Luxman PD-191A vs SME Model 12
Side-by-side specifications and a plain-English account of the recorded differences. Full profiles: Luxman PD-191A · SME Model 12.
| Specification | Luxman PD-191A |
SME Model 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Highlighted difference. $12,495 | $15,599 |
| Category | High-end | High-end |
| Status | current | current |
| Years | 2022–present | 2015–present |
| Drive | belt drive | belt drive |
| Speeds | Highlighted difference. 33/45/78 rpm | 33/45 rpm |
| Operation | manual | manual |
| Cartridge supplied | sold bare | sold bare |
| Phono stage | No | No |
| USB output | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| Platter | aluminium die-cast | aluminium, damped |
| Tonearm | LTA-710 knife-edge | SME 309 / M2-12 |
| Wow & flutter | — | — |
Practical differences
Highlighted cells show a lower reference price, support for more listed speeds, or the presence of a convenience feature. They are not an overall score.
On price alone the Luxman PD-191A costs less, coming in $3,104 (about 25%) below the SME Model 12.
Both are belt-drive, so that part of the experience should feel similar on either deck: a motor that's mechanically isolated from the platter by an elastic belt, which is the usual route to a quieter noise floor — the default choice across most of hi-fi.
Bottom line: $3,104 separates these reference prices. That difference is factual; this specification comparison does not assign an overall winner.
Live retailer offers
Checking current in-stock offers for Luxman PD-191A…
Retailer searches
3 US retailers stock Luxman — each outbound link searches the deck on that retailer’s site.
| Retailer | Type | Shipping | Product search |
|---|---|---|---|
| eBay | marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | Search at eBay ↗ |
| Music Direct | hifi independent | Free shipping on orders over $49. | Search at Music Direct ↗ |
| Reverb | used marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | Search at Reverb ↗ |
Live retailer offers
Checking current in-stock offers for SME Model 12…
Retailer searches
1 US retailer stock SME — each outbound link searches the deck on that retailer’s site.
| Retailer | Type | Shipping | Product search |
|---|---|---|---|
| eBay | marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | Search at eBay ↗ |