Inside SME Ltd.A Pictorial Factory Tour of the Analog Legend; Part 2
- BLOG
- by Neil Gader
- Aug 13, 2009
Before turning to the next batch of images a little background on SME Ltd is in order. The company was originally formed in 1946 by Alastair Robertston-Aikman and was known as the Scale Model Equipment Company Limited. Specifically they manufactured scale models and parts for the model engineering trade¬–not to be confused with the toy industry or perish the thought Mattel’s Hot Wheels. In the 1950s they segued from models to precision engineering including parts for aircraft instruments and business machines. At the behest of Robetson-Aikman, a life-long audio enthusiast, a tonearm was designed and constructed for his own private use and ultimately received such a glowing reception that by 1959 it went into low volume producion, roughly 25 units per week. It was at that time that the company name officially shifted to SME, connoting the expanding nature of the company. Even today audio remains an almost side-hobby for SME. They number automotive, aircraft sectors among their biggest clients and have worked on projects as diverse as a solid gold Parker Pen, vacuum cleaner prototypes as well as a secret array of specialist projects for some of the biggest audiophile companies in the business. Today’s SME has the facility for both in-house design and toolmaking and virtually all aspects of manufacturing including CNC maching, pressure die-casting, injection moulding, metal finishing, electro-plating, anodizing among many others too lengthy to include here. Currently the company maufactures four turntables and nine standard tonearms as well as special models for distinct applications.
Putting a bit of muscle into polishing a stainless steel armtube for the M2-9 tonearm
Putting a slight angle on the tonearm counterweight-this move is almost imperceptible to the eye. Too much pressure for a second too long means the trash heap.
If you look closely at the counterweights in the lower right corner, the delicate angle that was being sanded is plainly visible.
the machine that inks in gold the lettering for the Model 30/12 control panel. This operation is performed twice almost instantly without any ghosting
Still wet, ready for the oven to bake dry. Perfect. Last batch of images in Part 3 coming soon.
By Neil Gader
My love of music largely predates my enthusiasm for audio. I grew up Los Angeles in a house where music was constantly playing on the stereo (Altecs, if you’re interested). It ranged from my mom listening to hit Broadway musicals to my sister’s early Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Beatles, and Stones LPs, and dad’s constant companions, Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. With the British Invasion, I immediately picked up a guitar and took piano lessons and have been playing ever since. Following graduation from UCLA I became a writing member of the Lehman Engel’s BMI Musical Theater Workshops in New York–working in advertising to pay the bills. I’ve co-written bunches of songs, some published, some recorded. In 1995 I co-produced an award-winning short fiction movie that did well on the international film-festival circuit. I was introduced to Harry Pearson in the early 70s by a mutual friend. At that time Harry was still working full-time for Long Island’s Newsday even as he was writing Issue 1 of TAS during his off hours. We struck up a decades-long friendship that ultimately turned into a writing gig that has proved both stimulating and rewarding. In terms of music reproduction, I find myself listening more than ever for the “little” things. Low-level resolving power, dynamic gradients, shadings, timbral color and contrasts. Listening to a lot of vocals and solo piano has always helped me recalibrate and nail down what I’m hearing. Tonal neutrality and presence are important to me but small deviations are not disqualifying. But I am quite sensitive to treble over-reach, and find dry, hyper-detailed systems intriguing but inauthentic compared with the concert-going experience. For me, true musicality conveys the cozy warmth of a room with a fireplace not the icy cold of an igloo. Currently I split my time between Santa Fe, New Mexico and Studio City, California with my wife Judi Dickerson, an acting, voice, and dialect coach, along with border collies Ivy and Alfie.
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