Just hooked up my SME 10 turntable with series V tonearm with dynavector cartridge. I’m laughing because it sounds so blanking good. So yeah a super hi end turntable is not outclassing the SA-30. Comparing some digital titles to analog some digital is better some analog is better. One example is Allan Holdsworth records best all the digital copies on Tidal.And when the analog is better it’s not even close.I continue to be floored by this little amp, and I have owned some real expensive gear, still do. What a fabulous amp! Anybody playing analog on the Sa-30? What are your thoughts. Listening to Belafonte At Carnegie Hall he’s in the room with me right now, I’ve got chills:laughing:
I have a.CD50 attached to analogue inputs (though the music is digital) and a Roksan Artessa TT attached to my SA30, but that is now connected to a GoldNote PH-5 phono stage (which is a big step up the the very good built-in MM phono stage in the SA30).
I love playing vinyl on the SA30 and bought 6 vinyl Albums today, a mixture of old and new. The SA30 does have a sound that while working nicely with Digital (CD and Roon for me) also is wonderful with vinyl and makes me want to play more and more.
I also had the Dire Straits live box set today but that has to go away for Christmas so I will have to wait for that 
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Nice! I love that SME 10! I use a Basis Debut Gold with vacuum , Basis Vector arm and Koetsu Urishi, Walker motor drive. The SA 30 did not have enough gain for the Urishi so I added a Teac PE 505. The SA 30 replaced an all CAT tube system. Only my best vinyl beats the SA 30 streaming Roon. Most of my vinyl sounds as good or just different that the SA 30 streaming. But yes, the best analog sources still beat digital. Whats amazing is Dirac, I never thought I would digitize analog, but in my room it just sounds better. I hardly ever turn off the Dirac anymore. The speakers are Sonus Faber Extremas with a set of REL Stentor II subs. I use Cardas Golden Cross wire. Yea, the SA 30 with its Class G amp and excellent digital section with Dirac is a dragon slayer. A real bargain. Its a shame Arcam seems to have abandoned it with no firmware updates…
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Sounds like a nice system. I’m glad you’re having fun.
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Thanks! You too! I once set up a SME 10 with a Series V arm for a friend. I was so impressed with the build quality and fit and finish of that killer table! And when I was finished with the set up I put my Hi FI News tracking lp on it to test the arm and I was blown away with its ability to track! If I had not already owned the Basis I would have gone to SME.
Ken
Just taken a look at these and wow they are a thing of beauty 
You must be laughing before the music starts 
Most of of the parts on the SME turntable are military spec by the RAF in England. I’ve owned a lot of cool gear in my life. But I will never ever sell my SME10 turntable. It’s something that’s passed down from generation to generation it’s that well built. I was also lucky to work at a audio store and not to pay retail for it, and Ken is the one that set it up originally with the 10 tonearm, he doesn’t realize he’s talking to me in this thread, which is hilarious. Hey Ken miss you buddy
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Oh very funny 
I would have to be very luck to end up owning one of these 
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Oh the Norwegian Stalker Strikes! Glad you still have the SME 10 !
hehe
Ken
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Vinyl sounds good through the SA30, but the in-built MC stage can’t compete with a dedicated phono stage. I use a Heed Questar with dedicated PSU into an analogue input on the SA30. Signal is from a Hana SL cartridge in an Ittok LVII on a late 1980s LP12 with on-board Vinyl Passion power supply.
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I would agree I use a sutherland insight with a linear power supply. But I would still say it’s better than most and fine for a entry level tt like a rega planar 3