In 2011, we decided to give our SPU fans around the world an opportunity to get a collection of the four most famous SPUs, each of them being a very special collector's item:
These four most famous SPU cartridges represent the diversity of technical solutions and materials and reflect the continuous technological development thoughout the past 50 years.
The SPU Collector box is complete with a booklet encompassing the history of Ortofon, the history of SPU, and description of the products.
These 4 cartridges are made exactly as the original models, and are as genuine as the original production units
All materials and techniques have been preserved during the manufacturing process.
The SPU introduced in 1959, pointed the way for the next 50 years of high-end cartridge design: a generator comprising two low-impedance coils, wound with very fine copper wire and crossed in such a way that the two walls of an LP's stereo microgroove can generate two discrete signals with maximum separation.
The SPU is the only Ortofon stereo cartridge that has survived since 1959 and from all over the world gained a reputation second to none for an outstanding analogue sound reproduction.
Being the inventor of the world famous SPU stereo cartridge in 1958, most music lovers, even today, find that there is no name like Ortofon which is more involved in the history of analogue reproduction. The fact that Ortofon has kept the SPU in production for half a century says a lot about the enduring rightness of its design.
The original SPU model, engineered by Mr. Robert Gudmandsen in 1959, introduced low coil impedance concept. As a basis for reproducing superb high frequencies, this concept has been improved and refined in the decades since.
In the early sixties Ortofon was the moving coil manufacturer with the SPU range comprising three models: E (elliptical stylus), G (standard SME-fit G-shell) and T (with or without step-up transformer).
The SPU Gold Reference
The SPU Gold Reference, introduced in 1989, was limited to 335 units.
Features:
-Cantilever: Gold plated Alu
-Stylus: Replicant 100
-Armaturewire: 99,99999% Copper
-Magnet: Alnico
-Housing: Aluminum-Magnesium alloy
These improvements made it possible to reduce the tracking force and obtain a more linear frequency response.
Sonically, the Gold Reference is a genuine SPU, known for it’s beautiful fluid midrange, but with just a taste of extra detail.
The SPU 85th Anniversary
The SPU 85's unique characteristics included an outstanding housing made of Japanese Hida Beech wood, famous for its strength and hardness. For the exclusive surface treatment, the 6000 years old Japanese Urushi lacquer method was chosen in order to achieve a hard, resistant and beautiful multilayer surface in dark maroon colour.
In order to influence sound from the motor system, a new wire concept for the armature windings called “AUCURUM” was developed, that creates extraordinarily high conductivity and environmental resistivity.
Features:
Cantilever: Aluminium
Stylus: Nude Elliptical
Armaturewire: AUCURUM, a composite of very pure copper and gold
Magnet: Neodymium
Housing: Hida Beech using Urushi lacquer technique
