Four Specialists, One Integrated Turntable
The SME Synergy MK2 brings four specialist names together in a single integrated turntable. SME builds the turntable and the Series IV tonearm, Ortofon supplies the moving coil cartridge, NAGRA designed the phono stage and Crystal Cable provides the mono crystal silver wiring that carries the signal. SME fits and adjusts the arm and cartridge before the turntable leaves the factory, so the owner begins with a finished instrument rather than a box of decisions.
That approach gives the SME Synergy turntable a rare kind of calm. There is no cartridge to choose, no phono stage to match and no alignment protractor to master. A solid, level support, a spare line input on the amplifier and a record worth hearing are enough to begin.
A Chassis Built for Silence
SME machines the chassis and the sub-chassis from solid aluminium billet. The sub-chassis carries the main bearing, the platter and the tonearm, and floats on an isolation system that controls resonance at source. Beneath the main chassis, four fully adjustable feet sit on isolators that decouple the structure from the support and control resonance at the base.
The spindle, ground and super finished from high chrome tool steel, turns in sintered bronze bearings within a sealed housing. That bearing supports an aluminium alloy platter of more than 4.6 kilograms, topped with a diamond-turned isodamp surface cut with a fine scroll, which raises countless fine fibres to meet the underside of each record. A reflex record clamp then draws the disc down into close contact, even where a pressing carries a little warp.
Speed With Quiet Authority
The MK2 version of the SME Synergy introduces SME’s newer drive system, and the difference is heard in the steadiness of every sustained note. A custom bi-phase AC synchronous motor turns the platter under the command of a separate speed control unit, whose DSP engine generates two pure sine waves and governs frequency, phase and amplitude, each tuned to the motor for accuracy.
A separate power unit keeps the mains transformer away from the speed control unit and from the audio signal cables. Both speeds hold independent memory settings, and a rotary control on the fascia trims pitch in very fine steps, so piano, strings and voices stay true from the lead-in groove to the run-out.
A Tonearm and Cartridge Set Up at the Factory
The Series IV tonearm is a single pressure die-cast piece of magnesium, damped from within by a constrained layer so that the arm stays acoustically inert, and balanced by a tungsten alloy counterweight on a damped suspension. Crystal Cable mono crystal silver conductors carry the signal through the arm, and Siltech silver leads join the cartridge to the headshell.
At the tip of the arm sits the Ortofon MC Windfeld Ti, drawn from the Ortofon Exclusive Series, then fitted and adjusted by SME with tracking force set before dispatch. The owner receives an arm and cartridge already aligned and balanced, needing only a quick check of tracking force after the journey.
A NAGRA Phono Stage Inside the Chassis
A moving coil cartridge produces a signal of extraordinary delicacy, and the SME Synergy keeps that signal close to home. NAGRA designed the phono stage for this turntable, and the stage lives within the turntable chassis, fed by a dedicated NAGRA power unit through a low voltage cable.
What leaves the rear panel is a line-level signal on a pair of RCA outputs, ready for any line input on an amplifier or preamplifier. There is no separate phono stage to buy, place or power, and no long phono cable to run between boxes.
Black or the Diamond Series Finish
The SME Synergy MK2 is made in two finishes. The standard model is black, while the SME Synergy Diamond Series is machine finished to sharper lines, with hand-finished detail and black chrome highlights. Beneath either finish sits the same turntable, with the same tonearm, cartridge, phono stage and drive system, so the choice rests on appearance alone.
Choosing Within the SME Range
For an owner who would rather choose a cartridge and phono stage personally, the SME Model 8 arrives with the SME 309 tonearm and a phono output, leaving those choices open. The SME Model 12 MK2 shares the chassis, bearing and drive of the SME Synergy, fitted instead with the Series Vi tonearm and left open for a cartridge and phono stage of the owner’s choosing. The SME Synergy takes the opposite view: every decision made in advance, and made with care.
Hearing the SME Synergy at Audio Lounge
The SME Synergy rewards an unhurried audition, ideally with records the owner knows by heart. Enquire with Audio Lounge about a listening session, and about the amplifier and loudspeakers best suited to partner the turntable, which sits within the Audio Lounge turntables collection alongside further designs from SME and Rega. Audio Lounge also holds a single ex-demonstration Synergy MK2 Diamond Series.
About SME
SME was founded in West Sussex in 1946 by Alastair Robertson-Aikman and is based today at Steyning, where SME machines and assembles turntables and tonearms in-house. State of the art manufacturing works alongside traditional hand craftsmanship, and the SME name has become a reference point for precision turntables and tonearms around the world. The Synergy shows another side of that heritage: an SME design that invites trusted partners, NAGRA, Ortofon and Crystal Cable, to share one chassis and one purpose. Replacement belts and cartridge leads come directly from SME, and service enquiries go to the same Steyning address, so ownership stays close to the source. Explore the wider range of turntables and tonearms in the SME collection at Audio Lounge.
Questions About the SME Synergy MK2
What is the SME Synergy MK2?
The SME Synergy MK2 is an integrated turntable from SME that combines a precision belt-driven turntable, the SME Series IV magnesium tonearm, a factory-fitted Ortofon MC Windfeld Ti moving coil cartridge, a built-in NAGRA-designed phono stage and Crystal Cable silver wiring. The MK2 version adds the newer SME drive system, a bi-phase AC synchronous motor governed by a DSP speed control unit, and plugs straight into a line-level input on an amplifier.
Does the SME Synergy need a separate phono stage?
A separate phono stage is not needed. A NAGRA-designed phono stage sits inside the turntable, with power from a separate NAGRA supply, and the turntable delivers a line-level signal from a pair of RCA outputs on the rear panel. Any amplifier or preamplifier with a spare line input accepts the turntable directly, and a phono input, where the amplifier has one, can stay unused. SME supplies a Crystal Cable audio lead with the turntable.
Which tonearm and cartridge does the SME Synergy use?
SME fits the Series IV tonearm, a one-piece pressure die-cast magnesium arm with internal constrained layer damping and a pivot-to-stylus distance of 233.15 mm. The cartridge is the Ortofon MC Windfeld Ti from the Ortofon Exclusive Series, installed at the factory with a tracking force of 2.3 g. Siltech silver leads connect the cartridge, and Crystal Cable wiring runs through the arm.
What speeds does the SME Synergy play?
The turntable plays at 33⅓ and 45 rpm, selected with the rotary control on the speed control unit, and each speed has an independent memory setting. Holding the rotary control for two seconds opens an adjustment mode in which pitch moves in fine steps of ±0.01% of the selected speed, checked against the stroboscopic disc supplied with the turntable.
How big and heavy is the SME Synergy?
Measured to the top of the tonearm, the SME Synergy turntable stands 178 mm high, with a width of 370 mm and a depth of 350 mm, and weighs 19.59 kg. The platter is 302.5 mm across and weighs over 4.6 kg. The speed control unit measures 170 x 305 x 68 mm and weighs 2.88 kg; the power unit measures 190 x 243 x 83 mm and weighs 4.04 kg. SME recommends a substantial table or strong audio stand.
What finishes does the SME Synergy come in?
The Synergy MK2 comes in black and in the Diamond Series finish. The Diamond Series adds a machined finish with crisper lines, detailing finished by hand and black chrome accents. The tonearm, cartridge, NAGRA phono stage, drive system and every published specification are identical in both finishes.
How much setting up does the SME Synergy need?
Very little, because SME installs and sets up the tonearm and cartridge at the factory. The owner removes the transit screws, fills the main bearing from the supplied syringe of oil, levels the chassis on the four adjustable feet, fits the belt and platter, and connects the power unit, the speed control unit and the NAGRA power unit. SME advises checking the 2.3 g tracking force with a digital stylus gauge after delivery.
Can the cartridge on the SME Synergy be changed?
The cartridge can be replaced, although the Ortofon MC Windfeld Ti comes from SME installed and fully set up. The Series IV tonearm balances cartridges from 5 to 16 g, and the Siltech leads fit standard 1.25 mm cartridge pins. SME advises fitting the stylus guard before any change, never soldering to the pins and following the tonearm manual throughout.
What maintenance does the SME Synergy need?
Maintenance is minimal. The main bearing is lubricated for life, and SME suggests cleaning the drive belt and the pulley rims occasionally with soft tissue or linen moistened with lighter fuel. The belt should be replaced after 1,000 hours of use, with replacements available directly from SME. The power unit and the speed control unit contain no user-serviceable parts.
What guarantee comes with the SME Synergy?
SME guarantees the turntable against faulty material and workmanship for a standard 24 months, extended to five years on registration with SME. Cartridge and stylus wear are excluded, as is damage from any cause. Ask Audio Lounge about registering the turntable at the time of ordering.
Has the SME Synergy won any awards?
The SME Synergy won the What Hi-Fi? Temptation Award in 2019, with the magazine praising the transparency, verve and sophistication of the playback. Today’s MK2 brings the later SME drive system and speed control unit to that award-winning design.
