SME Model 12 MK2 + 309
Turntable
Relative price
well above typical
Among the 40 turntables in the catalogue, this one is well above typical.
A band places a component against its peers and carries no price. It is deliberately the only price indicator on this page: a second one, measured against a different set, would narrow the two together far enough to give the figure away.
What it is
SME mid-tier reference.
What the reviewers said
reference SME with Series 309 tonearm SME Model 12 MK2 + Series 309 positioning· Micro-dynamic resolution
peak W/F 0.01%/0.02%, direct-drive territory Hi-Fi News Lab (Miller) 2023· Timing precision
space and depth... astonishing Hi-Fi News (Smith) 2023· Spatial naturalness
rumble a little poorer than the 60/12A Hi-Fi News Lab (Miller) 2023· Mechanical noise floor
How it scores
Clarity
- Mechanical noise floor 70 from listening evidence
Voice
- Spatial naturalness 76 from listening evidence
Rhythm
- Timing precision 82 from listening evidence
Specifications
| drive type | belt |
|---|---|
| speeds rpm | 33.33/45 |
| suspension type | floating sub-chassis |
| supplied tonearm | SME 309 |
| weight kg | 18.0 |
| psu type | external |
| notes |