Model 60 – The New SME Flagship Turntable
The SME Model 60 is the most technically advanced SME turntable ever made, evolved from 75 years of engineering excellence, innovation and perfection, delivering precise and pure audio reproduction. It features extremely high build quality, close tolerance precision engineered componentry, striking design and is available in a range of uniquely engineered finishes.
Introduced 60 years after SME entered the elite high end audio world, the Model 60 is far superior to the highly credible Model 30 which has been the reference precision turntable for over three decades. The new flagship is an entirely new turntable design with clever engineering and technological advancement.
Design features include: de-coupled adjustable feet with multipoint isolation, an intelligent suspended suspension system with horizontal and vertical control, hydraulically dampened main bearing, acoustically treated main chassis, sub-chassis and platter, sophisticated new generation drive system with highly accurate speed control, AC motor and independent power transformer.
New SME Series VA Tonearm
The SME Model 60 is equipped with the new Series VA tonearm which is an advanced version of the famous Series V tonearm which has been extensively sonically improved by use of a non-metallic tonearm CNC machined from an advanced polymer resin material with high density and high rigidity properties. The Series VA tonearm tube is acoustically inert with a significantly reduced resonance signature, optimized effective mass and a wide cartridge balance weight range.
New Drive System
The turntable is driven by a custom made bi-phase AC synchronous motor. 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 output driver stage is a 2 channel, class AB Bi-polar design with low distortion and relay coupled directly to the motor. The entire design is implemented using high quality surface mount technology on a gold plated FR4 PCB.
Specifications
Dimensions (H x W x D) are: 8.4″ x 22″ x 11.6″.
Weight: 106 lbs. Boxed shipping weight 190 lbs.
The platter is 13″, spindle to arm 8.5″.
Test Results
Turntable Speed Error at 33.33rpm: 33.33rpm (-0.005%)
Time to Audible Stabilization: 5 – 6 seconds
Peak Wow/Flutter (Peak wtd): 0.01% / 0.02%
Rumble (silent groove, DIN B wtd): -75dB (-75.4 dB with Clamp)
Rumble (through bearing, DIN B wtd): -76.5dB
Hum & Noise (unwtd, rel to 5cm/sec): -62.5dB
Power Consumption: 18w (1w standby)
Tonearm Specifications
Effective Mass: 10g – 11g
Cartridge Balance Range: 5g – 18g
Vertical Tracking Force: 0.0g – 3.0g (30mN)
Maximum Tracking Error: 0.0120/mm
Internal Wiring: Crystal Cable 0.1mm Mono X-Tal
Available Finishes
Standard finish: black, silver
Premium finish: Honeycomb black, silver, blue
Deluxe: 75th Anniversary Diamond silver
Bluebird Music will be stocking the Model 60 in the standard black finish, all other finishes available to order.
Click any image below for a large picture.
MICHAEL FREMER TOURS SME FACTORY SHOWS HOW THE MODEL 60 IS MADE
This turntable is capable of extracting an astonishing amount of music from the record grove. It should be considered the new real-world reference against which other turntables can be judged.
Stereophile, Analog Product of the Year Award, December 2023
An extraordinary experience and a vinyl lover's dream. The new standard by which all high-end turntables should be judged, regardless of price.
Adam Smith, Hi-Fi News, July 2022, Outstanding Product Award
The Model 60 with Series VA arm is an overwhelming successful upgrade... it accomplishes new SME greatness.
Michael Fremer, The Absolute Sound, December 2022