Nagaoka MP-500

[daiwok]

Last month for my birthday I got this cart - mine is the MP-500H, "H" for headhsell



Packaging looked really nice but the cart looked even better once opened up









Specifications :

Type

Moving Magnet

Cantilever

High strength boron

Stylus type

SuperFine Line contact diamond

Output voltage

3mV (5cm/sec)

Frequency characteristic   20 - 25,000 Hz
Channel balance   Better than 1.0 dB
Channel separation

Better than 27 dB at 1 kHz

Recommended loading

47,000 ohms

Dynamic Compliance

8.5 x 10-6 cm/dyne

Static Compliance

22 x 10-6 cm/dyne

Tracking force range

1.3 - 1.8 g

Weight   8.0 grams
Dimensions (L x W x H) inch

0.947 x 0.660 x 0.720
1.125 x 0.660 x 0.720 w/ plugs

Break-in period

30 hours

Replacement stylus

Nagaoka JN-P500

After reading up about the MP-50 and how good it is, I could not find one second hand. Also the MP-500 replaced the MP50, so I asked a friend to buy me this cart while he was in Tokyo as it was cheaper than fleabay. 

I was quiet excited when I got it installed, quick listen and its very smooth sounding, nothing outstanding or bad, but nice. 

However, the left channel had a lower output. I checked everything - cables, loadings etc etc. It was the cart !!!  I had the receipt from Tokyo (YODOBASHI) and wrote a polite email to NAGAOKA explaining the issue. They were very apologetic, sent FEDEX to collect the cart on their account and have the cart inspected by their own engineers. Well after a couple of weeks of email, they wrote back saying they will send me a new one, apologize for the wait and this one they have tested to their own satisfaction !  The service from this company is second to none - just wish the pad printing was a bit more neat and tidy on the front of the cart 

Yep - I am a picking bxxstard 

I have yet to run in this cart, but it will be interesting to compare this with the MP-50, so I guess I better bring it along to the meet Jean 

[jaspert]

That's a very nice case/presentation. I'm glad the company has looked after you and hopefully it will be second time lucky eh.  And a belated happy birthday wish.

How much did it cost in Japan if i may ask?
I'm curious as i got an used MP50 from  the local ebay with a Nagaoka Headshell for $25   but it came sans stylus. Luckily i managed to find a NOS replacement stylus from a New Zealand seller for about $275.  

Spinning some Dave Brubeck with it tonight. 

[daiwok]

How much did it cost in Japan if i may ask?

44,520 Yen = USD 488 - please note this is with the headshell. Would not say its a bargain, but it is performing on a quality as good as many carts at 4 to 5 times this price. May be I am spoilt by my MIDAS Paratrace  

A very nice cart - playing this tonight and will spend some time to run it in - just 29 hrs to go. I had to turn the gain down on my Supratek.

..........edit ..........its a damn fine cart, after more records I see what the fuss is all about 

[jaspert]

It will get better too.My friend has just bought a MP 50 too  from LPgear and he thinks
it sounds a lot like a good LOMC for not too much $. I tend to agree.

I wonder what's different with the new MP500 apart from the nice black and gold trim.
What MM phonostage are you using it with?

Can you check the manual and sees what it says about stylus life?
On his MP50 manual it says stylus will start to deteriorate after
150-200 hrs. Surely a typo or something.

[daiwok]

It will get better too.My friend has just bought a MP 50 too  from LPgear and he thinks
it sounds a lot like a good LOMC for not too much $. I tend to agree.

I wonder what's different with the new MP500 apart from the nice black and gold trim.
What MM phonostage are you using it with?

Can you check the manual and sees what it says about stylus life?
On his MP50 manual it says stylus will start to deteriorate after
150-200 hrs. Surely a typo or something.

I am using my Supratek Cortese 0.1mV to 5mV  - when you come round we can check them both out - I make sure I leave 10 hours left on my stylus ! 

Yes my manual says 150 to 200 hrs ! nuts !! surely this is wrong  can anyone else shed some light. I might as well send it over to Expert Stylus to retip with a paratrace for GBP 65 ! 

[jaspert]

I am using my Supratek Cortese 0.1mV to 5mV  - when you come round we can check them both out - I make sure I leave 10 hours left on my stylus ! 

Yes my manual says 150 to 200 hrs ! nuts !! surely this is wrong  can anyone else shed some light. I might as well send it over to Expert Stylus to retip with a paratrace for GBP 65 ! 

That's nice of you to save some stylus life for me.
And I didn't realise you can use MM with the Cortese's phono stage too.

[Ulf]

I have a MP-50 super and I´m curious about the difference between that and the MP-50. Anyone have any info? I haven´t used it for a couple of years, and the stylus is old, but reading your posts made me want to try it again. The link shows the construction of the MP-50 but says nothing about the lifespan.
http://www.svalander.se/pickuper/mp_construction.htm

...Ulf

[daiwok]

Well I am stunned on how good this cart is, initially I thought it was tad polite and sounded very sweet, but it seems to have open up since the initial hearing and this cart is a sleeping TIGER ! It is as good as many of the high end MC's out there ! in fact I recommend it to anyone who has a good MM phono and is fed up messing about with those SUT (Ian  ).

With the new setup on the T3pro http://www.lencoheaven.net/forum/index.php?topic=1539.45 the dynamics are mind blowing, the soundstage is huge ! it might be as refine as the very best MC, but hell its close and there is nothing I am missing right now ! 

[willbewill]

There's something weird going on here - you're getting into mm and I'm getting into mc

Glad you posted this David as there are some truly good mm carts out there - thanks

[jaspert]

That's high praise indeed.. Something to look forward too...

I found my MP50 to be smooth but a bit gutless on a belt drive earlier on but it's more dynamic since i moved it to another  arm, different MM phono and Thorens 124 Mk2.Nothing mind blowing though..

A friend who has Ortofon A90 , Dynavector XV-1S, Koetsu Redwood Signature,etc reckons his MP50 is competitive with  many 2-3k LOMCs.

[daiwok]

That's high praise indeed.. Something to look forward too...

I found my MP50 to be smooth but a bit gutless on a belt drive earlier on but it's more dynamic since i moved it to another  arm, different MM phono and Thorens 124 Mk2.Nothing mind blowing though..

A friend who has Ortofon A90 , Dynavector XV-1S, Koetsu Redwood Signature,etc reckons his MP50 is competitive with  many 2-3k LOMCs.

I felt the same before, gutless, a bit polite - but that has all changed with the new arm on the T3pro, in fact everything is sounding rather mind blowing with the new arrangement. I have to agree this cart can compete with those USD 2K to 3K carts for sure.

Have you tried this cart in the Supratek ? My volume barely reaches 7 o'clock, but music is free flowing !

BTW - I have 2 A90 users here locally and they says its better than the VDH Colbri by a big margin

[jloveys]

If my memory still works Nagaoka is providing boron cantilevers for nearly all cartridge companies. It is a very serious and skilled factory.

[jaspert]

I felt the same before, gutless, a bit polite - but that has all changed with the new arm on the T3pro, in fact everything is sounding rather mind blowing with the new arrangement. I have to agree this cart can compete with those USD 2K to 3K carts for sure.

Have you tried this cart in the Supratek ? My volume barely reaches 7 o'clock, but music is free flowing !

BTW - I have 2 A90 users here locally and they says its better than the VDH Colbri by a big margin

No i haven't as the 2 tables/arms which are sitting next to the Supratek pre are both high mass tonearms and the Nagaoka sounds bad on those 2 arms with previous try.

Heard some good things about the A90. He's so enamoured with it and he's getting another for back up!!  BTW he's going to get an ESCed Denon 103R in Uwe Ebony along with my Midas 103R as we sent them away together to ESC last year.

I'm contemplating getting one but $$. I'm looking forward to your Midas shoot out with the A90..

[Steve]

Have you compared the Nagaoka to the comparably priced Ortofon?  Any thoughts on Al cantilever vs. B?

[daiwok]

Have you compared the Nagaoka to the comparably priced Ortofon?  Any thoughts on Al cantilever vs. B?

to me the Nagaoka is better. With regards to cantilevers the very best carts all use Boron, sapphire or even diamond. This increases compliance and the resonance caused with these cantilevers is outside the range what one can hear, hence the choice.