Note that this is a discontinued product. You may want to visit the brand's page here to browse their newer products.
What reviewers think
Bloggers and YouTubers have tried this product—so we've summarized their strongest opinions below. Links to full reviews follow.
All
Synergy Diamond Series
reviews
Manufacturer details
Turntable
Width: 370mm
Depth: 350mm
Height (top of tonearm): 178mm
Platter Diameter: 304mm
Spindle to Arm: 215.35mm
Speed Control Unit
Width: 170mm
Depth: 305mm
Height: 68mm
Power Unit
Height: 83mm
Width: 190mm
Depth: 243mm
Platter: 303mm
Weight
Turntable: 19.59kg
Power Unit: 4.04kg
Speed Control Unit: 2.88kg
Shipping Weight: 32.0kg
Brand highlights
Taking a step back to look at reviewers' thoughts of the brand's entire lineup—not just this product—what stands out most is the following:
- SME turntables and tonearms are known for their exceptional build quality and precision engineering, often utilizing materials and manufacturing techniques borrowed from the aerospace and Formula 1 industries.
- The company maintains tight control over quality by manufacturing most of the components in-house, even down to small parts, ensuring consistent standards across its product line.
- They aim for sonic neutrality in their products, focusing on extracting the most detail from the record groove without adding coloration or imposing a particular sonic character.
Select products
MK2 Synergy:
- Positioning: An integrated turntable positioned as a high-end, all-in-one solution in the SME lineup.
- Description: Offers a seamless vinyl experience with its built-in phono stage and factory-matched moving coil cartridge. Its advanced drive system enhances speed control and stability, setting it apart from the Model 12 and Model 15, which require separate components.
Model 12-2:
- Positioning: The entry-level high-performance turntable in the SME lineup, offering precision engineering at a more accessible price point.
- Description: Praised for its compact design and high mass, providing a dynamic sound that is perfect for smaller rooms or setups. Unlike the more advanced Model 15, it features a simpler suspension system, making it a great choice for those who want quality sound without the complexity of higher-end models.
Model 15-2:
- Positioning: A mid-range turntable that bridges the gap between the entry-level and high-end models in the SME lineup.
- Description: Delivers a dynamic audio performance with its high-density construction and advanced drive system, making it a step up from the Model 12-2. It offers a more sophisticated suspension system compared to the Model 12-2, providing better resonance control and sound clarity.
Model 30:
- Positioning: A former flagship turntable, offering top-tier performance and engineering excellence in the SME lineup.
- Description: Celebrated for its outstanding dynamics and heavy mass construction, providing reference-standard performance that surpasses the Model 20. Its sophisticated drive system and fluid damping offer exceptional speed control and vibration management.
Our take on the brand
Look inside the brand
Our interview with the brand
What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?
What's your approach to customer support?
What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?
What other products pair best with yours?
Used
SME
What if you spend more?
.svg)
Our summary
Product Strengths
- Exceptional build quality and design, utilizing materials like acrylic, stainless steel, and aluminum, contribute to an inert structure
- The direct drive motor ensures accurate speed control, with feedback loops monitoring platter rotation
- Designed with three support posts, the Avenger Direct can accommodate up to three tonearms of various sizes and from different manufacturers
- A 3-point isolation system with adjustable feet provides excellent isolation from external vibrations in both vertical and horizontal axes
- Despite its high-end nature, the Avenger Direct is easy to set up and operate
Product Considerations
- The Avenger Direct is a significant investment, placing it in 'turntable grail territory'
- With a single tonearm arrangement, the tonearm feels further to the back of the deck than one might get from a larger chassis
- The Avenger Direct's sonic characteristics may benefit from careful cartridge selection
Takeaway: The VPI Avenger Direct is a top-tier turntable offering exceptional build quality, precise speed control, and versatile tonearm options. Its robust engineering and ease of use provide a rewarding listening experience.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our summary
Product Strengths
- Capable of an informative, dynamic and exciting presentation
- Sensational dynamics and surefooted with rhythms
- Excellent build and finish with carefully honed engineering
- Lowest noise floor of any vinyl setup
- Delivers a sound of huge scale and power
Product Considerations
- Expensive
- Installation requires a certified, trained LP12 specialist
- Some may find the presentation tonally lean
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Clearaudio Innovation Wood/Luxman EQ-500: Klimax lacks natural warmth and spaciousness, preferring a more forward presentation, but renders the sound with more precision and agility
- Vs LP12 Akurate: The Linn LP12 Klimax has even lower noise floor
- Vs LP12 Majik: The Linn LP12 Klimax is very unique, smooth, more lively and more appealing with deep bass and extreme high-end air
Takeaway: The Klimax LP12 is a top-tier turntable delivering exceptional sonic performance and a very enjoyable listening experience. It represents the pinnacle of Linn's turntable technology.
Video review
Our take on the brand
The J.Sikora company celebrates its 15th anniversary this year. On this occasion, we have prepared a special product line for the anniversary year.
In 2009, the founder, Janusz Sikora, completed the design of his first turntable. It was the progenitor of the current Standard Max model. It was on this occasion that we decided to build and recreate the Standard Max turntable according to the original design and material assumptions.
Janusz Sikora implemented many of the technical solutions known from the later Reference model in the Standard Max model. One could even describe this original design as a Standard Max with the soul of a Reference. Experiments using brass and bronze resulted in two perfect versions of this model, according to the designer. The bronze one was built in only two copies and there are no plans to resume its production. However, we decided to introduce the brass version to our regular offer now on the occasion of the company's 15th anniversary. In 2009, the implementation of such an ambitious project was very difficult to finalize due to costs.
The new, anniversary Standard Max is a unique turntable. It contains unique combinations of metals and alloys, known from Reference. Aluminum elements were replaced with brass in the turntable suspension. The separators at the base of the platter are made of steel, copper and solid brass plates. The motor housings, as in the Reference turntable, are made of 1 cm thick stainless steel, with special, improved internal damping, and the bases are made of a 2 cm thick slice of brass. Material changes have also been introduced in armboards. The new armboard is made of brass, steel and aluminum.
The use of brass in key places of the turntable allowed us to get closer in most sonic aspects to the pattern set by the Reference turntable. Additionally, the anniversary Standard Max will only be available with a power supply known from the Reference line, and the first 15 sets will be numbered.
Our summary
Product Strengths
- The J.Sikora Standard Max Supreme 15th Anniversary turntable brings music in an unbelievably 'laid back' way
- It delivers a precise, open, very resolving treble
- The turntable suppresses pops & cracks and other distortion
- The sound is velvety, deep and almost warm
Product Considerations
- The bass is somewhat soft
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs TechDAS Air Force One—the Standard Max Supreme plays with less freedom and three-dimensionality
- Vs SME 20/3A—the Standard Max Supreme is less precise and open
- Vs Rega Naia—the Standard Max Supreme is not as effortlessly playing
- Vs Kuzma Stabi XL—the Standard Max Supreme has a deepening of the sound that is comparable
Takeaway: The J.Sikora Standard Max Supreme 15th Anniversary turntable is a top hifi product that offers a quiet and natural sound, allowing one to focus on the music. It is designed to work well with all types of records, regardless of their condition.
Video review
Our take on the brand
What competes at this price?
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Excellent speed stability makes wow and flutter a thing of the past
- Clarity results from speed stability, creating neutral music delivery
- A high level of isolation with a footer system prevents vibrations from reaching the stylus
- A heavy platter contributes to solid sound, especially in the low end
Product Considerations
- The large plinth requires ample space on standard hifi shelving
- VPI asks that the user supply their own cables
- The supplied VPI stabilizer is not considered useful by some reviewers, with one recommending its use as a paperweight only
- Some found that the platter fit was loose
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs VPI Classic Direct—HW-40 is better damped, letting through only a subdued, quick-to-settle 'pop' when the top plate is struck
- Vs Technics SL-1200—HW-40 uses modern materials and construction that exceeds the resolution of the SL-1200
Takeaway: The HW-40 is a well-engineered turntable with a solid build, offering stable and accurate playback. It delivers a detailed and balanced sound, providing an engaging listening experience.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- The Clearaudio Reference Jubilee turntable has a knack for picking the best aspects from a whole different range of musical styles
- It employs both light and heavy turntable design principles at once to lower resonances and reveal more of the low-level information in the music
- The Ceramic Magnetic Bearing (CMB) produces the effect of the turntable platter effectively floating on an air cushion, reducing noise transmission and decreasing potential friction
- Innovative Motor Suspension (IMS) keeps motor vibrations from entering the Panzerholz plinth
- The Panzerholz plinth has a very low Q Factor, or resonance
Product Considerations
- The arm comes with a set of five different counterweights and will accommodate a very wide range of cartridge weights and tracking forces, but as these are unscrewed from beneath, they are fiddlier than some
- The fine pitch of the weight adjustment screw requires considerable twiddling to effect a decent change
- The cueing device could do with more damping and might be a tad abrupt in action
- Setting up the tonearm can be difficult
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- It is noticeably lighter to lift, carry, and position than the Kuzma Stabi R turntable
- It employs both light and heavy turntable design principles at once, unlike the Rega Planar 10
Takeaway: The Clearaudio Reference Jubilee turntable is beautifully engineered and has a knack for picking the best aspects from a whole range of musical styles. Taking the time to properly set up the Reference Jubilee is amply rewarded.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Turn-key vinyl rig that works well at the head in many systems, not just for Burmester completists
- Sound is both refined and has a stentorian bass
- Sound is aimed at uncomplicated, direct emotion, with a focus on a punchy and powerful bass and fundamental range
- Built to an uncompromising standard, putting it among the shining stars of turntable construction
- Music sounds as if it came from somewhere else—from a superior medium, still analog, but better than analog records
Product Considerations
- Replacing the belts is beyond the listener's scope, as it's designed as a sealed unit
- Setting up resistive and capacitive load or cartridge gain involves guesswork for those without a Burmester 100 phono stage
- Only weakly decoupled from its background, meaning the surface it's placed on can affect the sound
- The manual lacks technical specifications on parameters like coil material, resistance, and recommended termination value
- Does not come with a hood
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Burmester 175: Similar 'effortlessness' and 'naturalness' to the sound, but the 175 is a bigger and heavier hitter with more information to process
- Vs Burmester 175: Might even score over the 175 in dynamic range in some cases, especially in systems where the 175's scale can be overpowering
- Pulls away from other players at the latest: the beautifully sonorous recorded drums have even more weight here—and impact, the guitar amps are even more widely distributed in the listening room
- Vs Linn LP12: Even Linn LP12, which is recognized for its powerful bass and format, falls behind, even if the Burmester system is temporarily implanted into it
Takeaway: The Burmester 217 is a well-built and easy-to-use turntable that delivers a balanced and dynamic sound, making it a great choice for anyone looking for a high-end audio experience. It makes listening to records an immersive and enjoyable experience.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Heavy (50-pound) gunmetal platter, air-bearing platter drive, quiet air pump, and vacuum hold-down
- Fit and finish are superior to the original Air Force 3, with a more showy cosmetic finish and high-gloss black lacquer
- Computerized program adjusts belt tension, ensuring correct speed
- Very effective isolation from external vibrations due to its gel-like isolation feet, preventing feedback
- Considered the sweet spot in the Air Force line, offering most of the company's technology at a lower price point than the top models and is the number one selling product in the line
Product Considerations
- Not suitable for quick starts, as it is not designed for applications needing instantaneous speed like a disco setup
- Up to three or four tonearms can be mounted at once, but can be crowded and may require guidance for setup to avoid conflicts
- While the pump is very quiet, it is not inaudible
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs OMA-K3: A direct comparison showed that turntables make a huge difference in sound, with listeners having varying preferences between the Air Force 3 Premium S and the more expensive OMA-K3 when using the same tonearm and cartridge
- Vs Original Air Force 3: The Air Force 3 Premium S has a much heavier platter (50 lbs vs a few pounds), superior finish, and greater rigidity due to being machined from a billet—not assembled from multiple parts
Takeaway: The Air Force 3 Premium S turntable offers a great balance of features and performance within the TechDAS Air Force line. With its advanced technology and build quality, it promises a lasting and high-quality listening experience for audiophiles.
Video review
Our take on the brand
How to buy
Turntables
Search all hifi products
Explore our database of 10,000+ new and 25,000+ used hifi products.
