SME Model 30/12A Mk II Turntable with Series V-12 Arm

Product Overview

SME Model 30/12A Mk II Turntable with Series V-12 Arm

The Model 30/12 is the former SME flagship turntable and once judged as ‘the best turntable of all time’ and for many years considered to be the world’s reference standard turntable. These accreditations are derived from the ingenious design, precision engineering and fundamental physics. The net result being an outstanding performance of detail, resolution and neutrality with a dynamic range that does justice to the original sound. The Model 30/12 is effortless in controlling and managing vibration, resonance, mechanical energy and electrical fields. Weighing over 50kg it is significant in relation to mass and density. The main and sub-chassis’ resists flexing at low frequencies whilst high frequency resonance is attenuated by efficient extensional damping. Model 30/12 is available with or without a tonearm. The tonearm version is the flagship SME Series V-12 with Crystal Cable internal wiring. PRIMARY FEATURES Outstanding Performance Heavy Mass Construction Suspended Suspension System Chassis Fluid Damping System Close Tolerance Precision Bearing SME Series V-12 Tonearm Crystal Cable Internal Wiring Highly Advanced Drive System Independent Mains Transformer LEMO Low Power Cables RCA or XLR Chassis Connectors

With no sonic footprint, the Model 30/12 sub-chassis is suspended on 60 purpose made suspension rings meeting all the requirements of high-density construction, enabling an outstanding, detailed and dynamic performance. Four suspension column fluid-dampers disciplines sub-chassis movement and eliminates overshoot to give almost zero Q recovery. The isolation needed to prevent acoustic feedback is bridged by the resistive coupling of the damping fluid through which unwanted reacted energy is conducted away to ‘ground’. This function is adjustable through trimmers which can be used in conjunction with a gauge to give recommended settings or varied to suit individual conditions. This extreme level of control is instrumental in the design and performance of the Model 30/12.

The Model 30/12 turntable is driven by a custom made bi-phase AC synchronous motor controlled by a highly advanced speed control unit providing precise speed accuracy and stability. The motor conforms to the highest standards of silent running. The Speed Control Unit uses a dedicated DSP engine to generate two independent pure mathematical sine waves which provide total control of frequency, phase relationship and amplitude. These in turn are matched (tuned) to the motor for accuracy to obtain the best possible performance. The speed range is 33.33 and 45 rpm with independent memory settings via a switched encoder. Fine pitch speed increments/decrements of +/-0.01% of the selected speed are made by a rotary control on the Speed Control Unit fascia. The SCU case is CNC machined from billet polymer resin with machined aluminium fascia, chassis base and rear panel.

An independent mains Power Unit keeps the transformer separated from the Speed Control Unit and importantly away from the audio signal cables. Turntable Width: 530mm Depth: 400mm Height (top of tonearm): 232mm Speed Control Unit Width: 150mm Depth: 295mm Height: 82mm Power Unit Height: 82mm Width: 188mm Depth: 242mm Platter: 330mm Weight Turntable: 50kg Power Unit: 4.04kg Speed Control Unit: 2.52kg Shipping Weight: 79.5kg