Linn Sondek SME
Strictly speaking, "Linn Sondek SME" isn't a single model designation. It's shorthand for a pairing: the Linn Sondek LP12 turntable fitted with an SME Series III tonearm. The archival record treats them as separate manufacturers (Linn made the table, SME made the arm), though at least one equipment directory lists them together as a combination page, which is where this listing originates.
Here is what's documented about the LP12 itself. It's a belt-drive turntable with a heavy platter, low-torque motor, and simple suspension. The SME Series III arm mounted on it featured a detachable headshell. The Hifi Engine listing for the combined setup gives wow and flutter at 0.06% and rumble at -70dB, though no second source corroborates those figures.
One owner on Audiokarma sums up the pairing's reputation as "a classic British turntable and arm combination" and "a very good vintage setup." The same owner lists the practical chores of owning one today. The SME's damping trough fluid needs replacing, the belt may be tired after decades, and the arm's original wiring might be past its best. They also observe it's worth more now than it was in the 1970s.
Beyond that, the record is thin. No production years, no original price, and no tonearm-specific specs (effective mass, tracking force) are documented in the sources available. Period audio publications carried classified advertisements for audio equipment, indicating an active marketplace for such components (Audio, July 1979, p.94).
Known Specs
- Belt-drive turntable (LP12)
- Speeds: 33, 45 rpm
- Wow and flutter: 0.06%
- Rumble: -70dB
- 12-inch (30cm) platter, 3.5lbs
- Tonearm: SME Series III with detachable headshell
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