New SME Flagship Model 60

bonzo75

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Audiophile Bill

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Is this the one Mike lost out on because he couldn't convince his wife after 40 years of marriage?

That is the one. The big iron monster.
 

microstrip

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Hi Micro,

Would you mind taking the magazine discussion to a new thread - it really detracts from the SME discussion just when it is back on track.

Hi Audiophile Bill,

Sorry I have to disagree with you, I think that the posts were adequate and interesting and deserve to be considered in this thread. Particularly considering that most information we have now on the SME60 is very incomplete and mostly indirect speculation.
 

Audiophile Bill

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Hi Audiophile Bill,

Sorry I have to disagree with you, I think that the posts were adequate and interesting and deserve to be considered in this thread. Particularly considering that most information we have now on the SME60 is very incomplete and mostly indirect speculation.

Yes but you recapitulate the same stuff about magazines ad infinitum and this is another place with the same pollution.

It has nothing to do with SME 60 and nobody wants to read it on this thread.
 

microstrip

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Yes but you recapitulate the same stuff about magazines ad infinitum and this is another place with the same pollution.

It has nothing to do with SME 60 and nobody wants to read it on this thread.

My opinion is consistent, as that of many others in WBF. Some one posted his opinion, I posted mine, adding some new information on books. Apologies if it bothers you. And curiously as we are just relying mostly on the subjective opinions of reviewers of the SME60 , no one is WBF owns it, the subject has lot to do with this thread. Surely IMHO, YMMV.
 

Audiophile Bill

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My opinion is consistent, as that of many others in WBF. Some one posted his opinion, I posted mine, adding some new information on books. Apologies if it bothers you. And curiously as we are just relying mostly on the subjective opinions of reviewers of the SME60 , no one is WBF owns it, the subject has lot to do with this thread. Surely IMHO, YMMV.

okay :rolleyes:
 

microstrip

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What I find fascinating is the investment and direction change of SME

Audio is only a part of the activities of the company - as far as I have read their other interests (aerospace and medical industries) limit their resources that can be used in audio.
 

Audiophile Bill

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What I find fascinating is the investment and direction change of SME

Yes I do. I hope this starts a new successful era for the company because there is no doubt in their quality of machining and product.

I think it has a bit of a brand identity issue. It appeals to a small number of older audiophiles only imho. If you show a pic of say a 30/12 to a younger audiophile and then a pic of a Kronos they’ll not want the SME. So many of the Uber TTs are a feast for the eyes not just the ears.
 

ALF

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So the f from NL is better than the ST from DE?
K, my apologies for this late reply. These are both excellent EMT 927 machines, the st and the f, rehabilitated by two stellar fellows, Hans and Hans. However, the f has the option for two tonearms…simply a real estate delta between them.

I read somewhere that David did surgery on his 927f to be able to successfully accommodate his favorite tonearm…I also heard that the patient survived and is performing well :).

vbw,
-a
 
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bonzo75

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Yes but you recapitulate the same stuff about magazines ad infinitum and this is another place with the same pollution
To be fair he does give us a free summary of Toole's book across threads, including this one. And is the only source as no one else I know has read it or refers to it
 

Loheswaran

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Yes I do. I hope this starts a new successful era for the company because there is no doubt in their quality of machining and product.

I think it has a bit of a brand identity issue. It appeals to a small number of older audiophiles only imho. If you show a pic of say a 30/12 to a younger audiophile and then a pic of a Kronos they’ll not want the SME. So many of the Uber TTs are a feast for the eyes not just the ears.
Very well put. There was an element of ‘clogs of clogs’ - forgetting that SME were audio innovators. SME itself is a small cog in the new owners portfolio. For high end to survive it must be financially viable so they have expanded the range at both ends. Personally I’ve always loved the Spider-Man meets The Spy Who Loved Me looks of the 20 and 30. I am sure high net individuals simply don’t have the time to faff around comparing cables and arms - they want a superb product off the shelf that works.
 
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microstrip

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To be fair he does give us a free summary of Toole's book across threads, including this one. And is the only source as no one else I know has read it or refers to it

My apologies, I forgot the summary for you in this thread. He addressed reviewers and the established high-end in the book, but you have to read it for your self. Should I also assume I am the only one who read the Jim Smith book in full? ;)
 

Barry2013

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My apologies, I forgot the summary for you in this thread. He addressed reviewers and the established high-end in the book, but you have to read it for your self. Should I also assume I am the only one who read the Jim Smith book in full? ;)
Very well put. There was an element of ‘clogs of clogs’ - forgetting that SME were audio innovators. SME itself is a small cog in the new owners portfolio. For high end to survive it must be financially viable so they have expanded the range at both ends. Personally I’ve always loved the Spider-Man meets The Spy Who Loved Me looks of the 20 and 30. I am sure high net individuals simply don’t have the time to faff around comparing cables and arms - they want a superb product off the shelf that works.
The latest issue of HFNRR has a stellar review of the SME 60
 

tima

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Perhaps a tad off topic - and not trying to gain favour - but I do like positive feedback, HiFi pig and 6Moons as they seem to contextualise quite well. I don’t want to embarrass those I spoke to in the UK so I hope you understand why I won’t name them but in short and taken together most say no equipment is very poor and anything they thought was poor would be told to the manufacturers who will say if they don’t want to be published. As time passes I just know how to take everything with a pinch of salt. It’s just difficult when one lacks experience and auditioning is not practical either. I recall hearing the DPS and loving it when first looking at a good deck but lacked the confidence to buy it in the absence of reviews - years later it had some superb reviews…

A quick follow-up and then I'll leave this topic...

This is new but highly relevant:

You can gauge if any publications you choose not to name are participants.
 

mtemur

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I heard SME 60 at Avant-garde room. I heard both CD an Vinyl playback. sound was a little bit harsh with CD but it was incredibly good with Vinyl. I generally don’t like any Avant-garde speaker at all but this time it was good and significantly better compared to prior Munich shows if my memory wasn’t misleading me.
there is a high possibility that SME 60 playing a great role on final sound which I liked. IMHO new tonearm and it’s new wiring -which is other than vdh- contributed to that positively.
cartridge was ortofon A95 but I don’t remember the phono stage.
 

Audiophile Bill

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I heard SME 60 at Avant-garde room. I heard both CD an Vinyl playback. sound was a little bit harsh with CD but it was incredibly good with Vinyl. I generally don’t like any Avant-garde speaker at all but this time it was good and significantly better compared to prior Munich shows if my memory wasn’t misleading me.
there is a high possibility that SME 60 playing a great role on final sound which I liked. IMHO new tonearm and it’s new wiring -which is other than vdh- contributed to that positively.
cartridge was ortofon A95 but I don’t remember the phono stage.

Thanks! Do you recall the CD player at all?
 
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Lagonda

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To be fair he does give us a free summary of Toole's book across threads, including this one. And is the only source as no one else I know has read it or refers to it
He has a leather-bound hard copy version, that he keeps on a pedestal like a holy book ! ;)
 

bonzo75

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andromedaaudio

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It looks like a CH pre / Wadax dac ( and server ? ) as seen from my picture
I found the sound dissapointing but that had more to do with the AG horns .
 

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