The SME Model 20A MK2: Reference-Level British Engineering

Ex-Demonstration Model - Clearance Sale (Cartridge not included)

Includes Cyrstal Cable RRP £800. Featuring gold-plated RCA connectors, this cable guarantees optimal contact, corrosion resistance, and a secure connection between your amplifier and turntable. The durable yet flexible outer jacket allows for easy installation while providing protection against wear and tear.

In our demonstration room sits a rather serious piece of equipment—an SME Model 20A MK2 that exemplifies what happens when British engineering refuses to compromise. This ex-demonstration reference turntable is now available at a significant reduction from its original price.

Understanding the Model 20A MK2's Position

After 50 years in specialist hi-fi, we've learned that SME's hierarchy exists for good reason. The Model 20A MK2 sits firmly in reference territory, incorporating design elements from the flagship Model 30 whilst maintaining its own distinct engineering philosophy. This isn't just another high-end turntable—it's a statement about what's possible when vibration control becomes an obsession.

The 26kg mass tells only part of the story. Those 16mm thick machined chassis plates aren't about impressive specifications—they're about creating an absolutely stable platform where the only movement is the stylus tracking the groove. When you invest at this level, you're purchasing the absence of compromise.

The Engineering Excellence

The Model 20A MK2's construction reads like a masterclass in resonance control. The high-density construction with extensional damping doesn't just reduce vibrations—it prevents them from existing in the first place. The suspended suspension system with fluid damping creates an island of calm, isolating the platter from everything except the music.

The close-tolerance bearing, manufactured to SME's legendary standards, ensures the platter rotates with astronomical precision. This level of engineering isn't about impressing visitors—it's about retrieving information from record grooves that lesser turntables leave behind.

The Series V Tonearm Advantage

This example includes the SME Series V tonearm with contrasting silver printed detail—a combination that represents serious value. The Series V remains one of the world's most respected tonearms, its magnesium construction and precision bearings allowing any cartridge to perform at its absolute best. The Crystal Cable internal wiring preserves every nuance from stylus to output, whilst LEMO low-power connections ensure reliable, interference-free operation.

You have the choice of RCA or XLR chassis connectors, allowing seamless integration with your existing phono stage. The independent mains transformer isolates the turntable from household electrical noise, maintaining the purity of the musical signal.

Living with Reference-Level Performance

This Model 20A MK2 has been meticulously maintained to SME's factory standards. Used only a handful of times for supervised demonstrations, it's been professionally serviced and will receive another comprehensive service before delivery. You're acquiring a fully optimised example of one of Britain's finest turntables.

The improved drive system delivers enhanced speed stability that reveals itself not through obvious wow and flutter, but through the correctness of instrumental timbre and the stability of the soundstage. Piano notes decay naturally, vocals remain locked in space, and complex orchestral passages maintain their coherence even at climactic moments.

Our Comprehensive Support

Purchasing a turntable of this calibre from Martins Hi-Fi means entering a long-term partnership. We offer professional installation services (available separately) ensuring perfect setup in your listening environment. But the real value lies in our ongoing support—through follow-up calls and annual check-ins, we help you extract every ounce of performance from your investment.

We'll guide you through cartridge selection to complement the Series V, advise on phono stage matching, and share those setup refinements that transform excellent sound into something transcendent. Many clients discover their systems improve significantly over the first year as they master the fine adjustments that bring everything into perfect focus.

Trade-In Possibilities

If you're currently enjoying a quality turntable but feel ready for this leap into reference territory, let's discuss trade-in options. We offer generous valuations that properly reflect your current turntable's value. The Model 20A MK2 represents such a dramatic improvement in resolution, dynamics, and musical insight that even owners of highly regarded turntables find the upgrade revelatory.

Why Martins Hi-Fi Makes the Difference

Five decades of experience means we understand that selling exceptional equipment is just the beginning. We help you optimise your entire system around the Model 20A MK2, ensuring every component operates at its full potential. Our demonstration facilities allow you to experience this turntable with your own records, understanding exactly what reference-level performance means for your collection.

We're here to discuss room acoustics, equipment supports, and those system synergies that elevate good sound into genuinely moving musical experiences. This level of support continues throughout your ownership, ensuring your investment continues delivering satisfaction for decades.

The Sonic Achievement

The Model 20A MK2 doesn't editorialise or romanticise—it simply reveals what's in the groove with startling clarity. The effective isolation from vibrations, including speaker feedback, means the turntable maintains its composure regardless of volume levels or musical complexity. Protection against interference ensures that what you hear is purely the musical signal, nothing more, nothing less.

This uncoloured vinyl reproduction might initially seem understated compared to more characterful turntables, but extended listening reveals its genius. You're hearing your records, not the turntable—and that's precisely the point at this level.

British Manufacturing Excellence

Each Model 20A MK2 is built at SME's Sussex facility where precision isn't a marketing term but a measurable reality. Components are manufactured in-house to tolerances that most companies couldn't even measure. This is patient, methodical craftsmanship where rushing would be anathema to the entire philosophy.

The design elements borrowed from the Model 30 aren't cosmetic—they represent proven engineering solutions refined over decades. When you invest in SME at this level, you're purchasing the accumulated knowledge of over sixty years at the forefront of precision engineering.

Making Your Decision

This ex-demonstration SME Model 20A MK2 with Series V tonearm offers a rare opportunity to acquire reference-level performance at a more accessible price point. Limited availability means this opportunity won't last indefinitely.

We invite you to arrange a demonstration where you can experience firsthand what this level of engineering brings to music reproduction. Our team will discuss the comprehensive support services available, from professional installation to long-term system optimisation.

Contact Us

To arrange your audition of this exceptional turntable, please enquire at Martins Hi-Fi. We're ready to demonstrate why the Model 20A MK2 has earned its reputation as one of Britain's finest audio achievements.

For those ready to experience what's truly possible from vinyl reproduction, this moment presents an exceptional opportunity.