Ortofon SPU Mono CG 25 DI MKII
Built for serious mono listening, the SPU Mono CG 25 DI MKII brings vivid presence, tactile force and generous colour to vintage LPs. Stereophile found it extracts rich jazz texture while remaining remarkably forgiving of severe surface noise, and its 25µm spherical stylus keeps bright or piquant recordings from turning harsh. A compelling high-end mono specialist with exceptional value.
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Nicely Roasted
Sound Quality
91/100
Build Quality
80/100
Features Usability
72/100
Value for Money
95/100
Pros
Delivers vivid, forceful and tactile mono playback that approaches far costlier EMT alternatives.
Extracts substantial colour and texture from jazz records without making piquant recordings harsh or strident.
All but ignores even severe surface noise, making it particularly effective with vintage mono pressings.
Offers nearly the performance of EMT OFD mono pickups for significantly less money.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 91/100
Stereophile found the CG 25 DI Mk.II unusually vivid, forceful and tactile for a mono pickup, approaching the performance of far costlier EMT alternatives. Its convincing tone, substantial textural insight and exceptional tolerance of record noise make it especially appealing for serious mono LP listening.
Overall Sound
95/100
Stereophile heard nearly the vividness and tactile presence of its reference EMT mono pickups, describing the Ortofon as capable of uncovering striking presence and force. It also conveyed the piquant character of some older recordings without making them harsh or strident.
Tracking Retrieval
92/100
The CG 25 DI Mk.II pulled huge amounts of colour and texture from Verve jazz records, indicating very strong musical retrieval from mono grooves. Most impressively, the reviewer found that it could all but ignore even severe surface noise, a major advantage with vintage pressings.
Soundstage Imaging
80/100
This is a mono cartridge, so stereo width and conventional left-right imaging do not apply. The review instead highlights a vivid, tactile and present portrayal of mono recordings.
FEATURES USABILITY PERFORMANCE 72/100
Tonearm compatibility / system fit.
Tonearm Compatibility
72/100
Its low compliance, substantial 35 g SPU body and 3.5 g recommended tracking force make it best suited to suitably heavy, SPU-compatible arms rather than lightweight modern designs. The 1.5 mV moving-coil output also calls for a phono stage or step-up arrangement that can accommodate its recommended 100-ohm loading.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
80/100
The SPU uses a ground-wood-and-resin composite body, high-purity copper coils and a 25 µm spherical stylus, and its 35 g integrated SPU format is purpose-built for robust mono playback. The available review offers little direct comment on fit, finish or long-term durability.
Value for Money
95/100
At roughly $899 to $1,238, this is still a specialist premium mono cartridge, but Stereophile found it delivered nearly the performance of EMT OFD-series pickups used with a Hommage transformer for much less money. That comparison makes the asking price look particularly compelling for listeners building a high-quality mono system.
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Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
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Specifications
- Output voltage at 1 kHz, 5cm/sec
- 1.5 mV
- Frequency response 20 Hz - 20 kHz
- 3/- 1 dB
- Tracking ability at 315 Hz
- 60 µm
- Compliance, dynamic, lateral
- 7 µm/mN
- Stylus type
- Spherical
- Stylus tip radius
- R 25 µm
- Tracking force range
- 3.0-4.0 g (30-40 mN)
- Tracking force, recommended
- 3.5 g (35 mN)
- Tracking angle
- 20°
- Internal impedance, DC resistance
- 6 ohm
- Recommended load impedance
- 100 ohm
- Coil wire material
- High Purity Copper (OFC)
- Cartridge body material
- Ground wood and resin composite
- Cartridge colour
- Black matte
- Cartridge weight
- 35 g
Manufacturer's Description — Ortofon
The Mono CG 25 Di MkII is an SPU-style Moving Coil cartridge with a spherical stylus profile for the playback of early 25 µm mono recordings. The CG 25 Di MkII provides an authentic method of playing back these early vinyl recordings with a remarkable level of sonic accuracy.
The SPU Mono CG 25 DI MKII cartridge features a 1.5mV output, which makes it suitable for use with a variety of medium-gain moving coil transformers.
Important Usage Note: This cartridge is designed exclusively for mono records. It is imperative to note that using it for stereo records can lead to irreversible damage.
Verified Dealers
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Authorized dealers for Ortofon SPU Mono CG 25 DI MKII
- In Living Stereo — in-store — New York City, New York, United States (website)
- Resolution A/V — in-store — New York City, New York, United States (website)
- The Audio Association — in-store — Anaheim, California, United States (website)
- 2C Stereo — in-store — Washington, District of Columbia, United States (website)
- à la carte productions — in-store — Palm Coast, Florida, United States (website)
- A Tube High Fidelity — online and in-store — Almere, Flevoland, Netherlands (website)
- A/V Solutions — in-store — Pleasanton, California, United States (website)
- Accent On Music — in-store — Mount Kisco, New York, United States (website)
- Acoustic Sounds — online and in-store — Salina, Kansas, United States (website)
- Acoustic Streams — in-store — Lower Drift, England, United Kingdom (website)
and 371 more verified dealers