SME V Tonearm on eBay Hong Kong Sellers are FAKE!!!


These scumbags have been selling these for a while now. It comes from multiple accounts originating out of Hong Kong. They sell on average two SME V tonearms a month, at $1400-$2200, auction style. Fellow audiophiles, please stop buying these. They are 100% fake. They are cheap hideous copies.

Report and do not buy from sellers: mandy-930 and makiyo2008
invictus005

Showing 5 responses by nandric

Copy is a kind of compliment in the sense of admiration. If one

can't see the difference , as is the case, with many paintings why

should we care? However I was glad to obtain this FR B-60

replica for $500 instead to pay + $2000 for the original Ikeda.

Alas the replica producer was not able to make any profit on his

replica so those are not anymore available. By way of anticipation

I bought two samples (grin). My two FR-64 s have each their own.

My Ikeda 345 need to borrow ''his'' from one of the two mentioned.

Well the curious thing is that Japanese economy was based

on replica of European and American , say, inventions. Curious

in the sense that they (aka Ikeda) ask + $ 2000 for the original

B-60 while the most buyers want ''original'' parts by each item.

The obvious assumption being that ''original'' is somehow better

than replica. However the same Japanese have proven the other

way round. This may be different  for paintings and antiques by

which ''original'' means (much) more money.

We are discussing the ''mechanics'' of the tonearms while the

 function of this B-60 is to move the arm up and down + provide

extra mass for the 'energy transfer''. Some tonearms use huge

nuts for the same purpose. The thing is not supposed to ''sound''

so I can't answer this question. What I can say is that the thing

function as it should and because made from the same ''substance''

(aka steel) is, I assume, as heavy as the original.

The seller told me about his ''profit'' so I decided to buy two

samples. A German friend already offered 700 euro for one of

my samples. I wish I was as ''smart'' with my shares (grin).


@chakster you are always right with your pictures but, alas, not

always with your assumptions. This means that the B-60 on

your picture is the replica. I don' t use the expression ''fake''

because I am a lawyer (grin).

Dear chakster, Your judgment and qualification'' garbage'' is

based on your assertions which are based on ''you tube video''.

The legitimate comparison is only possible by A-B comparison

between two real components. If this is your usual way to ''compare''

components then all components which you bought must be perfect.

Never made any mistake based on your assumptions?

Have you ever try any of those B-60 adjuster?

Ebay and/or PayPal protection is based on buyers money. The

money can be blocked on sellers account and in case of

''default'' returned to the buyer. The general complaint is ''not

as described'' ( in the listing). This obviously apply for items which

are described as ''original'' but are in fact copies. The difference

between SME and FR-B-60 is that the later is described as ''copy''.

I think that B-60 is much more easy to ''reproduce'' with modern

CNN lathe's than SME. Even so the B-60 replica could not be sold

for more than $500 . That is why those are not anymore produced.

The seller was not able to get any profit with this price.

BTW intellectual property is protected for certain time while the

precondition is payment of ''maintenance'' contribution . The added

problem is that patent law in one country is not the same as in

the other. I think that fashion has much problems with ''replicas''

than objects of our desire.


@roxy54 , Objects of our desire are amps, speakers, TT's,

tonearms, cartridges, etc. Fashion are clothes, watches, handbags,

shoes, etc. Imitation or fake is bigger problem by the later objects

''of desire''.