The arm is a genuine SME 3009R tonearm.

The only exceptions being the two screws + the fact that two tiny springs are missing + there is no headshell. Otherwise it is complete.

So how on earth two respected international SME-repairers could reach a verdict of it being absolutely a fake arm is beyond me. It beggars belief and one may be excused for saying some nasty things about those two American and German experts that make money restoring SME arms. You can scroll up and get their names. I for one will never ever again get near them or their businesses with a bargepole. NOT RECOMMENDED.

On the contrary, SME UK was right in their tentative conclusion on the basis of my photos of the arm. The same photos that were sent to the two "experts."

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I spent almost three hours together with Poul Mathiasen (correctly spelled this time) at his combined business and home in Aaarhus. It took him 10 seconds to establish that my SME 3009R is completely genuine and in good condition. No doubt whatsoever. He will gladly certify this or repeat this to anyone who will want to check. You can find him through his website "Dansk Audio Teknik".

After a few minutes spent looking at the genuine SME 3009R tonearm, I listened to some fantastic music - first Lucinda Williams in the basement where some big tower speakers were driven by Class D amps, then upstairs on an active ATC chain: ATC SCA 2 - (8 Channel) ATC power amp - ATC 300 speakers fed by a Weiss DAC 1 and a nice CD-player (I forgot to write down the brand but perhaps someone can identify it from the photo?). We listened to Lucinda Williams albums ("World Without Tears" and "Live @ the Fillmore"), The Hadouk Trio and Cowboy Junkies "Trinity Revisited" (live). Impressive and realistic sound. Holy Moly! I may want to borrow the ATC SCA2 preamp for a repeat performance in my own set-up, or perhaps better not ...

Photos of a vinyl-lined room - and before anyone asks, "no" - I did not listen to music through the gigantic horn-speakers that can be seen waiting in the next room, and "no" we did not spin any vinyl on the SME turntable: