).

 

Hmm... valves. Nonsense - the SY and BLG are nothing like a better linn. Perhaps you can detail the BLG and SY setups you have heard? In the same setup as the sme? I assume kondo and living voice if it was definitive - that was the setup at the show. What system do you use at home?

Bub the issue can be resolved simply by listening to both.

 

If Kondo's dont move something inside of you (and I'm not talking your bowels) then I feel a little pity.

 

To be Honest I think the Kondo's are over rated, and the 2 times I've heard them (once at show) I've completely failed to be moved.
I even complained I thought they were using a CDP (opus 21 mind you) instead of the TT
More Hype for the ultra well off IMHO Sorry but thats a WM thang

 

Of the three times I've heard them, the one time with the Opus 21 (which was actually playing) through Living Voice (as you would assume it was Definitive's room) I was highly unimpressed, but the other two times I was really surprised by the stirring of emotion, especially through a big pair of Dali's with an Origin TT front end. I've never fancied Dali's, but in the setup (albeit in a big room) the combo seemed very nicely matched.

 

Tony,

What can I say?

But then I don't really rate BC or ML so we just listen for different things.

Kondo is silly money, but if you "get" what it does, there is nothing else I have heard that comes close (I have not had the pleasure of hearing the Conoisseur and am awaiting the latest TEAD unit with increasing impatience!)

 

Lets not get all sentimental about valves. Maybe 2nd harmonic stimulates theta brain waves or something

 

SM - I suspect the added lushness of valves might mask some of the vices of the sme. Do both you and your friend use valves and horns?

 

Yep of course. All 0.1% THD of it. But don't let facts stand in the way of a good arguement BBV.

I can imagine that a Bryston/PMC combo would strip the playback of the very tonal palette superiority that sold me on the SME though so you might not have had a chance to hear it's true worth.

 

An amusing topic... But why would someone want to discuss someone's choice when there was never a question? What's the point in this topic at all? Can someone tell me?

By the way, I LOVE my Michell Gyro! ;D

 

I didnt listen to the sme through bryston pmc - next try.

Kondo + kuzma was "nice" but not 300k worth of nice.

So valves and horns for both then?

 

Sorry are we talking about hearing this at a hifi show like WM , or have you had meaningful exposure to the product?

More or less everyone who has owned hifi long enough eventually succumbs to having valves. Some learn more quickly than others.