SME Model 20/12 Turntable

To arrange a listen, please call 08445040350

£10536.00

or £234.13/month on 0% Finance (36 months) after an initial 20% deposit

This is a click and collect item. Due to agreement with the manufacturer, this item is sold based on your geographic location and has to be collected from our Birmingham UK showroom. It can not be shipped. Continuing to order this item through the basket is acceptance you agree to collect from our showroom by prior arrangement.

Model

Without Tonearm  With SME 312S Tonearm  (+£1090.00)

 Quantity

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A larger and more massive version of our well known Model 20/2, the Model 20/12 will accept nine, ten and twelve-inch arms - available as 30/12 (without tonearm) or the 30/12a (with matching SME 312S tonearm). This offers a performance some 27% better than a nine-inch arm in respect of angular error distortion. 

Design

The wand and headshell are pressure die-cast in magnesium and are 27g lighter than they would be in aluminium. Probably the stiffest and lightest twelve-inch arms ever made these dual problems are at last addressed and on listening, the benefits of minimal tracking error and harmonic distortion are clearly revealed. A turntable should address the problems of extraneous vibrations. These emanate from numerous sources including air and structural vibration from loudspeakers, groove modulation, stray electrical fields and mechanical imperfections in moving parts. 

In the Model 20/12, superb instrument quality machining is allied with fundamental physics. The higher the mass and stiffness of a body the less it will flex and vibrate; the duration of a vibration can be shortened by suitable damping.

Model 20/12 weighs approximately 33.5Kg (73.7lb), significant in relation to its size because it is density that matters. For example, the same weight of metal spread over a large enough area would be aluminium foil! The sub-chassis measures only 20 1/2” (520mm) by 14 3/4” (375mm) but weighs 8.0Kg (17.6lb). Its thickness, 5/8” (16mm) resists flexing at low frequencies whilst high frequency resonance is attenuated by efficient extensional damping.

Model 20/12 has no `sonic footprint'. The sub-chassis is suspended on forty purpose moulded ‘O’ rings which ensure freedom from feedback. A large centrally placed fluid-damper disciplines sub-chassis movement with a pleasing sense of security when handling records on and off the platter.

In addition to a cartridge’s electrical output, mirror image acoustic signals reacted in the arm and record, will pass into the sub-chassis in the course of dissipation. However the usual closed loop design does not address the problem of their differing phase so in the Model 20/12 the structural interfaces concerned have received special attention to provide paths of the required impedance.

This control of vibration is fundamental to the design of the player and goes much of the way to explaining the stunning tonal and dynamic neutrality that it exhibits.

Features

- Stable four point suspension.
- Sub-chasis suspended on eighty strands of rubber in the form of forty purpose moulded ‘O’-rings.
- Trimming screws for suspension adjustment.
- Central fluid damper controls sub-chassis motion and offers resistive ground-path for acoustic signals.
- For transport lock down screws secure the sub-chassis and seal the damper.
- 19mm diameter main spindle machined from high-chrome steel. Runs in a sealed oil bath.
- Reflex clamping system minimises record resonance.
- 6.5Kg (14.3lb) machined platter with unique Isodamp face.
- Generous use of extensional damping and resistive loop construction ensure sonic neutrality.
- Adjustable ball feet with optional compliant inserts.
- Four jacking screws built into the sub-platter allow the thrust bearing to be off loaded for transit.
- Driven by a 3-phase, 6 pulse, inductance motor, with 8 pole Neodymium magnets.
- New design incorporates a 4 layer PCB with on-board user adjustable speed variation control.
- Large diameter strobe disc supplied allows precise adjustment of standard speeds.
- Speeds ranges: 33.3, 45 and 78 rpm. 

Specifications

- Dimensions: 520 x 375 x 173.5mm.
- Packing: Substantial case.
- Net weight with power supply: 35.5kg (78lb)
- Shipping weight approximately: 45.5kg (100lb)

We are authorised SME retailers. Brand new and complete with the full warranty.

FREE UK DELIVERY