Few listening rooms in high-end audio draw as much attention as Michael Fremer’s. The former Analog Corner columnist at Stereophile, who went on to launch AnalogPlanet and now publishes The Tracking Angle, has spent more than two decades judging turntables, tonearms and cartridges, and few verdicts in the analogue world carry more weight. A new tour of that room, filmed for the channel Sound with David Hyman, finds an SME Model 35 newly set up and in for review.
Michael Fremer is unequivocal: “This is a turntable you own forever.” The suspension earns equal admiration: “This is a great turntable. It’s a suspended turntable.” The engineering and finish draw the simplest compliment of all: “It’s beautifully made.”
Beyond magnesium
The Series Vi tonearm leaves the magnesium of the Series V behind for a high-density polymer, machined in one piece. Michael Fremer notes the change at once: “This is a polymer arm. It’s not magnesium anymore.” The verdict follows: “It’s way better.” The reason is resonance: “It’s so much better. The first resonant mode is just not anywhere near where you’d hear it.” On living with the Model 35 day to day, Fremer adds: “It’s an easy arm to set up. It’s like a gentleman’s turntable.”
In Michael Fremer’s words
Video: Sound with David Hyman, Michael Fremer Home Audio Tour, 9 November 2026.
The visit adds to the recognition the Model 35 has gathered since launch: EISA High-End Turntable 2026-2027, the 2025 SoundStage! Product of the Year Award and five stars from HiFi.NL, alongside acclaimed reviews in Hi-Fi News, SoundStage! Ultra and Audio Art.
Discover the Model 35:
sme.co.uk/product/model-35
Read the reviews and awards:
sme.co.uk/product/model-35/#reviews
Find your nearest dealer:
sme.co.uk/dealers
Watch the full tour on YouTube:
youtube.com/watch?v=iKK3x9fjBcw