SPU Cartridge

[Lee Henley]

Ive been wanting to join the SPU club for quite a while now and currently have a stop gap cartridge the Denon DL 103 in use which was brought with the intention of moving to an SPU at some time in my hifi journey.

I currently use the Jelco 750D which is being used on a heavy upgrade platter Nottingham Analogue Spacedeck, my question is that if I put an SPU into the 750D c/w the heavy counterweight and set the overhang accordingly by adjusting the tonearm position is this all I have to do? Is the cartridge in the headshell set and does not require any further adjustment with a protractor?

The SPU I was looking at was one of the new #1 type cartridges either the S or the E.

Many thanks in advance

Lee

[Barry]

Ive been wanting to join the SPU club for quite a while now and currently have a stop gap cartridge the Denon DL 103 in use which was brought with the intention of moving to an SPU at some time in my hifi journey.

I currently use the Jelco 750D which is being used on a heavy upgrade platter Nottingham Analogue Spacedeck, my question is that if I put an SPU into the 750D c/w the heavy counterweight and set the overhang accordingly by adjusting the tonearm position is this all I have to do? Is the cartridge in the headshell set and does not require any further adjustment with a protractor?

The SPU I was looking at was one of the new #1 type cartridges either the S or the E.

Many thanks in advance

Lee

There is always room for doubt when one uses an 'integrated headshell' cartridge (and hence no means to adjust overhang) with an arm where the only means of overhang adjustment is through use of a slotted headshell, or similar.

The easiest answer would be to suggest you contact Ortofon's distributor in the UK and seek their advice. I suspect that the cartridge/arm geometry will not be optimum, in that you will not be able to achieve two null points across the record playing surface, but only a single null point and a minimum point (but not null). This is certainly true when an SPU is used in a Pioneer PL-71 deck (where the overhang is adjusted at the headshell), but I can't find the post where I produced the curve.

But even if the geometry is not optimum, it's still pretty good and the small increase in tracking error distortion is unlikely to be noticeable.

[montesquieu]

Ive been wanting to join the SPU club for quite a while now and currently have a stop gap cartridge the Denon DL 103 in use which was brought with the intention of moving to an SPU at some time in my hifi journey.

I currently use the Jelco 750D which is being used on a heavy upgrade platter Nottingham Analogue Spacedeck, my question is that if I put an SPU into the 750D c/w the heavy counterweight and set the overhang accordingly by adjusting the tonearm position is this all I have to do? Is the cartridge in the headshell set and does not require any further adjustment with a protractor?

The SPU I was looking at was one of the new #1 type cartridges either the S or the E.

Many thanks in advance

Lee

The stylus tip on an SPU is placed at 52mm from the connection point at the collar. I have found one of these to be dead handy in making sure all my non-SPUs line up at the same point as my SPUs https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TECHNICS-SFK0135-01-SL1200-SL1210-OVERHANG-GAUGE-CARTRIDGE-STYLUS-SET-UP-AID/263109761017?epid=2254400975&hash=item3d429057f9:g:ppgAAMXQqC9SLu1q

Although all cartridges, modern ones at least, using a standard half-inch mount should land the tip in exactly the same place (in theory) in practice they don't. And some headshells don't use 52mm as standard anyway, your typical SME headshell places the tip well forward. And some arms are designed to use 50mm not 52mm as a standard (from memory though the Jelco works fine).

Three arms I know that are spot on for SPU at correct spindle to pivot distance are the Ortofon 309 I currently use (in fact, all Ortofon arms - the cheaper ones are made by Jelco anyway - will fit), my current Ikeda IT-345 arm, and the AT-1010. Curiously the AT-1503 doesn't, it works to a 50mm standard so with an SPU puts the tip ahead of where it should be.

From memory, a Jelco set at the correct mounting distance should be fine with an SPU, I certainly used one that way, but I don't think I had my Dr Freickert protractor then to check. The FR-64 needed a small tweak if I recall correctly but only 1-2mm which was adjustable within the hole that was drilled in the Thorens armboard. The SME M12-R needed a tweak from standard distance too.

BTW I added an SPU#1S to my stable recently as well though the example I got appears to have dodgy suspension, it collapsed within a week or so of arrival, so it's back being inspected.

[struth]

i use thes techy setup headshell holders too. like to set mine all up similar and they hold a spare head nicely too

[Lee Henley]

Thanks for the response guys a little food for thought. I did contemplate one of the Technics overhang gauges for the Jelco, I did have one previously when I had the SL1200 deck but that went when I sold the deck.

IIRC when I used to use the overhang gauge, Technics used to say that the cartridge needed to be square in the headshell and set the tip of the stylus to the mark on the gauge, voila job done, when I used to check using a protractor the cartridge used to be out of square and I ended up twisting it to make it fit the grid lines, now this where I get confused slightly, should I just set it square in the gauge and set it to the overhang and forget it or do I set the overhang and then twist the headshell as per the protractor.?

Sorry for so many questions but it can be confusing at times

Lee

[hifi_dave]

Lee,
With an SPU, the stylus position is fixed - you have no way to adjust in the headshell.

Fortunately, you have a Nottingham Analogue turntable with a movable, rotatable arm mount pod. So, you slightly slacken the board securing the arm mount, put the stylus onto the protractor and move/rotate the pod until you have perfect overhang.

Simples..:thumbsup:

[Lee Henley]

Lee,
With an SPU, the stylus position is fixed - you have no way to adjust in the headshell.

Fortunately, you have a Nottingham Analogue turntable with a movable, rotatable arm mount pod. So, you slightly slacken the board securing the arm mount, put the stylus onto the protractor and move/rotate the pod until you have perfect overhang.

Simples..:thumbsup:

Hi Dave

That was what I thought I had to do which was just to set the overhang

Many thanks

Lee

[hifi_dave]

Notts turntables are very practical and sensible. So easy to set up and they stay that way.

[Lee Henley]

Notts turntables are very practical and sensible. So easy to set up and they stay that way.

Indeed they are, quite musical as well

[Marco]

Only issue I see, Lee, is personally I wouldn't use a traditional SPU on a belt-drive turntable, unless it was of the high-mass variety, with a powerful motor (a la Platine Verdier, etc), simply because of possibly straining the motor system with 30 grams worth of headshell and cartridge, tracking records at 4g VTF.

On a belt-drive turntable, powered by a low-torque motor, it could result in stylus drag (as the combined weight of the above will be significant), and thus potentially increase wow, which will degrade sound quality... Does your Spacedeck have a reasonably powerful motor, in order to compensate for that effect?

That's why I'd usually only use traditional SPUs (those inside fixed headshells) on D/D or idler turntables, and a 'Royal N' on others. See here: https://www.ortofon.com/spu-royal-n-p-461

That will give you the SPU sound, fitted to a standard detachable headshell on your Jelco, but without the extra mass of the fixed headshell variety of SPU. Just something for you to consider, as in your circumstances it might be the best option :)

Marco.

[Lee Henley]

Only issue I see, Lee, is personally I wouldn't use a traditional SPU on a belt-drive turntable, unless it was of the high-mass variety, with a powerful motor (a la Platine Verdier, etc), simply because of possibly straining the motor system with 30 grams worth of headshell and cartridge, tracking records at 4g VTF.

On a belt-drive turntable, powered by a low-torque motor, it could result in stylus drag (as the combined weight of the above will be significant), and thus potentially increase wow, which will degrade sound quality... Does your Spacedeck have a reasonably powerful motor, in order to compensate for that effect?

That's why I'd usually only use traditional SPUs (those inside fixed headshells) on D/D or idler turntables, and a 'Royal N' on others. See here: https://www.ortofon.com/spu-royal-n-p-461

That will give you the SPU sound, fitted to a standard detachable headshell on your Jelco, but without the extra mass of the fixed headshell variety of SPU. Just something for you to consider, as in your circumstances it might be the best option :)

Marco.

Hi Marco

Many thanks for that mate, I had not considered this as an issue but do see where your coming from to be honest. The motor on the Spacedeck is the standard one, and I believe they are the low torque design. I think for the time being I will keep away from the SPU and run with what I have got, also it looks like Im going to become a member of the Idler club soon, hoping to pick up a mint Lenco GL75 a week on sunday, maybe further down the line if and when I change the arm I will get an SPU for that.

Many thanks mate

Lee

[Marco]

No worries, Lee. I wasn't sure if you'd considered the 'drag' factor, but it's a significant one, as the resulting sound wouldn't be enjoyable, and it's something that could be hard to put your finger on - possibly even leading to you blaming the cartridge itself...

SPUs (much like DL-103s) aren't cartridges you just fit onto any arm or turntable, without some degree of thought, and preferably a good deal of experience! :)

I think it's a good idea to wait until you get your idler deck, and possibly also fit another arm more suited for use with an SPU, as that way you'll get the best out of your purchase of one. I'd also recommend using any SPU with a top-notch, high-gain phono stage, and preferably in conjunction with a quality SUT or headamp, designed to optimise its sonic and electrical characteristics.

Anyway, if I can be of any further help, just let me know! :cool:

Marco.

[bonzo]

I heard the SPU a85 and a95 on the Schick on a Notts Dais at Silvercore. It was excellent.

[Marco]

Thanks for that, Ked. Well, there you go, it could work on a Spacedeck (if the motor used is the same as that on the Dais), although the (rather SPU-friendly) Schick arm may have been significantly influencing matters.

I'll still say that I don't consider SPUs, and low-torque motor belt-drive T/Ts, as an ideal match, and would be confident in predicting that they'll usually sound better, with an appropriate arm, on the likes of SP10s or TD-124s.

Marco.

[Lee Henley]

I use the Jelco 750D at the moment which will be swapped out at some point for the new Jelco 950 series as they appear to be a decent buy for the money with the knife edge bearing and adjustable VTA on the fly. If I keep the Lenco I can throw the 750 D into that, all food for thought