SME Model 15 vs Vertere MG-1 MkII
Side-by-side specifications and a plain-English account of the recorded differences. Full profiles: SME Model 15 · Vertere MG-1 MkII.
| Specification | SME Model 15 |
Vertere MG-1 MkII |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $18,199 | Highlighted difference. $13,495 |
| Category | High-end | High-end |
| Status | current | current |
| Years | 2015–present | 2018–present |
| Drive | belt drive | belt drive |
| Speeds | 33/45 rpm | Highlighted difference. 33/45/78 rpm |
| Operation | manual | manual |
| Cartridge supplied | sold bare | sold bare |
| Phono stage | No | No |
| USB output | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| Platter | aluminium, damped | aluminium/acrylic |
| Tonearm | SME 309 | Vertere SG-1 (option) |
| 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 Vertere MG-1 MkII costs less, coming in $4,704 (about 35%) below the SME Model 15.
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: the Vertere MG-1 MkII has the lower reference price; the table shows which documented features change with the $4,704 gap.
Live retailer offers
Checking current in-stock offers for SME Model 15…
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 ↗ |
Live retailer offers
Checking current in-stock offers for Vertere MG-1 MkII…