The SPU Classic presented music with sonic body—the flutes in the opening measures of Vaughan Williams' Job, as performed by Sir Adrian Boult and the London Philharmonic (LP, Everest SDBR-3019), were made listenable by this cartridge as by few others—and the most natural sense of musical flow one can imagine: lines tumbled out in a manner free from all mechanical artifice.
That was with my EMT 997 tonearm; if anything, the SPU Classic G jelled even better with the Schick tonearm (the review sample of which, I'm mildly embarrassed to say, I've continued to enjoy in my home). The combination of Classic G and Schick provided the best sense of scale I heard during my time with the SPU Collector's Box.
Next up was the SPU Gold Reference, which uses the same alloy headshell as the Classic, but departs from that earlier design with its slightly higher impedance, moderately higher compliance (at 3.0gm, the Gold Reference has the lowest recommended downforce of all four of these SPUs), and its use of Ortofon's proprietary Replicant 100 hyper-elliptical stylus profile. The Gold Reference also sports a gold-plated aluminum cantilever, making it uniquely easy to align among all these streamlined G-style pickup heads, which do tend to be more difficult to align than the squarish A-style Ortofons. The SPU Gold Reference was introduced in 1989, and only 335 were made.
From the moment I first lowered the Gold Reference's stylus into a groove, its superiority was obvious in one regard: It was as silent a stylus as I've ever heard, and notably quieter than Ortofon's spherical tip. The Gold Reference also distinguished itself as the airiest of the four SPUs, and the one with the most accomplished stereo imaging. Voices sounded especially beautiful, there being no better example than soprano Heather Harper in her performance, with Neville Marriner and the Northern Sinfonia, of Britten's Les Illuminations (LP, Angel S-36788). That said, the SPU Gold Reference was also less impactful than its three boxmates, as I heard in the very immediate-sounding recording of Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra by Felix Slatkin and the Concert Arts Symphony Orchestra, in a recent reissue overseen by the always-excellent Robert Pincus (LP, Capitol/Cisco SP8373).
I moved on to the SPU 85 Urushi, in which a traditionally low-compliance SPU motor—this time with an elliptical stylus at the end of its aluminum cantilever—is married to a solid wood headshell finished with the fabled lacquer made from the urushi tree. The SPU 85 has slightly higher-impedance (and -output) coils than the Classic, and its recommended downforce is 3.5gm. The SPU 85 was introduced in 2003, to commemorate Ortofon's 85th Anniversary; production was limited to 500 units.
The beech-bodied SPU 85 was, in many ways, the most expressive of the bunch. With the SPU 85, the horn that opens Schubert's Symphony 9, in the famous recording by Josef Krips and the London Symphony Orchestra (LP, Decca/Speakers Corner SXL 2045), didn't just play the line—it sang it. Each note was individually shaped, as if by a human voice: amazing. The 85 also did a good job of remaining poised during the loudest orchestral tuttis in this recording. On the other hand, higher-pitched notes didn't have quite the heft and body—the same flesh and blood—as with the SPU Classic. But the 85 was awfully close, and was, if anything, more colorful and textured. It even brought those qualities to deep bass notes, as on that Felix Slatkin recording of Britten's Young Person's Guide.
Fourth and finally came the Ortofon SPU 90th Anniversary, which I reviewed in my April 2009 column. Introduced in 2008 in a limited edition of 500 units, the 90th Anniversary is the first SPU to benefit from two of Ortofon's most recent cartridge technologies: their use of a cylindrical "field-stabilizing element" within the motor, to maximize and focus the permanent magnet's power; and their Selective Laser Melting (SLM) construction—a sort of high-precision welding technique that reportedly goes beyond adhesives in ensuring a rigidly and accurately made pickup. The low-impedance and low-compliance SPU 90th Anniversary has an elliptical stylus and tracks at 3.5gm.
The 90th Anniversary was, in many ways, the most refined-sounding of the four while still sounding like an SPU. (The Gold Reference, which was admirably clean and tight, sounded a bit more hi-fi than the 90th Anniversary.) It was also, surprisingly, the best tracker. (Also surprisingly, the SPU 85 was the least accomplished in that regard.) On "No Ordinary Love," from Sade's Love Deluxe (LP, Epic 472626 1), the 90th Anniversary had a bit less scale than the SPU 85, but just as much bass depth and impact—and much better bass speed. This pickup's pedigree was also clear to hear on the best recordings of acoustic music in my collection, such as Tony Rice's seminal Manzanita (LP, Rounder 0092). With the SPU 90th Anniversary, the sound of Rice's guitar was as rich and supple as I know it to be, with realistic snap and momentum in even the fastest lines of notes. Voices were timbrally right through the newest SPU, with spatial presence and body that were almost the equal of the hallowed SPU Classic's.
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COMMENTS
A couple of weeks ago I went on a Willy/Mink DeVille splurge and ordered two LP's and a CD through a couple of the Amazon Marketplace dealers. All arrived in great time and great shape - one LP and the CD were bought used but were in excellent condition. Everything was well packed and I have no complaints. I think most of the marketplace dealers are record stores that are expanding outside of their local market; you might have better luck with them.
... that it may have more to do with the fulfilling vendor than with Amazon proper.
Nevertheless, to a buyer, it's "Amazon" that's the seller, not the vendor who fulfilled (i.e., actually sold) it.
Assuming of course it wasn't fulfilled by Amazon, and AD didn't say.
Either way, what's really odd about AD's experience is that from what I've read, Amazon is reputed to lean towards the customer's side to the extent that vendors sometimes get screwed over by Amazon in forcing unwarranted returns upon them.
All in all, it's a process more complicated than it needs to be as soon as something doesn't go according to Amazon's efficient plan.
Ouch, I hate it when that happens.
Personally, I have had pretty good luck with Amazon LP orders over a relatively long history. If ordered direct from "supplied by Amazon" the LP generally ships double boxed with air pillows between.
Things can be more humorous if from a third party supplier through Amazon. These usually are packed in a box designed for LPs, and sometimes are layered between older LP sleeves, and once in awhile these actually contain those old LPs, a real bonus. These bona fide extras are never playable however, nor are they ever titles I would dare to listen to. It is fun to see what I might get.
I stopped buying used LPs through Amazon, unless an exceptionally rare album. Too often, the stated condition is just wishful thinking. I've had to preach all too often to hapless sellers that "Like New" does not mean that the large and plentiful scratches are OK just because they are relatively new customizations. I have always received a refund in these situations. Yes, inconvenient as hell to return disappointing treasures.
The worst is the USPS, which is the MO for 3rd parties. They have no clue about LPs. Even when shipped in LP rated cartons, several have arrived looking as though they made nice seat cushions for an overweight diver on a mountain dirt road. It is really heartbreaking to receive such arrivals. And when a rare album is found inside in priceless sparkling condition, but has just become a double LP, the only thing that will travel in those grooves are tears.
WillW
... about the materialism reference. I really enjoy Art every month, even though he is very different in so many ways... even going back to Listener.
He infuriates, but educates. He does get me to re-evaluate my musical and sonic values, every month.
Cool animation too. Love that guy. (Is his forehead really that big? Nawwww..)
Agreed. Always taking a chance with used vinyl - everyone has different definitions of condition. Better stick with new audiophile vinyl at Amazon. Ordering more than one at a time from one source can reduce warpage damage. And on shipping/packing/delivery: At least twice now - and even tho I have a very large mailbox it is not 13 inches in any dimension - carriers have bent a 12" LP in order to fit it into the mailbox!
So far; 100% packed so well I feel guilty for the amount of cardboard it takes, sometimes just for one LP.
Middle of the States / Bible belt = culture lag might be severe enough that the LP form is still recognizable. I mean, the whole Serenity thing finally got here just a few months ago... go figure the LP remains viable.
On a positive, yet sandpaperesque note; be glad you were refunded. Aural Exploits (which I heard of here <cough cough> ) did not refund any of my monies for the never arrived order I made with them.
Ordered new, directly from Amazon.
Took a few weeks, but it came in a nice LP-specific cardboard sleeve.
I showed my wife your column about Amazon. She empathizes but thinks you might have been just a bit too honest. I thought you might get a kick out of it.
http://thesommertimes.wordpress.com/2011/03/28/ships-in-certified-frustration-free-packaging/
Hi Art!
The funny cartoon depicting you with a guitar and a Smash 45 on the floor brings back the eternal question of how to play properly those wicked 45s from Smash, Mercury, Bell, Amy, Mala etc...My best bet so far is the Ortofon MM OM Pro S or D25M with a 1 mil. radius with a 4g VTF (bias optional). Note that those 2 carts OM PRO S an D25M are the exact same product!!!!!!!!!!
Hope you're well in Upstate New York.
Your friend from Paris, France (and occasionally Rocky Hill CT)
John/Jean 
Don't get it when Hifi blogs go on a tie raid about high end audio reviewers...
I laughed so hard with the very first paragraph of this column that I nearly fell out of my sweet spot, audiophile appropriate chair in our living/listening room.
Maybe it's to prop up against their own insecurities with the very nature of our lovely hobby/pass time, I don't know.
Speaking of falling, since the lose of Listener and the most excellent rise of Listening I have enjoyed the tangential amblings of yours Art and the great deal of insight and exploration in the analogue realm. You make it a great read and leave me (anyway) with some larger view and a few more of the dots connected than before the last copy of Stereophile wound up in our mail box.
Let's continue to not take ourselves nearly as serious as we take our hobby! And yes Art, you have truly helped.
Happy Listening!
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