SME armboard for a 1210, metal or wooden?

[chris@panteg]

Must be someone here with experience of the SME 309 Tonearm

Yes I have a 309 magnesium on my 1210 with a soundhifi armboard, it works well never really thought of trying anything else except the Isonoe magnesium armboard which might be very good but no idea of the cost or availability.

[moodybuilder]

I've got a rega rb300 overhauled by jonnie at audio origami, on my 1200, have also had a 309 which I think is the best bang for the buck from sme as it has azimuth adjustment, but to me I think the rega is more alive and musical, I use a hana sl cart which is great with the rega, I use a metal erm plate but am thinking of trying the ebony or African black wood version.

[Cycleallday]

I've got a rega rb300 overhauled by jonnie at audio origami, on my 1200, have also had a 309 which I think is the best bang for the buck from sme as it has azimuth adjustment, but to me I think the rega is more alive and musical, I use a hana sl cart which is great with the rega, I use a metal erm plate but am thinking of trying the ebony or African black wood version.

This is my view of the SME/Rega difference. I use an SME V on a Michell deck and absolutely love it. The engineering is excellent and it is one of the easiest arms to set up with a cartridge I have ever come across.

However, my main listening deck tends to be a Rega or Techie - both with RB 300 arms and the reason is that more 'alive' sound - though frequency extremes are not as clear or sharp. Maybe an SME needs a bright cartridge to balance its smooth nature.

I always tend to think records played on the SME sound like studio albums while the same on a Rega arm sound more 'live'.

My early OL Rega based arm errs more on the SME type of sound but in all honesty it has spent most of its like in a box as its sound is not to my liking.

Mel

[drrd]

Anyone mentioned grounding? I'm using SME V on Sound Hifi metal arm board. I've tried a thin insulating film between the arm board and deck just to see if there was a difference. Everything grounded sounded better to me. Grounding components and both ends of interconnects (single ended or balanced) is kind of the accepted standard isn't it? Something to consider anyway but I ruled out insulating arm board materials after that.