A lot of us worship the good old Ortofon SPU. It comes in many disguises but it is still the good old SPU in some way.
I had the fortune wisiting Robert Gudmandsen - the inventor of SPU - almost 15 years ago. It was at his home with his wife. An old man, but still eager to tell about his life with cartridges and music. I still remember when he pulled out one drawer after another and they all were filled with old SPU's and cartridges I have never even seen or heard about before.
It was after that experience I bough my SPU Gold, but since then I have listened to many of them. I have often felt tempted to buy one more - maybe the Meister or the Royal N so that it can be used with more "normal" arms.
Anyway this thread is also to answer Marco, who asked about my experience with SPU Gold with Fidelity Research FR64s on my Technics SP10 mkII.
Generally I would say that the deck and the cartridge are two opposites. The SPU is a bit bloated and lacks resolution in the low end. The same can be said about the top (sompared to top cartridges of the day), but at the same time it is soft, gentle and pure analogue. Where the SPU really sings is in the midrange. Playing opera or jazz is a pleasure beyound description. You quickly forget anything about the bottom and the top, and just enjoy!
Here comes the Technics SP10 mkII as a sort of "tank" - it has the force, the power and timing. In a way it is like a CD-player (positive). Nothing can disturb it and it gives the right conditions for the arm and the cartridge. But then again the SP10 is NOT a Garrard 301 or a Thorens TD 124. They are both very different "animals", with a much more gentle and holistic approach.
The the Fidelity Resarch FR64s. I have had a SME 3012, but find the FR64 better in many ways. Again we have some of the control and firmness. The FR64 was the only arm that I could use with my Decca Van den Hul cartridge. Itīs a bit the same with the SPU. When I said the SPU lacks a bit of resultion and firmness in the woofer-range the FR64 helps in this regard. I have also tried the new 12" Ortofon arm - a good arm - but not the same control and firmnes.
All in all I think the combination of SPU/FR/SP10 is very good. Anyway it is a different musical experience compared to what what I get playing with my other decks.
What are your experiences with the SPU?