Shure 3009-III (c. 1981)
Not much is documented about the Shure 3009-III under that exact name. The record comes almost entirely from two Audio equipment reviews in 1981, and those reviews identify the arm as the SME 3009 III, tested in close partnership with Shure cartridges. Whether the Shure attribution in this archive reflects a rebadge or just the reviewers' pairings is not recorded. The hardware itself is clear: a tonearm of static-balance design with multiple counterweights, adjustable overhang, and a 9 in (22.86 cm) effective length (Audio, May 1981, p.44).
Audio put it directly. If a truly comprehensive competition were held to determine the best pickup arm in the world, the SME 3009 III would be a major contender (Audio, May 1981, p.52). The measured data from that report gives a pivot-to-turntable center distance of 8.5 in (216 mm), a pivot-to-stylus distance of 236.5 mm, and a pivot-to-rear-of-arm clearance of 2.5 in (64 mm).
The June 1981 follow-up ran the arm with Shure's MV30HE cartridge. The reviewers reported that the combination equaled the reference system in almost every category and beat it in most (Audio, June 1981, p.66). The same report noted that the counterweights were changed from those used with the V15 Type IV, which lowered effective dynamic mass, and that Shure supplied a novel plastic guide for setup. The one recurring complaint was the tight headshell. Some cartridges needed their connector pins bent at right angles and carefully dressed to fit (Audio, May 1981, p.53).
Beyond those two reviews, documentation is thin. No production years, original pricing, or standalone specifications beyond the measured data have surfaced in the record so far.
- Type: static-balance tonearm, multiple counterweights
- Effective length: 9 in (22.86 cm); overhang adjustable
- Pivot-to-turntable center: 8.5 in (216 mm)
- Pivot-to-stylus: 236.5 mm; pivot-to-rear clearance: 2.5 in (64 mm)
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