Ortofon SPU Synergy G, Opened Box

Description

The Ortofon SPU Synergy G modernises the classic SPU design with a number of optimisations designed for optimum compatibility and sonic purity.  It features a wood-based housing and has a revised generator system which gives a usefully higher output of 0.5 mV, relaxing the requirement for high gain transformer or active preamplification systems.  While still making use of a highly polished Nude Elliptical stylus, the stylus tip mass has been reduced significantly, resulting in reduced VTF and higher tracking ability.

How Does it Sound?

The SPU Synergy puzzled me at first because it’s slightly higher priced than the SPU Meister Silver but lacks that model’s silver coils.  Like the Meister Silver, the Synergy has a low mass nude elliptical tip, but electrically it’s different in having a rather higher output of 0.5mV with coil impedance closer to that of the Classic models.  The Synergy has a lighter shell and also tracks at a modest (for SPUs) 3.5g.  What does all this add up to?  Well, this one’s a bit of a shocker in that it has typical SPU power, balanced with delicacy and the most wonderfully ‘organic’ and expressive, ordered musical nature.  You hear precisely how instruments are played, and where they are being played within the recorded acoustic.  The overall sound is not so extended as with the Meister Silver, but it’s beautifully balanced and the Synergy tracks beautifully too.  I liken the SPU Synergy GM MkII to an accomplished musician who knows that she/he is very good, but has no need to shout nor brag about that.  The Synergy is a stunning musical performer that draws you in to performances like few other cartridges do.  This one is a high-end bargain and truly a cartridge to love with heart as well as head, and a bit of a bargain too.

System Matching

The SPU Synergy G is peculiar in having typical SPU 2 ohm coil impedance, but a high (for MC cartridges) 0.5mV output, and this means juggling a suitable level of gain with effective impedance loading can be a challenge.  For phono amplifiers with active gain stages, this is relatively straightforward if MC loading is set to around 50 ohms.  This means that our usual SPU recommendations for MC step up transformers (SUTs) don’t quite work here, since a SUT with 1:20 or 1:26 gain will tend to result in overload of phono preamplifier inputs; but the Miyajima ETR-STEREO SUT can be configured to give optimum gain while still preserving the innate SPU musical power and colour.  Also, we have one SPU Synergy customer who reports great results with a 1:10 gain SUT with secondary loading adjustment to bring effective cartridge loading down to a suitable level.  On the whole, though, this is the one SPU that is often best paired with an active gain phono preamplifier where gain and loading can be set independently.

Technical Data