I installed a new Nagaoka MP-700
I installed a new Nagaoka MP-700 cartridge on my tricked-out AudioGrail Garrard 401 turntable with Jelco TK850L tonearm.
I wasn’t looking forward to dealing with London Decca to replace the stylus on my Decca Super Gold (Paratrace Decapod) as it involved sending it to the UK, so I thought I’d give this new top of the line Nagaoka MP (moving permalloy) a shot. I bought the model complete with the headshell.
It’s heavy and pushed the Jelco to its near end limits getting the arm balanced. Tracking is 1.4g. Setup was a doddle.
Initial impressions are very good. Black backgrounds, low noise floor, powerful and well-delineated bass. Fine detail and sharp leading edges. Sweet midband. Nice separation of instruments with good tonal color. Imaging is very good. Not as wide or deep as the Decca, however. I’ll see how it is after 50 hours. First few sides, it was a little shouty but seems to have settled down. Male vocals have a lovely wooden tone. It’s definitely tight like a well-rehearsed band, almost making the Decca sound slow. Low levels of surface noise.
Thomas Dolby, Crocked Still, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Leonard Cohen, The The, Doc Evans, Eagles, Pat Kirby
It may be the best cartridge I've had in by system.
More anon.
Oh boy, I’m glad your post got me to look at your Virtual System here, what a fine collection of goodies, and a lot of LPs right there, I have most of mine down 8 steps in the garage, only a table full and about 18’’ in a cabinet active. Is that two turntables, two plinths, or did you go to a larger plinth to get 2 tonearms. Are alternate counterweights available for that arm? Lighter headshell? I like tracking at 1.4 gm, so many new ones are 2.0 gm, not too heavy, but I prefer lighter. Enjoy, |
Slightly off your topic of the MP700, but I would not fear sending your Decca to the UK, specifically to Expert Stylus, for repair or retip. I live on the East Coast US, and my experience with them, retipping my Koetsu, was impeccable and rapid turnaround. Now I'm writing this, I am thinking maybe your hesitation has to do with tariffs. That IS something to look into before leaping. Next week, we are going to Tokyo to visit our son, and of course I too will be tempted to buy an MP700. Bought an MP500 there only a few years ago, and one could powerfully argue I need no more cartridges. |
@elliottbnewcombjr Two turntables. Two systems. I should split them out on Virtual Systems and take more up-to-date photos someday. I do like my records close at hand and in record store front flip storage. |
@lewm I have sent cartridges to John Wright in the UK many times. The new owners (after JW retired) have a new business model and costs have increased substantially. I may try ES at some point. For now, this Nag is fun. |
