SME 3009 ii (NI) match with Goldnote Donatello?

[TunerLanding]

This cartridge just came available at a great discount locally and I'm wondering if the 7g weight and 2.0g compliance is a good match for this light vintage tonearm? There's so much confusion regarding the 3009 models that I hope I can get a straight answer. Ppl seem to respond to queries about the 3009 without knowing about the different iterations. I do also have a table with an SME 3009 s2 improved (removable headshell also) would that be an even better match? Worse?
Also, I was hoping to use the high output MC with a Luxman M-120A/C-120A combo would it work with the MC input? Thanks in advance!

 

[Blue Shadow]

SME 3009 s2 improved

This is a correct name for the removable headshell series 2 improved arm with 9.5g effective mass.

I don't know which 3009 you have in the title. What model is it?

2.0g compliance doesn't mean anything useful

The website for the nail says that compliance is 10 and also 12cu (x10-6cm) which are useable numbers.
But at what frequency do they specify the compliance? Normally the frequency for the compliance determination is 10Hz but the Japanese use 100Hz most of the time. There isn't an exact conversion, somewhere between 1.2-1.75 times the 100Hz value to get the 10Hz value or there is no conversion at all.

It appears the cartridge will work with the S2.

The cartridge has an output of 0.5mV for the LOMC and the Luxman C-120a has an input sensitivity of 200µV or 0.2mV so you can use the LOMC with the MC input on the preamp. The HOMC has an output of 1.8mV and it could probably be used with the MC input also. The HOMC specs a load of 47kΩ the same as the MM input on the 120. The MC input has a 390Ω input load. Try it and see but know that the MM should be correct but with a 2.0mV sensitivity, might need to twist the volume control another notch or two.

 

[TunerLanding]

This is a correct name for the removable headshell series 2 improved arm with 9.5g effective mass.

I don't know which 3009 you have in the title. What model is it?

2.0g compliance doesn't mean anything useful

The website for the nail says that compliance is 10 and also 12cu (x10-6cm) which are useable numbers.
But at what frequency do they specify the compliance? Normally the frequency for the compliance determination is 10Hz but the Japanese use 100Hz most of the time. There isn't an exact conversion, somewhere between 1.2-1.75 times the 100Hz value to get the 10Hz value or there is no conversion at all.

It appears the cartridge will work with the S2.

The cartridge has an output of 0.5mV for the LOMC and the Luxman C-120a has an input sensitivity of 200µV or 0.2mV so you can use the LOMC with the MC input on the preamp. The HOMC has an output of 1.8mV and it could probably be used with the MC input also. The HOMC specs a load of 47kΩ the same as the MM input on the 120. The MC input has a 390Ω input load. Try it and see but know that the MM should be correct but with a 2.0mV sensitivity, might need to twist the volume control another notch or two.

Its a SME 3009 series 2 non improved on the table I'd like to use, otherwise I'm switching the Ortofon Black off the S2 improved

 

[tnsilver]

The Donatello specs don't make sense to me. https://www.goldnote.it/cartridges/donatello/
On one hand it specifies 12×10-6cm/dyne compliance (i.e. 12cu), it's Italian so I assume it's at 10Hz, but on the other hand, the recommended VTF (1.8g to 2.1g) doesn't gel up with such low compliance.

Regardless, it doesn't make much difference in this case, as both possibilities of compliance at 10Hz and at 100Hz seem to be a good match.

The SME 3009 series 2 non improved effective mass is 12.5g. For 12cu@10Hz and 7g cart mass, the expected RF is a perfect 10Hz. This is valid all the way up to a much higher cart mass, so any reasonable fastening hardware mass is already factored in.

For the Japanese standard of compliance at 100Hz, one needs to multiply the given cu by an unknown factor with a magnitude of 1.5 to 2.0. Fortunately, both ends of the result range (18cu@10Hz and 24cu@10Hz) are a reasonable match for the SME, yielding an expected RF of 11 to 8 Hz. albeit the very top of the range is too low (7Hz).

According to the VE calculator at https://www.vinylengine.com/cartridge_resonance_evaluator.php?eff_mass=12.5 (sorry, I don't trust Korf), it looks pretty good to me. As long as this is the older SME 3009 ser 2 and not a lighter, newer variant - you're good to go.

 

[heyraz]

@TunerLanding
A picture of your SME tonearm will clear up any doubts as to what version you have.
This is my SME 3009 Series II Non Improved:


The Improved version looks quite different. Look at the counterweight.


Hope this helps.