Sme 3012 R

ddk · Jul 30, 2018

Folsom said:
I really think with the appreciation the 3012R has on the internet, they'd sell like hot-cakes if they were new and reflected the relative low manufacturing costs they were originally built on. People read these topics, A LOT of people read them. I think they'd be selling to a lot more people than have their TT's.

The sales of the 3012 is in the 100’s of thousands! You’re right a lot of people read this forum, the prices on thes arms remained relatively flat for over a decade but they’re escalating like crazy in the past 7-8 months.

david

Lagonda · Jul 30, 2018

Even at the current price range of 2 - 4 thousand dollars on ebay, they are still a bargain!
What other top performing high end audio product can be had for so little money ?
And if it does not work for you, resale at no loss is very likely.

ALF · Jul 30, 2018

News Flash...no need to jump now with these inflating prices; SME will be bring this TA...the 3012r...back into production later this year, yippee!!

Cheers!
ALF

pcosta · Jul 30, 2018

But what will the new price be? Certainly not like the old price structure. They will most likely ride the hype train knowing the demand is high. But either way it will be nice to see this arm back in production.

rockitman · Jul 30, 2018

ALF said:
News Flash...no need to jump now with these inflating prices; SME will be bring this TA...the 3012r...back into production later this year, yippee!!

Cheers!
ALF

The price point they decide on will be interesting.

Al M. · Jul 30, 2018

ddk said:
His years of experience, do you have any?

david

Did Christian compare them both, rhe 3012R and SME's newer top model?

ALF · Jul 30, 2018

Yep...and it will come with a warranty

!

ALF · Jul 30, 2018

Al M. said:
Did Christian compare them both, rhe 3012R and SME's newer top model?

I have, the Kondo version of the SME is really a super performer; I think that even the new “experts” will like it.

Cheers!
ALF

ALF · Jul 30, 2018

ddk said:
His years of experience, do you have any?

david

Ah, be nice...

Cheers!
ALF

Lagonda · Jul 30, 2018

ALF said:
News Flash...no need to jump now with these inflating prices; SME will be bring this TA...the 3012r...back into production later this year, yippee!!

Cheers!
ALF

I read that to somewhere, could not remember where, nothing on the SME website. Let’s hope they read up on what makes it special and don’t mess up the bearing or cabling. I will not buy a new one till it is ddk approved !

Folsom · Jul 30, 2018

They should consult DDK. It is a win win, he provides support and from then on can be helping customers set them up on AS-2000 TT's and such forever forth.

microstrip · Jul 30, 2018

ddk said:
The sales of the 3012 is in the 100’s of thousands! You’re right a lot of people read this forum, the prices on thes arms remained relatively flat for over a decade but they’re escalating like crazy in the past 7-8 months.

david

The supply of the R version is so small that a few people looking for them creates an enormous demand. I could have bough one 3012r in the German marketplace last week for a very nice price (this means lower than what I paid for mine) but decided I have enough of them. It is now sold. Common versions are much cheaper and very easy to locate.

I appreciate the 3012R a lot, but I think we should keep a cold perspective when debating equipment - except when we debate tubes, that are intrinsically hot!

If you look at successful past auctions in eBay you find that SME V's reach high prices. I have always sold mine - I have owned more than two

- very easily.

ddk · Jul 30, 2018

microstrip said:
The supply of the R version is so small that a few people looking for them creates an enormous demand. I could have bough one 3012r in the German marketplace last week for a very nice price (this means lower than what I paid for mine) but decided I have enough of them. It is now sold. Common versions are much cheaper and very easy to locate.

I appreciate the 3012R a lot, but I think we should keep a cold perspective when debating equipment - except when we debate tubes, that are intrinsically hot!

If you look at successful past auctions in eBay you find that SME V's reach high prices. I have always sold mine - I have owned more than two - very easily.

I don’t really care one way or another here Francisco, I don’t have a dog in this race. You want to believe it’s just a matter of perspective or taste be my guest but it’s not as if the people here put it up next to light weights in girly systems

! Just because something is really good doesn’t mean everything else is bad either!

david

Ron Resnick · Jul 30, 2018

ddk said:
Dear Ron,This is what I do. Setup is as important as the equipment itself there were a few things to change in Tang’s system to get his sound where it needed to be, its a process and every system is different. With the SME once setup correctly there’s nothing to change and we did that on the first day.

david

Dear David,

Very interesting. Thank you.

Someday, far into the future, when you visit I will ply you with wine and chocolates so you will stay a long time and help me hatch this beast of a system.

Tango · Jul 30, 2018

Ron Resnick said:
Dear David,

Very interesting. Thank you.

Someday, far into the future, when you visit I will ply you with wine and chocolates so you will stay a long time and help me hatch this beast of a system.

If You would allow me to butt in dear Ron. Just be open minded. Allow yourself to leave your baggage behind and try what ddk has to offer when he visits you. You don’t have to like his approach to sound. Don’t think. Just leave yourself empty and have humors. Don’t listen when he guide you to hear what he think you are hearing. Just listen only to music after you let him help setup your system. Be truly open to what you hear. Let yourself sink into the sound for a day. Then you decide if he is correct or not. Yes he will throw into your system that cheap Ching Cheng Chinese power cords. Let him. It is fun. I myself had a good laugh with him throughout the time he was with me. You are a tube lover so it isn’t going to be a wrestling match with him from the start.

Your sincerely,
Tang

jdza · Jul 31, 2018

ack said:
I was told by a friend on the forum that SME seem to be dumbfounded as to why people like this arm; they seem to claim newer designs are better in all sorts of ways, including tracking, noise and distortion. Who's right and who's wrong?

I remember when SME launched the 30xxR in the 1980s. Their press release made it very clear that they are relaunching the 30xx by popular demand from their customers in the far east and for no other reason. By doing this they jumped backwards over both the later versions of the 30xx and the Series III that Aikman Robertson clearly felt was technically far superior than what came before. One even got the impression that the Series V was developed more to satisfy the market conditions of the day than what he truely believed.

ddk · Jul 31, 2018

Ron Resnick said:
Dear David,

Very interesting. Thank you.

Someday, far into the future, when you visit I will ply you with wine and chocolates so you will stay a long time and help me hatch this beast of a system.

Dear Ron,
I better start dieting now, we’ll need a lot of chocolate and a few cases of wine for your place

!
david

ddk · Jul 31, 2018

Tango said:
If You would allow me to butt in dear Ron. Just be open minded. Allow yourself to leave your baggage behind and try what ddk has to offer when he visits you. You don’t have to like his approach to sound. Don’t think. Just leave yourself empty and have humors. Don’t listen when he guide you to hear what he think you are hearing. Just listen only to music after you let him help setup your system. Be truly open to what you hear. Let yourself sink into the sound for a day. Then you decide if he is correct or not. Yes he will throw into your system that cheap Ching Cheng Chinese power cords. Let him. It is fun. I myself had a good laugh with him throughout the time he was with me. You are a tube lover so it isn’t going to be a wrestling match with him from the start.

Your sincerely,
Tang

You learned fast grasshopper!

Tango · Jul 31, 2018

PeterA said:
Congratulations Tang. Now that you have multiple 3012Rs with different cartridges, will you be treating us to some more videos of the same song played with different cartridges? You must be having a blast.

You may have to adjust your volume. I didn’t level match when recorded.

Here is AtlasSL.

Here is Opus1.

Tang

tima · Jul 31, 2018

Thank you Tang - quite nicely done.

My first opportunity to hear those carts back to back. I found Dino better integrated with his backup band with the Opus 1.

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