SME has decided to call it a day selling arms on their own. Announcement HERE.
1 Like
Wow! I’m very surprised by that.
Maybe think they can make larger profits selling complete packages?
Translation: the Far Eastern market is bigger, richer, more gullible, and far more important to us than you tight-fisted cunts.
8 Likes
I’m sure Mik will have one or two in stock …………
2 Likes
Confused by this. So they will continue to make arms for their own turntables but not wish to supply them separately? Odd, you would think at the cost of them at c £5k that they would be able to make a per unit profit, and that greater scale must make them cheaper to produce?
1 Like
Or they can flog all the M2s they could ever hope to make with remade 301s.
Definitive used to get them wired with Silver unicorn hair and sell them on their own.
I thought there was a separate market for SME arms especially 12" versions
1 Like
I suspect that a smaller number of arms will make the cut, attached to the turntables- at a guess, an old looking one from the M2 line, the 309 and the V/V12. The IV, the 312S and special orders like detachable headshell Vs and the like will probably get knocked on the head. SME gets more capacity for selling very spendy record players while reducing SKUs at the same time.
The hifi industry is a marvelous, magical and mystical place…
Yes.
Yes it is 
2 Likes
Even more so now I’m back in business.
8 Likes
Every man should have a hobby 
That is lovely that is.
1 Like
No doubt but it must have come as a big shock to him. I hope he can adapt and thrive in the long run.
1 Like
I think he ceased to be an official dealer some time back but I’m sure he’ll have stock for a good while to come.
4 Likes
I would be astounded if official dealers hadn’t had a heads up and given the chance to stock up to their hearts content. I expect the price of current models is about to skyrocket.
I bet they keep supplying Kondo with the 12 for the Ginga though.
It did, quite recently.
Maybe, but supplying an OEM is a quite different scenario to selling to the public, via a dealership.
Another hike is inevitable and a nice firming up of value for the used market as a corollary is nice for those in a position to benefit.
Not according to the announcement
“SME will exit the tonearm retail and OEM business with immediate effect”
Don’t know about that, but I have five of them, so if it happens, I won’t complain. 
2 Likes