Cult Status

I picked up one of the Ortofon SPU #1 cartridges this week. I got the S version with the spherical stylus. It just seems like a more appropriate option than the elliptical version given the heritage of the SPU. That’s probably just the anacrophile in me thinking though. However, it has been known for a while now that a spherical stylus is more forgiving to the grooves of an LP, albeit at the expense of detail retrieval. It was also a bit cheaper.

As with all Ortofon products it is nicely packaged. It has a substantial and securely fitting stylus guard which is always good.

Art Dudley reviewed it a few years back in 2016 when it was first released in his Listening column for Stereophile, as did Michael Fremer when he was with that magazine.

Its attributes are similar to the first SPU from way back in 1959: a low-output of 0.18mV moving-coil cartridge with low-impedance coils measuring 2 ohms; a low-compliance motor of 10µm/mN; and a short aluminium cantilever with a length of about 3.9mm. Not to mention the tracking weight of 4 grams.

I’m using my Fonolab SUT into the second input of the Kondo GE-1 phono stage, although it would be interesting to try out my Supex SDT-77 with it too, seeing as it is designed for low impedance cartridges as well. The Fonolab has switchable inputs, low and high. The low range is suitable for 0-5Ω cartridge with a 1:36 ratio, which should be perfect for the SPU#1S.

For now it is mounted in my Technics SL-1500c, which I know isn’t the best match for this heavy 30 gram cartridge, but it is how it will be for now. Fortunately Technics supply an extra counterweight in the box to accomodate heavier cartridges.
First impressions are it’s bit stiff out of the box (as you’d expect) but it’s only taken a couple of LPs to improve considerably. It sounds just like an SPU should – big and bold and musical, free and easy at the high frequencies, punchy and dimensional in the mids, and although the bass is still a tad stiff, I would expect that to continue to improve. It tracks like a train (as you’d expect from a properly set up low compliance cartridge at 4g). It reminds me of a Denon DL-103, with that bigness. It also sounds different to the SPU-AE I have. Maybe a fuller midrange. The SPU-AE seemed a bit more airy perhaps. To be fair it’s been a while since I have listened to it, and then it was in the EMT 997 tonearm, so apples and oranges in a way.

Joseph has done a nice write up of his experiences with this cartridge over on his JE Labs blog. I agree with his statement: “Even if the #1S has slightly less top end extension than the Classic GME, the midrange is even more organic and soulful because the harmonic overtones are more akin to what I hear in a live music-making environment.”

Given the relative low cost of the SPU#1S it’s an amazing performer. If anyone is inclined for a more ‘vintage’ approach with modern engineering, get one. They’ve also released the new GTX versions which have integral transformers built into the headshell body. Not available to me as yet, and I am unlikely to get one now, but they do look really interesting.

The SPU #1S features:
– Spherical stylus.
– High Purity Copper armature windings and terminal leads
– Ground wood and resin composite housing

The SPU cartridge embodies the essence of the original Moving Coils and are a perfect solution for the playback of both early and modern and contemporary stereo recordings. Excellent price-to-performance ratio.

SPU #1S Technical data

Output voltage at 1000 Hz, 5cm/sec. – 0.18 mV
Channel balance at 1 kHz – 1.5 dB
Channel separation at 1 kHz – 20 dB
Channel separation at 15 kHz – 10 dB
Frequency response – 20-20.000 Hz ± 3 dB
Tracking ability at 315Hz at recommended tracking force *- 60 µm
Compliance, dynamic, lateral – 10 µm/mN
Stylus type – Spherical
Stylus tip radius – R 18 µm
Tracking force range – 3.0-5.0 g (30-50 mN)
Tracking force, recommended – 4.0 g (40 mN)
Tracking angle – 20°
(* Typical value)

Internal impedance, DC resistance – 2 ohm
Recommended load impedance > 10 ohm
Cartridge body material – Ground wood and resin composite
Coilwire material – High Purity Copper (OFC)
Cartridge colour – Black matte
Cartridge weight – 30 g