SME 3009 ii improved or not, please help me make the right choice.

[L-82]

Hey guys i have Garrard 401 that i love with a SME 3009 ii unimproved, I only use Signet TK, 7, and 10 cartridges.

I just found a very nice 3009 improved with a non removable head shell that i bought last week.

Here is my question, now that i have 2 tonearms i want to send one to have it rewired and brought back to as new condition by SME tonearms here in Canada, Alfred will rewire it with a continues wire from head shell to the RCA.
Which one would be the best one to send? I will most probably sell the other one once the restored one is back with me...

Thanks for your expert opinion.

M

 

[2526]

You might ask the restorer

 

[KentTeffeteller]

Hey guys i have Garrard 401 that i love with a SME 3009 ii unimproved, I only use Signet TK, 7, and 10 cartridges.

I just found a very nice 3009 improved with a non removable head shell that i bought last week.

Here is my question, now that i have 2 tonearms i want to send one to have it rewired and brought back to as new condition by SME tonearms here in Canada, Alfred will rewire it with a continues wire from head shell to the RCA.
Which one would be the best one to send? I will most probably sell the other one once the restored one is back with me...

Thanks for your expert opinion.

M

The best of the two to use, is the 3009 II (non Improved). It works well with today's medium mass cartridges which are best suited for it). The 3009 II Improved is low mass, high compliance and most cartridges today are not.

 

[L-82]

You might ask the restorer

Yeah he said tge improved would work better

 

[L-82]

The best of the two to use, is the 3009 II (non Improved). It works well with today's medium mass cartridges which are best suited for it). The 3009 II Improved is low mass, high compliance and most cartridges today are not.

Thanks but for now and for foreseeable future I think I will be using the tk9 or 10 which are high compliance ( I think) they track at 1.2 grams

 

[KentTeffeteller]

They do fine on the 3009 II by the way, as it's light side of medium mass. I use a Signet TK5Ea on my Technics SL-1500 stock arm as one of the options. Which is also light side of medium mass.

 

[L-82]

So which one would you upgrade ?

 

[Ilikevinyl]

So which one would you upgrade ?

I would upgrade the Series II and not the Improved. You can always get a lightweight headshell to use with a high compliance cartridge. The series II will have a wider range of compliance matches because of the different headshells.

 

[L-82]

I would upgrade the Series II and not the Improved. You can always get a lightweight headshell to use with a high compliance cartridge. The series II will have a wider range of compliance matches because of the different headshells.

Mmhm might make sense thank you

 

[heyraz]

I can't say enough good things about my Series II Unimproved, it's an impressive piece of engineering. I bought it with the future in mind... I wanted to expand my choices whenever it becomes necessary to replace my cartridge.

If you're looking for money, I think the Unimproved will get you more. If I had your table, I'd mount 2 arms and cartridges. One for my daily driver, the other for a dedicated mono cartridge or for spinning 45's.

 

[L-82]

I can't say enough good things about my Series II Unimproved, it's an impressive piece of engineering. I bought it with the future in mind... I wanted to expand my choices whenever it becomes necessary to replace my cartridge.

If you're looking for money, I think the Unimproved will get you more. If I had your table, I'd mount 2 arms and cartridges. One for my daily driver, the other for a dedicated mono cartridge or for spinning 45's.

Hi thanks, not looking for money, just don’t like to have stuff that I don’t use. That’s why I’m trying to find what will be a better fit, and I think I agree with you that the unimproved will be the one that gets the upgrade