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SME 20/3 or Oracle Delphi VI or Garrard 301

I am just about to buy a new table. I have happily owned an original oracle Delphi for 30 years! Choices are the new 20/3, Oracle Delphi VI or possibly a rebuilt Garrard 301. They all run about the same money.
The reviews and comments out there lead me to believe I will be better off using a non SME arm on the 20/3...I will probably go with a Graham Phantom. (I like the removable arm tube concept too) For now I will use my SME IV.
keep reading the SME detractors claim that the tables are lifeless. Not something you can accuse a Delphi of for sure. The HiFi News reviews of both tables are nothing short of glowing. As far as I can tell the Oracle is possibly more nimble and musical(?) while the SME is more "solid".
Your thoughts are welcom
mauidj
dover
2,177 posts
 
SME IV bearings- not sure when they changed to the same as the V but read it in a recent review ( possibly a review of the 20/3). I suspect it is relatively recent, but check with SME directly. Their aftermarket service support is excellent. If I was buying an SME arm I'd probably get the SME IV and rewired cartridge to phono with one run of Cardas. I believe SME will rewire these for you with any wire you want if you provide it.
mauidj OP
127 posts
 
Dover...you are correct.
just got done emailing a UK dealer who will rewire it for me and tells me at that point I will have a very fine arm indeed.
I believe I am very close to deciding on the 20/3 for now.
The dealer suggests the 20/12 is audibly better but at almost twice the price I'm going to have to pass for now.
The beauty of an SME is that they do hold their value, so when circumstances change and if I felt the need for that slight bit of extra depth and extension, I could trade up.
I'm surprised there aren't more Oracle votes to this question.
I am still a bit torn..maybe because I have lived happily with one for so long and know it's attributes so well....plus they look so very cool :-)
mauidj OP
127 posts
 
So...now the question is...20/3 or 20/12?
Almost twice the price.
That extra dough could go towards a Graham Phantom and very nice cartridge.
So for about the same money I could either have a 20/12 with 312S arm or 20/3 with Graham and extra wand for mono cart.
In the end forget the dollars...which will sound better?
Nice to have such decisions to make!
dover
2,177 posts
 
Mauidj - I would go for the 20/3 as it will give you a wider choice of arms/cartridges. Check out the improvements to the 20/3 as they may not be in the 20/12 yet. I think the extra money spent on arm/cartridge for the 20/3 will give you a better outcome.
rccc
216 posts
 
Just to stir the mix, my experience is almost opposite. Still preferring V over other stock arms and suspended tables (not linn) to the above non suspended ( have not tried most current versions) Too many variables from one listener to another to draw any conclusions. I have found that you can voice a system to your criterion starting with almost any given and adding from there. I will say that I think criticisms of arms by themselves are silly. An arm performance cannot be evaluated without a specific cartridge. No tonearm ever made works well with every cartridge.Therefore it seems discussing an arm without the specific cartridge mounted is meaningless. I just happen to like the same carts my V likes.
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