montesquieu
08-04-2013, 22:50
I'm moving house shortly, need to fund-raise a little, and have decided to live without a second arm for a bit. This means dismantling some of my mono setup.
First up: my little-used Ortofon SPU Mono GM Mk II, in original box with stylus guard. Truly fabulous mono sound, quite intoxicating really, brings the depth layering to life magically on any mono recording be it classical, jazz or rock'n'roll. Low mileage though I can't be exact in terms of sides, list price is £650/€750 Euros, I'm looking for £320 + £10 for fully insured special delivery.
The Ortofon Mono GM works very well into a moving magnet phono stage but is actually rated as 110ohm rather than the 47k ohm MM standard. As it happens shortly after I bought this I found a very nice three setting Carver step-up transformer that does 110ohm - the only one I've seen EVER. It's a match made in heaven with the Mono GM Mk II and I'd strongly recommend that the buyer go for it as well, it really does bring out the best in this superb cartridge. As well as 110ohm there's 3.9 ohm (perfect for standard Ortofon MCs of all kinds, plus Koetsus, Shelters, Lyras, AT's and many others), and a 39 ohm setting (ideal for Denons, and LOMC Dynavectors). A seriously handy piece of kit that's given my Kondo AN-S6c a run for its money. Looking for £250 + £10 for fully insured special delivery, but I'll do it with the Mono GM for £500 posted as ideally I'd like to see them go together.
Next up a vintage SPU G, naked (without Ortofon headshell) + a custom machined aluminium billet to allow it to be used on any headshell or tonearm with appropriate height and articulation. Comes mounted on a Sumiko headshell with a custom weight which overall brings it up to the same weight as a headshell mounted SPU. Lovely vintage stereo SPU sound on that spherical stylus tracking at 3-4g. Looking for £250 + £10 special delivery.
I've also rather enjoyed my Ortofon 2M 78 cartridge - for playing 78s. This first on a standard headshell and has 5mv output straight into a moving magnet phono stage. Like the GM Mk II it's 'true mono', not a stereo cartridge strapped for mono, and consequently greatly reduces the surface noise from 78s. This is £85 retail + shipping, I'll sell for £45 + £6 postage, in original box. I bought this from Jack at Christmas and it has maybe 50 sides on it, so a real bargain for someone.
Finally, I've been using all these lovely cartridges on a newly acquired Ortofon-based 12in tonearm, one of these here made by a guy called Alfred Gerd (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ortofon-12-long-Tonearm-for-SPU-Garrard-301-401-Thorens-TD-124-and-many-other-/251255791170?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiF i_Turntables&hash=item3a80031e42), a retired German engineer living in Spain. Based on the AS212 Mk II bearing, he fabricates a very low-resonance armwand and weights, and puts them together for I'm sure very little mark-up over his materials cost. Used on my Thorens TD124 Mk II, this arm has been more satisfying to me than the Thomas Schick arm I used to run on my old 401 - unlike the schick it has bias control, I think the arm wand is better and the headshell coupling feels like better quality. Alfred did a wiring upgrade for me in the armwire and cable to decent quality silver-plated OFC with Neutrik terminations. It's standard Ortofon/Linn type mounting and there's a template for the spindle to arm distance. I paid over £600 plus shipping for this tonearm + cable, I'll ship it with a standard Sumiko headshell, as supplied with the Jelco 750D, list price £40, for a total of £400 + £10 special delivery - a total bargain already becomes stupidly cheap.
Drop the shipping price if buying more than one thing and of course it comes off altogether if collecting. Payment by bank transfer or Paypal gift.
Pics to follow tomorrow when there's some light!
First up: my little-used Ortofon SPU Mono GM Mk II, in original box with stylus guard. Truly fabulous mono sound, quite intoxicating really, brings the depth layering to life magically on any mono recording be it classical, jazz or rock'n'roll. Low mileage though I can't be exact in terms of sides, list price is £650/€750 Euros, I'm looking for £320 + £10 for fully insured special delivery.
The Ortofon Mono GM works very well into a moving magnet phono stage but is actually rated as 110ohm rather than the 47k ohm MM standard. As it happens shortly after I bought this I found a very nice three setting Carver step-up transformer that does 110ohm - the only one I've seen EVER. It's a match made in heaven with the Mono GM Mk II and I'd strongly recommend that the buyer go for it as well, it really does bring out the best in this superb cartridge. As well as 110ohm there's 3.9 ohm (perfect for standard Ortofon MCs of all kinds, plus Koetsus, Shelters, Lyras, AT's and many others), and a 39 ohm setting (ideal for Denons, and LOMC Dynavectors). A seriously handy piece of kit that's given my Kondo AN-S6c a run for its money. Looking for £250 + £10 for fully insured special delivery, but I'll do it with the Mono GM for £500 posted as ideally I'd like to see them go together.
Next up a vintage SPU G, naked (without Ortofon headshell) + a custom machined aluminium billet to allow it to be used on any headshell or tonearm with appropriate height and articulation. Comes mounted on a Sumiko headshell with a custom weight which overall brings it up to the same weight as a headshell mounted SPU. Lovely vintage stereo SPU sound on that spherical stylus tracking at 3-4g. Looking for £250 + £10 special delivery.
I've also rather enjoyed my Ortofon 2M 78 cartridge - for playing 78s. This first on a standard headshell and has 5mv output straight into a moving magnet phono stage. Like the GM Mk II it's 'true mono', not a stereo cartridge strapped for mono, and consequently greatly reduces the surface noise from 78s. This is £85 retail + shipping, I'll sell for £45 + £6 postage, in original box. I bought this from Jack at Christmas and it has maybe 50 sides on it, so a real bargain for someone.
Finally, I've been using all these lovely cartridges on a newly acquired Ortofon-based 12in tonearm, one of these here made by a guy called Alfred Gerd (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ortofon-12-long-Tonearm-for-SPU-Garrard-301-401-Thorens-TD-124-and-many-other-/251255791170?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiF i_Turntables&hash=item3a80031e42), a retired German engineer living in Spain. Based on the AS212 Mk II bearing, he fabricates a very low-resonance armwand and weights, and puts them together for I'm sure very little mark-up over his materials cost. Used on my Thorens TD124 Mk II, this arm has been more satisfying to me than the Thomas Schick arm I used to run on my old 401 - unlike the schick it has bias control, I think the arm wand is better and the headshell coupling feels like better quality. Alfred did a wiring upgrade for me in the armwire and cable to decent quality silver-plated OFC with Neutrik terminations. It's standard Ortofon/Linn type mounting and there's a template for the spindle to arm distance. I paid over £600 plus shipping for this tonearm + cable, I'll ship it with a standard Sumiko headshell, as supplied with the Jelco 750D, list price £40, for a total of £400 + £10 special delivery - a total bargain already becomes stupidly cheap.
Drop the shipping price if buying more than one thing and of course it comes off altogether if collecting. Payment by bank transfer or Paypal gift.
Pics to follow tomorrow when there's some light!