Ortofon SPU WOOD? any users?

byrdparis

Well-Known Member
Nov 24, 2015
427
478
295
Israel
has someone pick one up yet and can tell how it sound\compare vs the others SPU cart line?

its something i'm thinking to get for myself...
i was experience some time with the #1 E in my system and like it a lot, lush mids and overall a great bargain.
the "problems" i found, it was lack some in the dynamic department and i guess i'm also looking for more details and air around the instuments...
i was thinking to get a diferent SPU further in the line, like a classic gm mk2 or a royal, but now they have this WOOD A type that got me all worked up...

thanks.
A.
 

gian60

Well-Known Member
Apr 17, 2016
2,503
1,943
343
I have spu A95 and Spu Synergy that has the body in wood.
Except the Anniversary line,for me and also two shop that sell SPU in Italy,the best is the synergy

If you can try this
 

RaceDoc

Well-Known Member
Sep 11, 2017
34
25
125
Germany
Hi byrdparis,

I guess you know that the new SPU Wood A needs an other tonearm than your #1 E which is a SPU "G"?

The approx. 2 cm shorter "A"-body is designed to fit to a very rare number of tonearms.

It seems the new Wood A is the former "standard" SPU A in a wood body. So it should give you by trend
a similiar warm and full bodied sound like your #1 E.

The Synergy uses the same elliptical diamond than your #1 E but a nude one and not bonded.
It has a more modern generator inside and should (in my opinion) not used with a step up transformer
SUT but with a "modern" phono stage with min 55dB gain and between 30 and 50 Ohm load.

Given that, I fully agree with Gian that the Synergy is probably the best SPU on the market.
 

byrdparis

Well-Known Member
Nov 24, 2015
427
478
295
Israel
Hello.
I know about the short body “wood”, that why ortofon suggest an adaptor for “regular “ arms.
I’m still thinking about it, vs the synergy or others spu’s In line...
 

ddk

Well-Known Member
May 18, 2013
6,261
4,040
995
Utah
Hello.
I know about the short body “wood”, that why ortofon suggest an adaptor for “regular “ arms.
I’m still thinking about it, vs the synergy or others spu’s In line...
You can’t mount any SPU A or G types cartridges on your arms! The adapter isn’t for regular fixed head shell arms like yours it only fits bayonet type arms increasing the effective length to work with short bodied A type.

david
 

byrdparis

Well-Known Member
Nov 24, 2015
427
478
295
Israel
All due respect
Why you assume that you know every arm I have or ordered for myself other then what is written in my signature!?
If I asked about something like this plus you see what I have in my system why not assume I know something about audio and analog... and I’m not some kind of newbie inquiring stuff out of the blue...
 

ddk

Well-Known Member
May 18, 2013
6,261
4,040
995
Utah
All due respect
Why you assume that you know every arm I have or ordered for myself other then what is written in my signature!?
If I asked about something like this plus you see what I have in my system why not assume I know something about audio and analog... and I’m not some kind of newbie inquiring stuff out of the blue...

Just going by the way you detailed your system in the signature, I know now that I shouldn't have wasted time answering!

david
 

miniguy

Well-Known Member
Dec 18, 2013
437
168
350
San Diego area
Hello.
I know about the short body “wood”, that why ortofon suggest an adaptor for “regular “ arms.
I’m still thinking about it, vs the synergy or others spu’s In line...

If one has a tonearm with a detachable headshell with SME type collet, such as the 3012R, it is not necessary to use the APJ-1 adapter for an A-style SPU. It is only required to shorten the pivot-to-spindle distance to compensate for the reduced effective length when the SPU A is mounted. If you have an articulating armboard or enough travel on an SME sliding base, then it’s a piece of cake. If you have a fixed mount on a plinth then not so easy since you would have to re-drill the plinth, so you might as well use the adapter. I have worked out the math (it’s a straightforward matter of the laws of sines and cosines) to determine the resulting slightly reduced effective length and slightly larger offset angle without the adapter. You can then use these numbers as inputs to an alignment calculator, such as the one on vinylengine.com, to determine the new overhang that gives the best curves or location of null points to your liking.

BTW, the SPU Wood A is a superb implementation of the SPU concept. It is thoroughly engaging to the extent that you forget about all the audiophile adjectives and get lost in the music. Of course, it doesn’t have the hyper detail of the uber cartridges, but what detail it does have is quite sufficient, along with an unexpected imaging prowess and a commanding sense of physical presence.
 

Birdwatcher

Well-Known Member
May 29, 2018
218
98
135
EU
Any other experience with the Wood A? maybe direct comparison to any older/other SPU?

To adapt a SME 3012R for a SPU A with shortening the mounting distance results in not correct geometry. The angle in the tonearm is slightly different then. To use a correct SPU A geometry tonearm or an ADJ adapter is the only correct solution.
 

miniguy

Well-Known Member
Dec 18, 2013
437
168
350
San Diego area
Any other experience with the Wood A? maybe direct comparison to any older/other SPU?

To adapt a SME 3012R for a SPU A with shortening the mounting distance results in not correct geometry. The angle in the tonearm is slightly different then. To use a correct SPU A geometry tonearm or an ADJ adapter is the only correct solution.

Not correct. The problem is completely determinant. There are 3 equations available in 3 variables which can be solved for the slightly modified offset angle and new effective length, allowing you to choose the overhang that best comports with your preferred lateral alignment.
 

rockitman

Member Sponsor
Sep 20, 2011
7,097
412
1,210
Northern NY
Not correct. The problem is completely determinant. There are 3 equations available in 3 variables which can be solved for the slightly modified offset angle and new effective length, allowing you to choose the overhang that best comports with your preferred lateral alignment.

That there is the problem...offset angle (zenith)in the head shell needs to be changed. That cannot be done in SME head shell w/o modification to the headshell. The cart has a fixed position (cart straight ahead), as such to get the correct alignment w/o adjusting zenith the adapter that lengthens the A type SPU to the longer G-size is needed.
 

miniguy

Well-Known Member
Dec 18, 2013
437
168
350
San Diego area
That there is the problem...offset angle (zenith)in the head shell needs to be changed. That cannot be done in SME head shell w/o modification to the headshell. The cart has a fixed position (cart straight ahead), as such to get the correct alignment w/o adjusting zenith the adapter that lengthens the A type SPU to the longer G-size is needed.

Sorry, but you guys don’t understand the fairly complex geometry and the intimate interdependence of effective length, offset angle and overhang. If you don’t go through the calculations you will never get it. So use the APJ adapter and be happy.
 

rockitman

Member Sponsor
Sep 20, 2011
7,097
412
1,210
Northern NY
Sorry, but you guys don’t understand the fairly complex geometry and the intimate interdependence of effective length, offset angle and overhang. If you don’t go through the calculations you will never get it. So use the APJ adapter and be happy.

One of the selling points of sme bayonet mount and SPU's in general is simplicity of setup. Your method of doing the twist with the cart in the headshell adds another complexity variable that isn't needed if you use a fixed cart headshell or spu and rely on the sme sled to slide fore or aft to get one's desired alignment. If you enjoy complexity when it's not necessarily needed, go for it. No need to insult others who prefer to simplify things and get the same result..the lowest possible tracking error given the alignment protractor chosen.
 

miniguy

Well-Known Member
Dec 18, 2013
437
168
350
San Diego area
One of the selling points of sme bayonet mount and SPU's in general is simplicity of setup. Your method of doing the twist with the cart in the headshell adds another complexity variable that isn't needed if you use a fixed cart headshell or spu and rely on the sme sled to slide fore or aft to get one's desired alignment. If you enjoy complexity when it's not necessarily needed, go for it. No need to insult others who prefer to simplify things and get the same result..the lowest possible tracking error given the alignment protractor chosen.

No insult intended and sorry you interpreted it that way. Also, I made no mention of cart twisting in a headshell. The context here is SPU.
The original motivation for this subject was how to eliminate the extra contacts of the APJ-1 adapter by shortening the pivot-to-spindle distance and using the math to determine appropriate overhang. Another way to do it is to buy a used Ortofon A-mount tonearm like a RMA-309 at exhorbitant asking prices online, or, better, a Thomas Schick arm ordered with A-Mount geometry.
 

ddk

Well-Known Member
May 18, 2013
6,261
4,040
995
Utah
Not correct. The problem is completely determinant. There are 3 equations available in 3 variables which can be solved for the slightly modified offset angle and new effective length, allowing you to choose the overhang that best comports with your preferred lateral alignment.

The ADJ adaptor is purpose built for Ortofon and SME tonearms you won't get the right alignment by just sliding the arm forward. Why bother with theoretical and modified angles that might or might not work when it's plug & play with the adaptor and the overhang switchable between the A type with adaptor & G types without?

david
 

miniguy

Well-Known Member
Dec 18, 2013
437
168
350
San Diego area
The ADJ adaptor is purpose built for Ortofon and SME tonearms you won't get the right alignment by just sliding the arm forward. Why bother with theoretical and modified angles that might or might not work when it's plug & play with the adaptor and the overhang switchable between the A type with adaptor & G types without?

david

I was just offering an alternative. That’s all. So just use the APJ-1 adaptor.
 

miniguy

Well-Known Member
Dec 18, 2013
437
168
350
San Diego area
BTW, I should have mentioned at the outset that the other reason one might consider using the SPU Wood A on the 3012R without the APJ-1 adaptor is to avoid driving the tonearm/cartridge resonance too close to the warp region. Although I’m not familiar with the effective mass of the 3012R with its steel arm tube, it may be a factor some users may want to think about - the SPU Wood A weighs 31 grams, and the addition of the adaptor adds another 6 grams, for a total of 37 grams. As an example to put this into perspective, the resonant peak of the SPU Wood A in combination with the APJ-1 adaptor mounted on an Ortofon TA-110 9 inch tonearm occurs at 8 Hz, which I have measured. The effective mass of the TA-110 without headshell is 3.5 grams.
 

McDee275

Active Member
Nov 4, 2021
43
144
40
70
Germany
I use my SPU Wood A for nearly 4 months already. Before I had a SPU '1-E fixed to my Schick tonearm.
The Wood is better in any case. It shows more details (even as it has a spherical stylus), cleaner reproduction of instruments and better soundstage. It runs on my 9.6 Schick arm with an APJ-1 adaptor.
Does the music sounds better with or without the use of an APJ-1 on matching tonearms?
I cannot say so, as I had never the possibility to compared the Wood A on a tonearm matching the A-Cartridge to the shorter Schick 9.6 with APJ-1.
It is of no interest to me.
I hear my music with my equipment, being totally satisfied how it sounds.
For me the race for better, more detailed etc. is over. I am happy as it is now.


20210310_162138 kl (3).jpg

Volker
 

Anthony Ho

Well-Known Member
Aug 19, 2019
21
10
83
46
I use my SPU Wood A for nearly 4 months already. Before I had a SPU '1-E fixed to my Schick tonearm.
The Wood is better in any case. It shows more details (even as it has a spherical stylus), cleaner reproduction of instruments and better soundstage. It runs on my 9.6 Schick arm with an APJ-1 adaptor.
Does the music sounds better with or without the use of an APJ-1 on matching tonearms?
I cannot say so, as I had never the possibility to compared the Wood A on a tonearm matching the A-Cartridge to the shorter Schick 9.6 with APJ-1.
It is of no interest to me.
I hear my music with my equipment, being totally satisfied how it sounds.
For me the race for better, more detailed etc. is over. I am happy as it is now.


View attachment 83985

Volker

I am also using Wood A on my Schick arm with the APJ adaptor, I agree the sound is very good especially for Pop and Jazz style of music, however I have difficulty setup the arm in perfect alignment (protractor) possibly due to the fact of adaptor has some sort of deviation. The distortion could be heard easily in the inner groove. I am considering to purchase another tonearm specifically design for the Wood A type of cartridges.
 

djsina2

Well-Known Member
May 30, 2019
1,125
964
213
I’m using the SPU Wood A on a ViV tonearm, which makes the alignment simple and a non-issue. The sound is outstanding.
 

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing