1 of 1- Fleetwing
- Typewriter Talk Vet
Offline - From: Hartford, CT USA
- Registered: 30-6-2015
- Posts: 1,006
Olympia Early Impressions -- SM3 vs. SM9
Having just gotten an SM9 in the last several days, and having spent a fair amount of time typing with it, I then pulled out my SM3 to see how it feels in comparison. I have to say, I like the SM3's typing action better -- it must be the renowned springs under the keys that make the difference, but those keys type so crisply that I feel like I can go very fast! The carriage shift is definitely a big difference from the basket shift on the SM9, of course, but not bad at all, and something I can adapt to easily enough. (The effort in shifting on the SM9 is well night ideal, I think.) Not that the SM9's typing feel is bad, in fact it's quite nice, but the -3 is in another category altogether. Anyone else feel the same?
I'm guessing two things: First, that the springs were removed from the keys to save costs of production; and second, that I will at some point have to get an SG1, since I think that has the springs and basket shift. (But I love my SG3's feel all the same.)
- beak
- Key Master
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- From: Qld Australia
- Registered: 24-3-2013
- Posts: 912
Re: Olympia Early Impressions -- SM3 vs. SM9
Perhaps the more direct comparison is SM4 to SM9, since the offered functions are pretty much the same.
I use three SM4s and three SM9s in rotation, and (IMO) the older action is, as you say, very slightly better, but once I'm concentrating on the text, and not on the machine, I don't notice any difference in the action at all.
But I do find the SM9 a slighly better overall aid to getting things done. It's a quality hard to pin down, but everything on the SM9 just seems to be pared down to performance. It's not as interesting as the 4, and not as nice to look at - it's boring to look at, in fact.
But if there's urgent hard work to do, the 9 is the one I reach for.
As with all comparsisons, you have to remember that individual examples of the same model will vary in their actions a little, and with models as close in specs as the 4 and the 9, individual variations can easily mask a difference in performance between models.
I think the only judgement worth much is the acid test; which machine would you reach for in a crisis!
Last edited by beak (29-7-2015 20:28:37)
Sincerely,
beak.
- KatLondon
- Key Master
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- From: London
- Registered: 11-10-2014
- Posts: 995
Re: Olympia Early Impressions -- SM3 vs. SM9
I've recently got the SM3 out though and, like Fleetwing, had a bit of a rediscovery. Wowie.
And I noticed a heretical thing a while ago with my SM8... This is what comes of all that exerimentation with the Hermes, Royal and Smith-Corona machines. I was using it one morning, and found that the return lever, instead of working as a little sort of finger-catcher, was beginning to make a red line on the side of my hand as I typed. I almost feel bad just saying it...
I wouldn't say it had been replaced in my affections, but the current crisis go-tos are the Silent-Super and the 3000...
I mean, they are all fantastic machines, really. Our parents never had this problem simply because they never had so many typewriters at a time. You bought your typewriter and then you lived with it.
- ztyper
- Key Master
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- From: Somewhere in New Jersey
- Registered: 01-10-2014
- Posts: 773
Re: Olympia Early Impressions -- SM3 vs. SM9
I feel this conflict too...
I love both of my SM's, but I find myself thinking that maybe my SM-4 is just a little bit better than my SM-9... I did a comparison awhile back and I ruled the SM-9 to be better because the touch was basically the same as the SM-4 but it had the easier basket shift. But when using my SM-4 to bang out an English assignment back in June, I found that the touch had some sort of subtle... depth to it that made it much more comfortable. Now I realize that the touch on the SM-4 is superior, but the basket shift is worse than that of my Royal 10. Which is a standard machine.
So I guess the one I would grab in a crisis would be my SM-9, but only because it was my mother's and holds a special place in my heart.
A high schooler with a lot of typewriters. That's pretty much about it.
