SME turntables


Just curious. SME tonearms are in high esteem. What about their turntables? They don't seem to be as popular.
inna

Showing 4 responses by bdp24

Turntable master Brooks Berdan (R.I.P.) loved the SME tables, using one in his reference system for quite a while.
Taters---I was talking about the reference system in the main room in his shop (a great room, built in the golden ratio formula of 10' X 16' X 26', and fitted with RPG diffusers and ASC Tube Traps). The SME replaced that huge acrylic table built in France (or was it Switzerland?) that Brooks is pictured adjusting on the Brooks Berdan Ltd. website. He was involved in that table's design, but used the SME in the store for the last few years of his life.

Bill Johnson's Winter home was out here in the California desert, about 1-1/2 hours from the shop, and Bill had Brooks come out and set up his table/arm/cartridge (I don't know what they were!). Bill and Brooks are both greatly missed.
Very true Taters. Have you been to his son Brian's shop (Audio Elements) in Pasadena yet? Brooks trained him well, and he is one of the best dealers in S. Ca, with some great lines.
Right you are, Rzado, the table I was referring to is the SPJ La Luce. Brooks mentioned he had consulted on the design, but didn't get specific. Brooks had a working knowledge of suspension tuning from his days in race car design, and applied it to turntables. That's where his mod for the Oracle came from (adding mass at a specific location on the table's floating sub-chassis), which made possible getting the spring rates of the three suspension springs tuned to the same frequency. The sub-chassis therefore bounced up and down vertically in perfect balance.

Taters, Brooks was pretty sick for a couple of years before dying, and Brian was doing all the work (demoing, advising, selling, delivering, setting up, all the turntable/arm/cartridge assembling and adjusting) at Brooks Berdan Ltd. (which is still operational under the management of Brooks' widow Sheila) during that time, including showing at The Newport Hi-Fi Show. He may not be Brooks, but he's no regular Joe either! Many of Brooks' top lines (Wilson, VTL, lots of table/arm/cartridge makers), having established a working relationship with Brian as Brooks' health deteriorated, decided to follow Brian to his new store. Brian has added new lines (as has BB Ltd.), while some of the older ones (Jadis) stayed at the old store. An interesting situation! Both establishments are very deserving of patronage.