spu cartridges

[aKnyght]

the ortofon spu cartridges kept coming up in my analog source research. so, i decided to investigate further and it seems like i may have just found the motivating force to move this project off the drawing board and into action.

the sound characteristics are very much to my liking and i think they will pair very well with my amp and speakers. [not to mention the early hi-fi, mid-century, very retro-cool aesthetic!!]

looks like the SPU synergy G may be the place to start here. relative to other SPUs, it has a low 3gm tracking force and high 0.5mV output.

it would be great to hear others' experience, comments, recommendations, pro tips, etc -- not only on these cartridges but also the gear that works well with them.

what tonearms are recommended? thomas schick seems to always be in the mix, but grooveMaster, ortofon and jelco are in there as well. any others?

what phono amplification is recommended? i assume it is purist to use a SUT into a MM phono-pre and might even be necessary for the ultra-low output, 0.18mV versions for noise reasons.

anyway, just hoping to learn more from those in the community here with experience. thanks!!

 

[UltraFast69]

I was made aware of the SPU line but have not heard it. This was to be mated with a Jelco arm on Fieckerts WoodPecker using a Gold Note Phono and LPS.

I do like how they are designed to change in and out.




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[vortrex]

I've used the Synergy SPU, it's great. One of my more memorable cartridges. I was pairing it with a 1:30 SUT for 52 ohm loading. Keep in mind with an SPU there is no way to adjust the cartridge alignment if your arm is statically mounted. Precise arm mounting is important. I now use a Shindo SPU and have the benefit of my arm being on an articulating base and also the SME "sled" for sliding adjustment. You want a G for normal arms, or an A plus the Ortofon adapter. With some arms, like Schick, you can specify an arm for A only SPUs.