Головки звукоснимателя — Ortofon SPU Royal N

The SPU Royal N is a moving-coil cartridge from Ortofon of Denmark that carries the SPU Royal design into a conventional body. Instead of an integrated shell, it is fitted with a half-inch adaptor, so it can be bolted into a standard headshell and fitted to a wider range of tonearms. Ortofon states that it provides the same reproduction properties as the SPU Royal GM series, and the company also lists refurbished units of this model alongside new ones.

Key specs that matter

Output is 0.2 mV at 1 kHz and 5 cm/sec, and frequency response from 20 Hz to 20 kHz stays within +1.5/-0 dB. Channel balance is 1 dB and separation 25 dB, both at 1 kHz. Tracking ability at 315 Hz reaches 60 µm, and dynamic lateral compliance is 8 µm/mN. Ortofon fits a nude Replicant 100 stylus with a tip radius of r/R 5/100 µm, set at a 20 degree vertical tracking angle. Downforce may be set anywhere from 2.5 to 3.5 g (25 to 35 mN), with 3.0 g (30 mN) recommended. DC resistance is 7 ohm, and the cartridge weighs 13 g.

Engineering and use context

The coils are wound from Electrum, a gold and silver alloy that Ortofon specifies as gold-plated silver wire, chosen to pass on armature movement accurately. Internal wiring uses 6-nines high purity copper, which Ortofon selects to preserve fine low-level signal detail. The Replicant 100 profile has a very long line contact along the groove wall, and Ortofon points to its reduced tip mass. A modified damping system allows a reduced tracking force and better linearity. Without the G-shell, the N body is far lighter than a classic SPU, and the half-inch mounting means owners of arms with detachable or fixed headshells can run the SPU Royal design without adopting a heavy integrated shell.

Pairing

With so little signal to work with, the Royal N needs either a high-gain MC phono stage or a step-up device placed in front of a moving-magnet input. The recommended load impedance is 100 ohm, and the very low internal resistance calls for a transformer built for very low-impedance coils. Low compliance of this order points toward heavier tonearms rather than light modern designs, and because the chosen headshell adds its own mass to the cartridge, the arm and counterweight must balance the combined assembly at the recommended force.

Alternatives

The Ortofon SPU Royal GM MkII puts the same stylus and generator design into a G-type integrated headshell with a total weight of 30 g.