South West Analogue Hi Fi Specialists Winsford Somerset TA24 7JH
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SME Tonearms 
We are Graham and Marion Whittley and when we left SME in 1998 we started South West Analogue and with our twenty plus years working for ARA and with our unparalleled level of experience we have become known as The SME Specialist. We have been involved with SME for well over thirty years in manufacturing, assembly, servicing and sales divisions.
SME was founded by Alastair-Roberston Aikman as a precision engineering company in a shed at the bottom of his parents garden in 1946. At this time he was manufacturing Scale Model Equipment which he shortened to SME in September 1959 when his legendary Series1 pickup arm was released to great acclaim.
The SME tone-arm`s or pick-up`s arm as respected throughout the world for their top class precision engineering which is the envy of all other manufacturers. Along with superb design and engineering quality is their enviable reliability and customer service.
After the hand built Series1 began to receive critical acclaim ARA started to work on a pick-up arm that could be easily built in much larger quantities so in 1962 the Series II range was introduced with immediate success. Subsequently the Series II Improved range was introduced in 1972 firmly cementing the SME name as manufacturers of quality precision engineered products made to last. The highly successful Series V was introduced in 1986 and was the forerunner of the current range of magnesium tubed tonearms that are so sought after today.
Sadly founder ARA passed away in October 2006 after a lengthy illness but his son Cameron has stepped into his fathers shoes and is maintaining the traditional SME values of the highest possible quality of precision engineering and finish with the first class after sales service that the company are renowned for.
SME have been producing precision engineered products for 65 years and the culmination of this experience led to the new top of the range Series V-12 tonearm a massive statement of SME`s use of high-tech materials and techniques. No other audio manufacturer uses pressure die cast magnesium or the space age damping material Isodamp in their quest to minimize and control unwanted vibrations and resonance.
All SME tonearms can be factory fitted with the Pure Silver Litz internal wiring (this is standard on the Series V-12, 312S and 24 carat Gold plated tonearms). Optional is our own Pure Silver Litz or alternatively a Silver plated copper audio lead to further enhance the wonderful sound.
