MM Phono cartridge

I have the Nagaoka MP-500 and love it.  They just came out with the Nagaoka MP-700.  I would get the 700.  

I have not tried a majority of cartridges. I really enjoy the Sumiko Amethyst going into Ayre P-5xe phono stage. Ortofone Blue is shouting midrange. Audio Technica 760 is ok at best. Boring like a mid fi cd player. 

I haven't heard the Nagaoka 700 but one of the men who I believe worked on it was also involved in the design of the Technics EPC 100 MK4, probably the best MM pickup ever designed It was dead nuts flat to 80 kHz with a resonance at10 kHz, superior in that way to any moving coil. Flat means neither warm or cool just smooth and natural. If I were looking at a moving magnet pickup now, given Nagaoka's experience in MM cartridges plus the input from the Technics person, I would take a chance on the Nagaoka 700.

For much less money I'd look at the top of the MM line of Audia Technica. I heard it. It's a little warm but with sparkle and life.

Here's another vote for the Nagaoka cartridges. The Clearaudio will be more analytical, leaner and dryer.

@mwh777 - my Clearaudio Charisma II met none of those descriptions while I had it for 3 years, going through a Herron Audio tube phono preamp and a Herron Audio tube line stage. I don't like analytical, lean and dry (that's why I stopped trying out Chord gear). It's all down to how your system goes together.