SPU Gold Reference vs Silver Meister vs Synergy?

The only I haven't heard is the Synergy, Its going to take a few pages to describe the qualities of each cartridge here. They're all different enough from one another in character to warrant different names.

The Gold SPU use to be in the same price point as the Meister, they replaced the Gold with the Synergy.

david

Disclaimer- Ortofon dealer

Gold reference was speciality product as 80ties anniversary or the 90ties anniversary so to speak....main difference is the use of the replicant 100 stylus ....as david said you can fill page describing each of these cartridges, as each is very different in sound, but you can say for sure that all are VERY musical cartridges. There is also Japan only limited number SPU Spirit which for my $$$ is one to look for......

I have both Gold and Gold Reference. For me the SPU Gold (with silver wire) is way better than the Gold Reference. Though I haven't had a chance to listen to the Meister and Synergy.

Prcinka, Do you know what makes the SPU Spirit special? The special addition SPUs I own have a different balance than the Classic, the goosed the high frequencies for these cartridges, without that I'd like them a lot more.

david

Disclaimer- Ortofon dealer

if you go to theartof sound forum and type there you can find the whole chart for any SPU cartridges under the thread by "fordy" SPU Spirit...The wire is 8N copper for the coils...

I recently spoke with someone who knows SPU's, and he summed up the following 3 SPU's this way:

SPU 95th
SYNERGY
ROYAL

He said the SYNERGY had more of the classic (old school) sound while the 95 swayed toward the more modern sound relative to SPU's. The Royal was somewhere in the middle of these.

Please do your own research, but those were his findings. I know the proper arm is important, as it is with any cart.

I have heard the following and own all expect the Royal:
1) 85th Anniversary, 2) Gold, 3) Royal and 4) Silver Meister. And I rank them in that order of preference. But the difference is small and all of them do have a house "SPU" sound. Just the different stylus, wires and other small differences in stylus damping etc. Also, there would be some system dependencies, of course.

Thanks for all comments.

Ddriveman,
Does Gold mean SPU Gold or SPU Gold Reference?
Someone suggested that Gold sounds better than Gold Reference.
My experience of SPU is SPU Mono, SPU GM e MKii, and SPU Gold Reference.
SPU Mono (MM, high voltage) sounds better than Denon DL102 mono.
GM e MKii sounds worse than other Ortofon MC cartrdiges I've owned, including MC20, SL15e, and SL20q.
Gold Reference dows not sound better than SL20q to my ear with my systems.
SL20q is with Clearaudio Bluemotion and Ortofon MCA76 phono MC amp. Gold reference is with Garrard 301/Ortofon RMG309 and Budgie Cinemag SUT.

I would look for better SUT for the SPU cartridges....It may be more $$$ but you will gain a lot....you may start with Patridge 7834 or Ortofon SPU T 1....

I am using a Bob's Device SUT with my SPU Gold. The SUT does give a significant improvement.

I would like to try the Auditorium Hommage T1 SUT but it's too expensive....... :-(

"I would look for better SUT for the SPU cartridges....It may be more $$$ but you will gain a lot....you may start with Patridge 7834 or Ortofon SPU T 1...."

Did you mean Auditorium 23 T1 SUT?

or Cotter MK2L.....

Dear lhcho,

Sorry for late reply. I mean SPU Gold. Have not compared to Gold Ref. But I think the newer stylus don't sound as good as the older stylus. I also agree that SPU Mono sounds better than DL102.

I own all the SPU iterations including the Anniversary box set #1. I like the SPU95th most followed by the Silver Meister and then the Urushi Spirit. Synergy is too "thick". The Silver Meister A is better than the G on Ortofon arms!

sorry error SPU 90th is best the 95th is too "hifi"

@prcinka 

if you go to theartof sound forum and type there you can find the whole chart for any SPU cartridges under the thread by "fordy" SPU Spirit...The wire is 8N copper for the coils...

Ortofon SPU SPIRIT is an interesting cartridge, but virtually unknown, it's rare, only 500 units made strictly for Japanese market. I owned this SPU Spirit number 500 (the last one) and of course it was much better than my Classic GM mk2. Anyway, i realized SPU is not my cup of tea, i'm better with high compliance vintage MM cartridges. Therefore i'm even selling my Schick Tonearm designed for SPU. (it's on ebay right now).     

pinkpoet

Hi dear spu specialists...it ain't easy to talk about something so individually listened to...probably the whole line effects the sound you hear. Sure, you know the sound of your system...then you change the pick up...you hear the change. If you change the pre-amp...you hear a change...
If I change tubes in my power amp...I hear a lot of change...
In my ears...and mind...the main thing is, that I feel like I want to just go on listening to what I hear...
Everything else sounds wrong...