Product Description

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Ortofon SPU Royal GM MkII Cartridge

The SPU Royal GM model was released in 1998 to celebrate the Ortofon 80 year anniversary.

The SPU Royal GM MkII provides a playback experience that embodies the essence of analog, with generous refinements which bring the legendary SPU cartridges into the realm of unrivaled perfection.
The addition of Ortofon’s unique Replicant 100 stylus and reduced tip mass ensures open and detailed sound reproduction for a purely exquisite listening experience.
Electrum coils, consisting of a gold and silver alloy, provides uncolored and precise transmission of armature movements while the slightly modified damping system makes it possible to reduce VTF and achieves a higher level of linearity.

A little background of the SPU cartridge.

The term “SPU” stands for “stereo pick-up” as phono cartridges were called “pick-ups” in the 1950s and 1960s. The original SPU was introduced in response to the demand for cartridges to reproduce the new stereo records. Based on Ortofon’s already 10 year old technology and experience in mono cartridges, the SPU immediately set the standard for professional and audiophile applications.

Back in 1958 the Ortofon SPU sounded like no other cartridge because it was way ahead of its competition. Today the SPU still has a sound that is definitely its own and it enjoys a remarkable following – in particular among audiophiles whose systems are comprised of vintage valve equipment and horn or reflex speakers.

But with no other cartridge over the course of half a century, have we ever had to take so much care in respecting this original sound when improving technical data, as with the SPU model. As a result  and in order to show considerations for this goal, you will after 60 years still find the basic visuals, the original design, as well as the original elements in the construction of the magnetic circuit kept fully intact.

Evidently the product has changed throughout its evolution. New possibilities in regards to housing materials, diamonds and magnetic system have been employed to improve the SPU and its performance whilst at the same time we remain faithful to the original concept. It is also clear that in a period of 60 years certain components will be changed as the suppliers no longer make them and replacements must be found.

Specifications