Seeking SPU tonearm advice
- Thread starter KPC
- Start date
Ooh! I didn't know you were there in the shadows sir!
Cracking Tonearm, simply perfect with the SPU.
It shouldn't hang around.
Poor Glanz 
, please accept my deepest sympathy.
If your Glanz MH-104S urinates as you mentioned above, would it not be better to slip some pampers over it to prevent it from leaking?
Or did I misunderstood you?
, please accept my deepest sympathy.If your Glanz MH-104S urinates as you mentioned above, would it not be better to slip some pampers over it to prevent it from leaking?
Or did I misunderstood you?
What and how many do you have to give the Glanz to drink before he urinates on a Groovemaster? Does he still shine like stainless steel afterwards?
Very true, but the Law of Diminishing Returns applies here, and the Glanz is not four times as good as a GrooveMaster with SPUs! For someone whose pockets are not deep enough to afford a Glanz, a GrooveMaster is a wonderful alternative.
If one purchases wisely and purchases minty used, the Glanz is ($4565) which is not as you say, 4 times the Groovemaster ($2,915.00 - $3,205.00) is it worth the extra $1360? ....I think so.
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But if you use the short SPU A types, there is no much modern alternatives to Groovemaster and Schick. If there would be a Glanz 1200 for SPU A, I would immediately buy one.
I have a SPU Classic GE MkII on a Jelco 12" TK-950L. I use the SUTs built into the EAR 868 phono stage.
This is my first SPU experience and I absolutely love it! Well worth the cost and effort to hunt down and install this arm/cart combination.
This is my first SPU experience and I absolutely love it! Well worth the cost and effort to hunt down and install this arm/cart combination.
Here in the UK, a new GrooveMaster III is up to £2k depending on length, and a new Glanz MH-900/1000/1200S is £7k. Both are freshly revised tonearms, but of course older versions are available on the used market for less, and still worth seeking out.
For someone prepared to spend what a Glanz costs, the sound and musical quality benefits over a GrooveMaster are obvious and delightful, but in isolation I doubt anyone would be dissatisfied by a GrooveMaster, but a nervous audiophile hearing the Glanz will then want it.
In general, I kow, the Glanz tonearms match well with most of the Ortofon SPU. But only with most of them, not all!
My Ortofon SPU A cartridges ask for a tonearm of a specific lenght.
Do Masataka Hamada and his company produce tonearms to match a SPU A?
@westlower , I think you missed this point. But OK, at the time reading #17, maybe you was to much disturbed by catching some liquids leaking from your Glanz. Understandable
My Ortofon SPU A cartridges ask for a tonearm of a specific lenght.
Do Masataka Hamada and his company produce tonearms to match a SPU A?
@westlower , I think you missed this point. But OK, at the time reading #17, maybe you was to much disturbed by catching some liquids leaking from your Glanz.
Understandable
Point taken about the SPU A , but i think the original post wasn't really referring to the A type?In general, I kow, the Glanz tonearms match well with most of the Ortofon SPU. But only with most of them, not all!
My Ortofon SPU A cartridges ask for a tonearm of a specific lenght.
Do Masataka Hamada and his company produce tonearms to match a SPU A?
@westlower , I think you missed this point. But OK, at the time reading #17, maybe you was to much disturbed by catching some liquids leaking from your Glanz.
I don't have a Glanz, but I have heard one on numerous lengthy sessions with and without SPUs (not an A!)....
the original comment about the Glanz pissing on the Groovemaster was made light heartily but as said, i'd rather spend the extra on a used Glanz example than a new Groovemaster. I have had a Groovemaster and it's ok and does a fine job, but SQ, fit and finish on the Glanz is in a totally different league and the new rrp tells us that. But I was suggesting second hand.
Actually, for SPU duties, I use a very versatile SME M2-9R which is a fantastic match with an SPU and indeed the Miyajima Infinity Mono, which is a beast (and beauty) of a cartridge.
With the right cable this SME M2-9R is just Incredible, at this or any price point. Mik will vouch for that and that's a BIG recommendation!
Excuse my ignorance regarding the A type SPU, but does the available adapter for the A type not bring it in line with the regular alignment of the classic SPUs? or do they simply not line up
Care to share your experience with 'the right cable'? Since you mention Mik are we in LFD territory
?As you say, there is the APJ-1 adapter from Ortofon available to bring a normal arm to the, for the A, required lenght.
I used the adaptor together on my Schick 9.6 together with a SPU Wood A. It worked quite well and the Schick could handle the additional mass too.
Some people say, the adapter has a negative influence on the sound. But without the possibility to compare similar setups with and without adaptor, I cannot confirm this. Therefore I ignored it.
BTW, congratulation having the possibility to hear the "beast" of Miyajima
Indeed the LFD cable family in my system have made an astonishing difference to the presentation, actually a greater leap to what I wanted to hear from my equipment than any Tonearm or component change, it was that big. It did make me rethink the whole merry go round of Tonearm and box 'upgrade'. The realisation that my attention was on the wrong things was a bit sobering. I use an LFD Silver Scorpion on my SME Tonearm and the justifiably much talked about LFD Diamond Viper between Power and Pre. But this is now way off topic, apologies to the OPCare to share your experience with 'the right cable'? Since you mention Mik are we in LFD territory
No problem. Started with a Schick tonearm for SPUs because I have to keep a lid on spending - I also purchased several other tonearms (4point, Schroeder CB-L) for my MC carts. After the dust settles, I may choose to upgrade my SPU tonearm.
Hmm besides optics the real difference is with the materials used. The Glanz uses stainless steel what makes a very special sound. Nevertheless it´s an antique design lacking the more modern and technical beeing worth elements that a FR-64s or FR-66s will provide - applying the tracking force dynamically.
Thus I´d rather go for a FR-64s and save over 2 grands for some record shopping
There is a quite widespread school of thought that says the FR-64S (and its related brethren) sound better if the dynamic downforce is dialled out, and instead static downforce applied by the counterweight alone.Hmm besides optics the real difference is with the materials used. The Glanz uses stainless steel what makes a very special sound. Nevertheless it´s an antique design lacking the more modern and technical beeing worth elements that a FR-64s or FR-66s will provide - applying the tracking force dynamically.
Thus I´d rather go for a FR-64s and save over 2 grands for some record shopping
I know about those fairy tales. But did you try it out yourself? I did and this saying isn´t true
P.S.: I also tried this with Micro Seiki MA-505 and Linn Ittok LV II. Same result here; it´s a fairy tale and not true at all
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