Sme 3012 R

Fishfood said:

I do have a 3012 question: Is it possible to lower the armrest/cueing collar? I prefer it if the arm doesn't travel as far to cue up and down. I've undone the set screw but that only seems to allow it to move horizontally, not vertically.

Click to expand...

Yes, there’s another adjustment tube at the base of the arm. Loosen it and then rotate the armrest clockwise to lower the cueing mechanism to where you want.

david

Fishfood said:

I do have a 3012 question: Is it possible to lower the armrest/cueing collar? I prefer it if the arm doesn't travel as far to cue up and down. I've undone the set screw but that only seems to allow it to move horizontally, not vertically.

Click to expand...

you can rotate the whole cueing assembly to move it up and down.

Thanks. I will give it a try in the morning!

Fishfood said:

I do have a 3012 question: Is it possible to lower the armrest/cueing collar? I prefer it if the arm doesn't travel as far to cue up and down. I've undone the set screw but that only seems to allow it to move horizontally, not vertically.

Click to expand...

I had this situation when my 3012r came back from SME after service.
I contacted Brian Laker who remembers building my arm as the original owner had specified a very high grade internal wiring and bearing.
You have to hold the base and spin the whole are round, not sure which way for up or down. Best to speak to service dept.

Fishfood said:

I have to say that I've never been as happy and content with listening. I've truly stopped evaluating and I'm just able to listen to music. I never even think about how it sounds anymore, if that makes sense? It all just sounds lovely. Now I'm just buying LPs like crazy. LA has some incredible record stores.... shops with a point of view and really good taste.

Click to expand...

What records do you go to in LA I’m in Long Beach. Have to find a place that I can take my table because the person who did the arm has it on that I can’t get the the screw to may any adjustment on the arm lowering it or rising it

any opinions on the "new" M2 12R vs the original 3012R?

Joined the SME 3012-R club today.

Something to my surprise, one popped up locally--mated to a Thorens TD520 table. The whole package $1600 all in. I don't really need the TD520, but other than one crack in the dustcover, it's in surprisingly good shape. And the arm, as best I can tell without removing it from the table, is in 8/10-9/10 cosmetic condition, with all of the rubber pieces looking fresh and supple.

The plan is to remove the arm and move it to my TechDAS V. Looks like I'll have to source an arm lift, as the Thorens deck has its own built-in lifter, but I'm guessing that won't be a huge chore. The original SME RCA leads come out of the back of the Thorens, so I'm guessing I'll have to figure out how to detach those. And maybe find an updated set of cables? Don't know how well the original SME stand the test of time....

Far up thread, @ddk (no longer active here?) advises not to have the arm rewired. I'll probably follow that advice for the time being, or maybe have SME take a look to verify everything is in good working order. (The arm had free play when I tried it at the shop and is in really clean condition.)

It's *possible* I'll keep the 3012-R on the big Thorens 520. I plugged in the deck, and it held speed fine. It also seems to have reasonably good reviews online. But my suspicion is I'll either sell the Thorens or put it up in the attic for a while until I can find, I dunno, an SME Series III or something to mount on it. Just to have a really low-mass arm to play around with vintage MM carts.

The plan, currently, is to run my SPU Synergy G or #1E on the 3012-R.

All in all, a bit of an impulse buy, but I figure I got the arm for a competitive price and a "free" turntable in the offing.