Hi Guenth,
My setup is very similar to yours. I am using a Garrard 301. I now have a Koetsu Rosewood Signature mounted on my FR-64S and a SPU 85th Anniversary mounted on a 12in Thomas Shick arm. Both connected to a FR setup transformer at 30 ohms. I don't have a specific preference to either arm/cart combo. I would say the Koetsu sounded a bit more delicate and the strings are nicer. However, SPU is more dynamic and bold, perfect for orchestral music. One benefit of an SPU is that with the heavy tracking weight, it ploughs through dusts and scratches with minimal noise.
One suggestion is to get a two arm plinth for your 301 and then you can enjoy both SPU and Koetsu.
Do you SPU gurus ever experience severe mistracking?
I have 2 SPU-G/T I sent to the Ortofon factory to be re-tipped. That's about 40 years ago. They came back with a SPU-E (elliptical) tip and wouldn't track half of my records. Worse, when they mistrack, they plow through the vinyl's, ruining them.
My daily driver is a Denon 103 on a SAEC 407 arm.
I have 2 SPU-G/T I sent to the Ortofon factory to be re-tipped. That's about 40 years ago. They came back with a SPU-E (elliptical) tip and wouldn't track half of my records. Worse, when they mistrack, they plow through the vinyl's, ruining them.
My daily driver is a Denon 103 on a SAEC 407 arm.
My SAEC WE407-23 arm has a known error is its geometry, easily corrected by twisting the cartridge by a few degrees.
Apart from that, I tried everything I knew and ruined a few LP's along the way, but that didn't help, so I went to the Dynavector Karat. Same arm, same Linn Sondek LP12, minor VTA adjustment, no problem whatsoever. Then I got the 103 for cost reasons: the running cost of the Karat was about a cent per revolution.
I still have at least one of these SPU/E, but I gave up on them a long time ago. Maybe just a botched job at the factory?
Apart from that, I tried everything I knew and ruined a few LP's along the way, but that didn't help, so I went to the Dynavector Karat. Same arm, same Linn Sondek LP12, minor VTA adjustment, no problem whatsoever. Then I got the 103 for cost reasons: the running cost of the Karat was about a cent per revolution.
I still have at least one of these SPU/E, but I gave up on them a long time ago. Maybe just a botched job at the factory?
Hi, You should take it out of it's H/Shell, buy or make a spacer adaptor (easy job) then mount it on a conventual H/Shell. Then re-align to your alignment gauge & listen. But just realize the Eff Mass of the arm is not known, the no Ortofon head-shell SPU needs a heavy arm. Which may mean the SPU is unsuitable, unless you increase the weight of your standard H/Sell (use Blue-tac as a trial) to match the SPU H/Shell weight.
Cheers
PS the same, increasing H/Shell weight needs to be done for the 103, as it to needs a heavy arm of around 30-35 grams, so sound its best.
Cheers
PS the same, increasing H/Shell weight needs to be done for the 103, as it to needs a heavy arm of around 30-35 grams, so sound its best.
Thanks for the tips, but I've already tried them all:
Anyway, plenty of other fine cartridges available, no big deal.
- The flimsy original plastic headshell went straight to the bin
- A study headshell was used, probably made inert with damping, which was my thing in the 80's
- The "on-board" transformer was removed
- The SAEC is a high mass arm, not too common over here, but popular with the Japanese audiophiles, specially with the SPU! (see pic)
Anyway, plenty of other fine cartridges available, no big deal.
It is one of the nicer examples I have seen here. No longer my favorite table either, but unfortunately I own two of them, arms, cartridges and pre-amps. I'm just not that into vinyl anymore, and could probably make due with a Basis Debut or Orbit Theory at this point. Used SME 10 have gotten too expensive to consider which would be my first choice.
Basis Debut I wouldn't mind myself nor SME machine but like you said everybody wants to have a table now and my shocked GF told me that she went through a used record stand on flea market and some of the records were priced at $75...Bought a bunch CD's at 50 cents a piece today, Blue Notes among them. Gotta wait for resurgence of the format in a few years.
Thanks for your comment Rtsang. I was thinking the SPU might be good for rock because of the dynamics. I've got my Denon 103R sounding good now with a 16 gram headshell on an FR54 arm. I tried the Cap with an 18 gram Ortophon headshell and it sounded worse so I'm going to leave it as is. It's not as clean as the Koetsu but the bass is tighter. I wonder if the SPU bas is tighter than the koetsu ? I should probably just keep whatI have now and buy more records !
Not sure what to say about DNic's comment as that is news to me. There are better cartridges than the SPU, but it's a competent and gutsy performer in its most basic forms. This was the cartridge some audiophiles used to listen to early Rolling Stones and Beatles albums, not to mention much later ones like Van Halen (me at least).
The ones I would specifically recommend are the Meister Silver II and the Royal. I have heard the 1 and 1E and thought they were quite decent performers at the entry level end of the range.
My first experience with an SPU was a vintage GTE, I used to own 4 of them and still own an SPU A95 which is a rather traditional sounding SPU. It is a good all arounder...
I have also owned a number of DL103 and thought they were quite good but thought on my old Schick 12 inch arm (now regretfully gone) that the Royal N was significantly better than the very capable ZU DL103. (Never heard a retip that I liked as much as the original.)
These days I mostly use a Mutech Hiyabusa if I play vinyl at all which is a rare event indeed.
The ones I would specifically recommend are the Meister Silver II and the Royal. I have heard the 1 and 1E and thought they were quite decent performers at the entry level end of the range.
My first experience with an SPU was a vintage GTE, I used to own 4 of them and still own an SPU A95 which is a rather traditional sounding SPU. It is a good all arounder...
I have also owned a number of DL103 and thought they were quite good but thought on my old Schick 12 inch arm (now regretfully gone) that the Royal N was significantly better than the very capable ZU DL103. (Never heard a retip that I liked as much as the original.)
These days I mostly use a Mutech Hiyabusa if I play vinyl at all which is a rare event indeed.
Thanks for both of your comments. For now I'm going to stick with the stock 103R for rock. The Koetsu is pretty punchy on the FR64s too. I haven't tried the Koetsu on the Eminent Technology ET2 yet. I'm guessing maybe less punchy and wider soundstage. I'd still like to hear an SPU Synergy or Silver Meister but i won't buy one unless I can try it out. I read that the Silver Meister is not as full sounding as the Synergy but better top end. Not sure if thats true. Cheers.
The key to making all SPU work well is to match them to a suitable high quality transformer. Without transformer they sound very none descript. I use a FR trans set to 1ohm, noticeable better sound depth than the 3 ohm setting. So you also have to add that cost into the mix.
Cheers
Cheers
The JS No. 41 transformer was designed to match the input sensitivities and give the lowest signal to noise ratio found in the typical valve preamplifiers of the early 1960,s . This accounts for the high step-up ratio and the 20 kohm secondary impedance. Incidentally,1:120 is approx. 41 dB gain.
Hello Just wanted to update my experimenting with cartridges. I did purchase a Synergy SPU and love it. Huge dynamics which brings me a front row seat at any listening session. Much fuller and punchier in the bass and midrange than the Koetsu. The Koetsu sounds like the cleanest studio recording while the SPU brings me to a live show. I was going to do a quick comparison but it took me a month to take the SPU off it sounded so good. I'm using a Graham Slee Ascension MC for the Synergy. Matches perfectly. The Bobs Devices Sky 20 works better with the Koetsu. if I could only have one cartridge I could live with the Synergy. Cheers !
Hi,
I use standard DL 103, high mass TA, Heashell in mild aluminum, spacer 3.7mm in Panzerholz between the cart and headshell. I do not use any step up but an Audio Analogue ARIA 1st version pre phono. The sound is not bad at all and I do not feel need any change so far. However I was suggested to modify it with boron, different tip, Graphite body, but not sure those mod pays back in terms of sound. I would prefer to try first in my set up.
In the pre phono I use Dale vintage resistor a little different in capacity load from the suggested supplied one.
Rgds
Adelmo
One more comment to this cartridge journey. I listened to the SPU Synergy for a few months and love it. I was listening mostly to Jazz. Old rock also sounds great. A friend came over and wanted to hear Dark Side of the Moon. The sound was a way too loose for that. I put the Koetsu Rosewood Signature back on. Rocks with Pink Floyd, tight and punchy. Synergy sounds better with highly compressed rock like Ramones. I tried the 103R again. Sounds kind of harsh compared to the Synergy or Koetsu. Its a keeper for the alcoholic parties. The Cap didn't help it but it was no surprise as it just fit loosely around the cartridge. I'm thinking of epoxying it into a Paradox Pulse Aluminum body as its not too expensive. Thats it Cheers.