If you want something done right, do it yourself – The SME philosophy

After two years of an almost complete cessation of such activities, I’ve finally been allowed to continue my behind-closed-doors tour of Hi-Fi manufacturers big and small. Recently I was offered the opportunity to visit SME’s factory in Steyning, which has for many years been on my HiFi bucket list of factories to visit. I honestly don’t believe that Alester Kells of SME’s distributor Padood had even finished his sentence before his invitation was accepted! You may wonder why this particular factory is of such significance? Well, that is to do with the legendary no-compromise attitude of founder Alastair Robertson-Aikman.

To give the backstory of the company the attention that it deserves, we’ll start at the very beginning. Alastair Robertson-Aikman’s business began all the way back in 1946 with the manufacture of children’s toy car kits. These increased in scope and complexity as he expanded out into model boats and trains, hence the company name of “Scale Model Equipment“. The company grew and began to fabricate precision parts for the aviation and automotive trade, something that to this day is still a core part of SME’s business. It was not until the late 1950’s that Robertson-Aikman’s personal obsession with home audio, coupled with his dissatisfaction of available tonearm options, would cement SME’s place in HiFi history with the release of their first tonearm. As interest in his arm grew, as did the requirement for more space and in 1961 the factory was born. The fact that he commissioned a bespoke off-sized brick, had entire sections of walls knocked-down and built multiple times as he was unhappy with the alignment of the bricks or that multiple building firms abandoned the project should tell you all that you need to know about Robertson-Aikman’s nature. If it wasn’t perfect, it wouldn’t do.

Fast forwards to today and that mentality is clearly still adhered to in all that the company undertakes. To guarantee the quality and accuracy of machining lives up to the high standards set by Robertson-Aikman, everything that leaves SME begins life here as raw steel, resin and aluminium stock.

Heading onto the factory floor good-and-proper, you are met by the amazing hum of machinery working away. Lathes and mills stretch off as far as you can see in every direction and you start to appreciate just what an undertaking it is to control the manufacturing of each and every step in your product.

Before visiting the factory, I had heard a rumour that SME’s obsessive pursuit of perfection over tolerancing extended even to producing their own hardware down to the pins and screws that hold together SME’s legendary tonearms. Having now observed firsthand a batch of such pins on their way to finishing, I can confirm this to be the truth, with an item this simple and humdrum being treated with exactly the same level of scrutiny as any other.

In SME’s efforts to control the quality of all aspects of the quality of their product, by this point it was not a surprise to discover that even anodising, electroplating and hand-polishing are handled in house.

Whilst we were shown around the factory, the finishing steps were being taken on SME’s new anniversary product – the gargantuan Model 60.

The Model 60 is the absolute expression of SME’s fastidious control of each aspect of build and manufacture. Tolerance of machining is precisely controlled down to 2 microns, ensuring that key sections such as the main bearing interface perfectly. The surface coatings of all the the parts are perfectly uniform and the overall fit and finish is nothing less than spectacular.

The Model 60 is a glimpse into what is possible when price is not a factor in design. It’s clearly a perfect tool for allowing a cartridge to extract information from a groove. What was most interesting to me about seeing the Model 60 in person was that it necessitated a change in a product that I have long considered to be already perfected – the Series V arm. I don’t think that anyone will either be too surprised or offended when I voice my opinion that the SME tonearms are the best gimble-bearing arms available bar none. The development of the Model 60 required something that was better than the best arm available.

The change found in the new 5A arm came in the shape of a dimensional and material change to the arm wand. The conventional tapered, round tube has been changed to resemble a reuleaux triangle (albeit retaining the round underside and taper). It’s an incredibly complex shape designed to help further improve the rigidity of a tried and tested design. The new wand is machined from an engineering resin that SME wouldn’t divulge too many details of – but needless to say it outperforms the older magnesium wand in tackling arm resonances. The use of this new material has already been silently rolled out into other SME products, with the plinth of the Model 6 turntable being machined from the very same resin for it’s damping properties.

Before my tour ended, SME were keen to show me their spares centre. I was gob-smacked to find that SME still diligently support and repair everything they have produced aside the oldest of 3009 arms. Its a vault of historical parts and components demonstrating a level of care and dedication to even their oldest customers.

For many years, I have thought that SME made the very best tonearms. Having now finally had the opportunity to admire the painstaking efforts that go into ensuring their build and ongoing support, I’m very tempted to say objectively that SME build the best complete turntables thanks to their absolute engineering advantage. The accomplishment of execution and of design is unparalleled and I think the gauntlet has definitely been thrown down! SME do not simply make HiFi components, they diligently produce precision tools for the purpose of extracting music from vinyl. The sound they produce across their range is quite unlike any thing that we carry aside the TechDAS decks and can only be described, at the risk of wearing out the word, as perfect. It’s easy to see why Alastair Robertson-Aikman wanted to have every process in-house and carried out by a highly trained team of engineers who would pour their heart and soul into each task and function; it’s because there’s no other way that you could end up with a finished product like these.

Next, I have a big, brown, Model12 shaped box at the shop to open and I couldn’t be more excited.

Alasdair

The post If you want something done right, do it yourself – The SME philosophy first appeared on Oxford Audio.

After two years of an almost complete cessation of such activities, I’ve finally been allowed to continue my behind-closed-doors tour of Hi-Fi manufacturers big and small. Recently I was offered […]

The post If you want something done right, do it yourself – The SME philosophy first appeared on Oxford Audio.