I have this question regarding setting up my SME 3009 improved (removable headshell version).

When I got my Thorens 126 MkI / SME 3009 some twenty years ago (those were times without the Internet) I was told by some "guru" that SME headshell was not that good and that I should do the following tweak:

I stuffed it with a small amount of some sort of black modelling putty (feels like BluTack), filling all small holes. The cartridge at that time was MM Ortofon VMS30 MkII.

I kind of remember that after this tweak, sound got warmer with slightly deeper bass. After twenty years I'm not really sure about the difference, since I never removed the putty...

Question No 1: Is this tweak valid in your opinion?

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Question No 2 (also related to Q No 1): I allways wondered what this really is for:

SME 3009 has this setting for cartridge weight. Why? On some other arms you only have VTF and anti-skating settings.

I used to set this to naked cartridge weight. I always checked the VTF with a small Ortofon Stylus Gauge.

Recently, I started wondering if the cartridge weight setting should also reflect added weight of spacers, screws and this putty? Should I also substract the weight of the finger lift thingy that I removed from the headshell?

The cartridge I'm using now is high output MC - Ortofon MC-1 turbo. It is only a temporay solution, since I'll receive my new Shure V15 V XMR in a few days

Thanks,

Aleksandar