Nagaoka forever!

[colver]

About 6 months ago i purchased an unused Nagaoka mp-11 for for a very happy price of £21 including delivery. I had always remembered my late Father had one but never tried it and had always been curious of what it would be like considering its Lego like odd-ball looks.
After unplugging my beautilul sounding Ortofon 2m bronze and popping on the mp-11 i was a little worried that i would be horribly dissapointed, especially after hearing my fathers Audio Technica AT 110e which i think sounds very cheap.
However i was shocked at what the mp-11 was capable of. To my ears it was picking out just about everything that the 2m Bronze was. YES it was a little harsher, sort of rougher round the edges lacking in the smoothness of the 2m Bronze but then again most carts are, the 2m Bronze is afterall one of the smoothest sounding mm carts there is, some say a bit too smooth infact.
After discovering this little gem, i thought of where i could improve but still at a bargain basement price. A couple of weeks ago an unused, boxed, unopened old stock mp-15 came up on Ebay. I picked it up for £50, a bargain considering that the replacement mp-150 costs about £230!
Well what can i say! Its stunning! Ive given it about 12 hours use and the sound on many tracks is breathtaking. Not quite as smooth/laid back as the 2m Bronze but with plenty bite bite and get up and go. Rock music is where it excells, light years ahead of anything else ive heard. If you like 80's pop like i do then buy this cart its a must!
A close friend heard the mp-15, loved it and has actually purchased an mp-11 Boron which is a predecesor to the mp-200. He picked it up with 70hrs use for £45 - Bargain! The reason i placed a post on the Nagaokas is that you dont read anywhere near as much about them as you do with other manufacturers and they deserve it very much, if an mp-15/150 can sound this good then Lord only knows how good the mp-500 is! If anybody has an mp-50 or 500, please post their review.

[hal55]

Do you know how your friends MP11 boron sounds? I'm keeping a watch on ebay for a nagaoka bargain so would like to know how this model rates. I've heard all the boron models are good.

Hal55

[colver]

The mp-11 boron from what i know is the same as the more modern mp-200 which ive heard is excellent. Even if either are only slightly better than my mp-15 then they will be worth their weight in gold. The mp-15/150 is the next model up from the mp-11/110 and is substantially more expensive however you can hear quite a difference in the improved sound. Not that im saying the mp-11 is no good, its just well beaten by the stunning mp-15. If you can pick up one of those cheap you will be a very happy man. On ebay at the moment their is an anstylused mp-11 boron thats just not selling and stuck at a fiver. If you go to a website called stylusplus you can pick up a new mp-200 stylus for £120 that would fit, only a thought if cant wait for an mp-11 boron to come along. Soon as i hear my mates 11 boron i will post my views but dont think they will be negative!

[satanfriendly]

And if you can find a 'Stilton bodied' (not the cheese of course) MP11 boron then you have smething very special.

[colver]

There is one on ebay UK at the moment for £150 but nobody is interested. Recon my brand new mp-15 for £50 was a better bargain personally.

[paul401]

Had (still have) an MP11 back in the day, came fitted to a NAD 5120, with 'flat' tonearm, (still have that too) the two seemed a very good match, happily used for several years. Both seem to offer a higher than expected level of performance - ok so opinion on the NAD might be a little more split!

Might have to dig the MP11 out and give it a spin, seem to recall it was pretty punchy.

Paul

[Hepokatti]

I hate you guys. You made me order MP-200.

Comments incoming as soon as I've spun some

[colver]

I thought the mp-200 until recently was the same as the mp-11 boron but found that i was wrong. The mp-11 boron uses an eliptical diamond whereas the mp-200 uses a triangular diamond - supposedly better. An mp-200 will destroy a standard mp-11 any day, my mp-15 is far superior to my mp-11 in every way that i have listened. I think you will love your mp-200.

[Hepokatti]

colver, interesting..hmm.

Nagaoka isn't that open about giving information about their actual stylus shape/polish/quality. At least the sale-information seems so.

However, I've learned to trust my ears rather than technicalities, albeit Audio Technica's stylus shape propaganda is quite in line with the listening experience. With other manufacturers, not so much.. at least when it comes to carts below 300$.

Was expecting to receive my cart already today, but I guess I'll get it tomorrow then. I'm having moderately high expectations, as recently in the world of cheap MM carts I've been disappointed with everything except for Audio Technica AT130E.

If Nagaoka is another disappointment (which I doubt, based on comments, descriptions, and youtube videos (LOL)), I give up and start saving for a proper setup :p

[Catcher10]

I agree.....Nagaoka forever!!! I am hooked now after purchasing a MP-110 about 2 months ago, one of the most musical cartridges I have owned. It tracks excellent and picks up so much music off my vinyl I am shocked sometimes at what I hear.
I will be upgrading my TT by year end and plan to get the MP-200 for sure.
What I love about it most is the deep, clean, tight low end it gives me....mids and highs are very natural, no coloration at all....It is what it is.

[Sandbah 92]

Well said, Catcher! The MP110 is one of the best buys in the audio line. Little by little the secret is getting out! I love the bass that it dug out of my system!

[Hepokatti]

I got my MP-200 today, and tossed it in my Sony PS-X555ES. I had time to listen only 1&1/2 tracks of Talking Heads' Speaking in Tongues album, cause my girlfriend had to go to sleep.

Neat and well packed, easy to take out from box (some carts are really hard to unpack for some reason), very easy installation cause of the sturdy and simplified (yet effective) construction.

First impressions are amazingly positive. There is no single irritating thing in the sound, no hint of mistracking and the surface noise is low as advertised.

The sound is warm, round and involving without being dull or boomy. Based on such a short sample I shouldn't say too much yet, but the way "Making Flippy Floppy"'s challenging vocals were handled was just amazing.. not to mention the percussions!

The cart seems to keep everything nicely together and rhytmic. Let's see more tomorrow before I make too hasty conclusions. But these truly were my first impressions out of the box. I'm really surprised and taken by the sound, I hope longer listening sessions won't make me eat my words Tomorrow I'm off to buy some Coltrane and Davis, so let's see how Nagaoka handles Jazz (my collection is mostly rock, pop and metal).

[HT Performance]

Hepokatti


I´m looking forward to know you listening impressions and specially with Jazz music!

Enjoy your Nagaoka!:D

It will be my next cartridge for sure (when needed), because I have a brand new AT120E.


Cheers!

[Hepokatti]

I´m looking forward to know you listening impressions and specially with Jazz music!

Thanks, me too ^_^

It will be my next cartridge for sure (when needed), because I have a brand new AT120E.

Hey, not a bad cart! Or well, I have only experience on AT130E, but I can't imagine the sound being that much different. Probably one of the best in its price category, if not the best. Neutral all-rounder with good stylus upgrade options and insanely good tracking.