Asking for members blessings on Nagaoka MP 300 purchase


I’m a tube guy and always have been. But I have assembled a Naim XS and Harbeth C7 system with a Luxman PD 151. My work schedule gets in the way of my listening, so I use this system more than my tube/horn setup. The cartridge purchase is the final step, and this system is complete. Give me the Jack Nicholson TRUTH ( I can handle it) on your Nagaoka opinions. Lets try and keep the thread to this subject only.

fjn04

Agreed that the MP-500 is desirable, mine outperforms my Grado Statement 3 and my Soundsmith Sussurro MkII. It is very close to my London Decca Reference. I can't say anything better than that!

Fwiw, the Nagaoka MP-300 is pretty sensitive to VTA.  It is also every thing suggested above, great insight and detail, slightly warm tilt, room filling bass.  The most “life like” sounding mm/mi cartridge I’ve heard to date. I like it so much I ordered an MP-500 stylus to see what that can do.  But if the VTA is even more sensitive than the 300, I will be doing a lot of adjusting between discs.

kn

Funny thing. I just set the top of the headshell parallel to the LP surface, and the MP500 delivers the goods on every LP. 

@lewm interesting that you don’t find any differences with the VTA between disks of different thickness with the MP-500.  I have some lp’s that are incredibly thick, and some from the 70s and early 80s that, well, maybe the bean counters intervened on material use.  The Nagaoka MP-300 is very sensitive to VTA, and changing thickness of platter mats makes a difference between meh and wow!

kn