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Last year, Cadence Group purchased from the Robertson-Aikman family venerable SME, Ltd., appointing as its new CEO Stuart McNeilis. Mr. McNeilis, a veteran of the the aerospace industry, is attempting to maintain SME's exceptional traditional manufacturing quality while moving the company (gently) into the 21st century.

SME has long manufactured turntables and tonearms as well as high-tech parts for the aerospace, automotive and medical industries. McNeilis's goal is a 50/50 mix of hi-fi and high-tech. He's already re-structured the company's worldwide audio distribution and he's busy planning for the company's future. You can read more about that in a future issue of Stereophile. AnalogPlanet toured the factory in 2014 using a GoPro camera. This tour looks and sounds better.

After this visit, McNeilis and I drove to London for the Pink Floyd museum exhibit after which I interviewed the illustrator Gerald Scarfe. Mr. McNeilis served as the cameraman. If he's as steady at SME's helm as he was holding the camera, SME's future will be smooth sailing. You can read more about SME's transition in a future Stereophile Analog Corner.