Cartridge Compatibility for Clear Audio Concept

I have a clear audio concept with the Verify Tonearm and an Artist V2 cartridge and am considering a cartridge swap. I'm wondering if anyone has ever put a Nagaoka Mp-200 or MP-300 on this table...

I'm not seeing any people talking about this pairing, so I'm wondering if the reason why is they're not compatible.

Thanks in advance for any help given...

 

Anyone?

I'm also now considering the MP-500.

 

Clearaudio doesn't seem to publish the effective mass of the Verify tonearm, so I can't accurately check it for compliance. But based on what they publish about their other arms, I'm going to guess it's about 9.5g. Compliance of the MP-500 is 8.5

So checking the chart: http://www.vinylengine.com/cartridge_resonance_evaluator.php?eff_mass=9.5&submit=Submit

I'm thinking poor fit.

 

Good question and I'm curious as well. Have read about recommendations for the CA Maestro and the Benz Ace, and also Concept MC and Ortofon 2M Black as being great on this table.

 

Dang. Looks like you're right. Thanks for the help.

 

For what it's worth, when I had the Concept I put on their Concept MC cart (which has seen a price increase since then), and the synergy there is incredible. Great, great cartridge and pairing. I didn't have any idea how good that table could sound until I made that move. I can't recommend it strongly enough if you haven't noticed .

If you're looking to stay at a similar budget, the Audio Technica OC9/ii and OC9/iii are good options.

 

Noted.

I'm looking for something that'll do a really good job with surface noise as I listen to a lot of indie rock, and I'm noticing a good portion of those records aren't very quiet. The small portion of my records that are great pressings are near silent, so I'm pretty sure it's just the pressings of the other records.

I'd also like to stick with a MM or HOMC cart so I can continue using the phono stage in my Rogue Sphinx.

I'm thinking I might go for a Dynavector 10x5 or 20x2H instead. Any other ideas that meet that criteria?

 

I should also mention I sold my Clearaudio Nano phono stage after I found the $130 Emotiva XPS-1 phono sounded incredible with the Concept.

I've never heard the 10x5 but it gets good reviews. I'm an MC kid, HOMC's can be hit or miss in terms of gain IMO. It is a compliance match though.

 

^ Gotcha. How'd the Concept MC do with surface noise?

 

I have an Ortofon Quintet Black on my Ovation with the Magnify arm and it is a great match.

 

Thanks for the info. If I put a Concept MC cart on the Concept, do you know if it would sound good into an EAR 834P (mm/mc) without an outboard step up transformer? Currently running the Concept MM cart.

 

I used mine with various active MC stages vs. a SUT and it sounded great. The Concept MC uses a pretty standard 100 ohm loading so even non adjustable phono stages work with it. That EAR looks pretty stout, it should sound great.

 

Thank you! That could be my next cart, I'm guessing it's a huge step up from the MM.

 

I bought my Concept with the MM and had it for about a year. The MC is on another level. I currently use the Maestro on a VPI Classic, and I think in a blind taste test I'd pick the Concept MC. Note though that a lot of that has to do with the fit with the rest of my gear. The Maestro is a midrange champ but the Concept wins with highs and lows, which with my small speakers and an amp that rolls off the top a little makes for a good fit.

 

To the OP: have you considered the HOMC DENON DL-110? It has got raving reviews. I have got a MARANTZ TT-15S with a CA Satisfy arm, which I learnt has the same effective mass as your tonearm. Currently I have the CA Virtuoso Wood MM cartridge installed but when the time comes, I will repace it with the Denon.

 

8.5 seems a bit stiff for the MP500 to be honest. Are we sure that this isn't another example of Japanese manufacturers measuring compliance at a different frequency to European/US (something like 100Hz vs 10Hz)?

I know some other Japanese compliances have to multiplied by something like 1.8(?) to get a like-for-like compliance comparison.

A compliance in the region of 16 sounds more like it for the Nag, if I'm honest.

 

The same is true for the Denon.

 

The Denon was a great cartridge back when it was cheap. At $300 you're already doing better.

 

The recommended tracking force of a cartridge will provide a small clue about the compliance of the cart. Based on the MP-500's recommended range (1.3 - 1.8 g), the 10Hz compliance has to be in high teens, if not the low 20s or even higher.

Note there is no direct formula that will convert 100Hz dynamic compliance to 10Hz dynamic compliance.

 

If this is the case it would be a good match for my arm, right? Wonder if I should take a shot...

 

AT F7 can be had for $250. Pretty great for the money. Baby OC9 with a really superb suspension. Gobs of timbre and texture, but kind in regards to surface noise. Compliance is right around 17, so that would put your resonant frequency right at 10Hz. I love this cart.

 

Got a good deal on a MP-500 so I pulled the trigger. I'll let you all know how it goes...

 

Be sure to keep us updated. I'm still getting my system together, but I have a Clearaudio Performance SE with the Satisfy Carbon arm (same mass as yours) that needs a cartridge, and I'd like to know how the Nagaoka matches up for you.

 

I did a a fair amount of listening at my local shop to the Concept Wood with the Concept MC and with a Ortofon 2M Bronze. If you want to stick with a moving magnet setup the 2M Bronze is wonderful with the Concept. It's shown as the replacement cartridge for the Concept on Ortofon's website. Though I didn't compare them, the owner of my local shop said the 2M Bronze sounds better with this table than the 2M Black. The folks at Music Direct told me the same thing. So, the 2M Bronze is what I'm running with a Clearaudio Nano V2 set for MM.

If you're inclined to go with a MC setup, the Nano V2 on the MC setting didn't sound as good, but with a better phono stage the Concept MC cartridge was pretty fantastic. I would recommend it based on what I heard if you're going the moving coil route.

 

This was my experience as well. I generally have good results with brand synergy, but hated the Nano with the Concept MC. The $120 Emotiva I replaced it with blew it away with that particular pairing.

I'm curious if you heard the Concept Wood side by side with the Concept "normal". The wood has been out for a year or so and I've heard absolutely nothing about it save for magazine ads.