SME 3009 questions

[Thebiglebowski]

I think it's going to be a good while before I can afford the SME 309 so I've decided to get my 3009 serviced and rewired by Johnny at audio origami. Before I do I've got a few questions I need some help with.

It is a 3009 S2 improved so I assume it has the nylon knife bearing and would it benefit from replacing with a steel one?

Does anyone know what the standard weight is as it is too light for my cart and I've had to flip the rider weight around the opposite way to get the downforce set?

Here's a photo of the arm:

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7566/15531284853_3c3356e4b6_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/125918586@N03/15531284853/)
Untitled (https://www.flickr.com/photos/125918586@N03/15531284853/) by thebiglebowski162 (https://www.flickr.com/people/125918586@N03/), on Flickr

[Audio Advent]

Hi,

I think a 309 can be picked up on ebay for about £650 (at least I saw a dealer's buy it now for that, boxed etc, a few months ago). How much is the re-wire and possible bearing upgrade? £200? £230 once postage is factored both ways. So save £230, live with the S2 as it is for a while, sell it for £250 (what they go for if well presented on ebay) and you're almost there for the 309 ! Put the £230 aside, wait for another £150 to become available, sell the 3009 S2 and you'll have £650 for a 309 even if that means living without vinyl for a month till a good priced one comes up.

I make the mistake of spending money tinkering with things to make what I already have a bit better, only to realise later that if I'd saved the money I could have afforded the better thing I really wanted! Do it all the time with cars, hifi, studio gear etc etc.. We never achieve our goals because we can't imagine ever achieving them, give up in the short term and so remain unfocused.

That's my advice anyway (from someone who's never warmed to the 3009 which has always been a little unexciting, bit old sounding - ok for hearing the notes and getting the rhythm but nothing special for soundstage, detail, texture and all the sonic trimmings that makes music more interesting in my opinon).

[surayne]

There's some good information on the various incarnations of the 3009 and 3012 here. (http://www.analogue-classics.com/html/sme_3009___3012.html)

Opinions vary, but my understanding is that the earlier non-improved versions (with steel bearings) are the pick of the lot and would be worth hanging on to. Sam makes a decent point above, you are unlikely to recoup any servicing or rewiring costs when selling on the arm eventually, so if you're set on a 309 then it may be worth holding out for one.

[paskinn]

Yes, if you are definitely moving toward a 309, why waste money on the 3009? A word of caution though, the best bargains for the newer range of SME arms are rarely at the bottom end of the prices. This is because these arms have been around many years, without model upgrades. So people think they will just search for the cheapest. This, in turn, leads to too many punters chasing too few old arms, which pushes the price up too much.
IMO you get a far better arm if you pay just a bit more. As an example, taken from actual forums, you get almost new SME Vs for about £1800. But a knackered sample, 20 years old or more, never serviced. can still ask £1200. The 'expensive' arm is actually the better value in this case.
And by the time the old arm is serviced (which it will need) you can end up spending more. My advice would be to buy the best sample you can afford, then keep it a long time.

[337alant]

I rewired mine myself, you can buy the wiring harness and cartridge socket pre wired from SME
http://www.sme.ltd.uk/content/Spare-parts--Accessories-1310.shtml
I think the SME 3009 mk2 is a beautiful arm and sounds superb
some info on DIY here
http://www.theanalogdept.com/sme_service.htm

I also made a little adapter plate to take a cardas tone arm socket
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3914/14663302567_a5c7838924_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/okKfZv)SME 4 (https://flic.kr/p/okKfZv) by 337alant (https://www.flickr.com/people/69508926@N05/), on Flickr

Fitted to my Pioneer PLC-590

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3921/14663302777_078d55095a_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/okKg48)SME 3 (https://flic.kr/p/okKg48) by 337alant (https://www.flickr.com/people/69508926@N05/), on Flickr

Alan

[struth]

There's some good information on the various incarnations of the 3009 and 3012 here. (http://www.analogue-classics.com/html/sme_3009___3012.html)

Opinions vary, but my understanding is that the earlier non-improved versions (with steel bearings) are the pick of the lot and would be worth hanging on to. Sam makes a decent point above, you are unlikely to recoup any servicing or rewiring costs when selling on the arm eventually, so if you're set on a 309 then it may be worth holding out for one.

judging by that article mine is a 3009 improved or a s2 improved. i also set mine up differently. sounds great though so what the hey

[surayne]

That's a lovely job you've done with the adapter plate, Alan - did you make it or buy it? I have a 3009 and 3012 I've been meaning to rewire and was planning to convert them to RCAs, but that looks like a much better option.

[337alant]

That's a lovely job you've done with the adapter plate, Alan - did you make it or buy it? I have a 3009 and 3012 I've been meaning to rewire and was planning to convert them to RCAs, but that looks like a much better option.

I just made it from a piece of aluminium plate, the cardas plug is a better connection than RCAs IMO
If you rewire get the kit from SME its not cheap about £70 but its silver litz cable and it is already soldered to the head shell socket which is very difficult to do without damaging the delicate springs

Regards
Alan