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SME Pickup arms and various cartridges - advice please?

A

AudioKapril

New Member
I recently inherited a Garrard 401 turntable with two SME 3009 S2 Improved pickup arms and a load of cartridges. I would greatly appreciate some advice on these:

I now have one each of SME 3009 S2 Improved pickup arms, one detachable and the other non-detachable - which is considered to be the better arm?

The cartridges include the following:
  • Shure M75ED Type 2
  • Shure M75EJ Type 2
  • Shure M95ED
  • Ortofon VMS30 Mk 2
  • Ortofon VMS20E Mk 2 replacement stylus.

Can anyone please give me any advice on the comparative quality of these cartridge/styli and if possible the appropriate tracking weights - working on the assumption that they are all in good condition.

Many thanks for any help you can offer :)
 
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You'll get lots of opinions on the relative merits of that version of the 3009 arm, but as a rule, it is meant for carts with extremely high compliance, especially the non-removable headshell version.

As a result, on paper, it would work best with carts like the M95ED, especially if it's the version with the dynamic stabilizer system.

But...since it's easier to add mass than take it away, you can adapt the arm to work with more medium compliance carts like the M75 very easily.

One thing to do is to sign up at www.vinylengine.com and download all the manuals for the arm and carts you now have. From there you can get a handle on what VTF they require and start to play around. :)
 
For more help from us, give us a few more particulars, meaning, what styli they have, are they Shure/Ortofon originals or aftermarket styli, and what shape they appear to be in. Pics would be great to see. (I'll admit I want to see your haul and drool a little over it.)
 
So far as I am aware, everything is original and (visually) in good condition, it has all been around (mostly unused) for many years - i.e. nothing from China ;)

I am working my way through everything.

I'm not quite sure how pictures of anything will help but I will do what I can.
 
The one with the detachable headshell will make swapping & installing carts much easier, but it gives something with the slightly heavier mass. Very slightly.
 
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