Nagaoka MP-500 on a Rega RP-1?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Greg Carrier, Nov 10, 2018.

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  1. Greg Carrier

    Greg Carrier Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Iowa City
    I'm thinking of upgrading my cartridge from a Nagaoka MP-110 to an MP-500. Is the MP-500 a good match for my Rega RP-1? Or would I be better off with an MP-200?
     
  2. Cyclone Ranger

    Cyclone Ranger New old stock

    Location:
    Best Coast USA
    Honestly, 700 bucks is a lot to drop on a cart for a $475 turntable, even a pretty decent one like the RP1. You’d probably see more improvement by keeping the mp110, selling the RP1, and using the proceeds from that plus the 700 bucks to move up to a new-model Planar 3, IMO.

    If you really wanna hang onto the RP1 though, then I’d say something like the mp150 would be a more appropriate cart for it. It’s a very nice step up from the mp110, and at 250 bucks, isn’t a budget-buster. Which might let you do other things like upgrading the phono stage, if you need/want to.

    But yeah, mp500 on an RP1 might be a bit like putting 21” ‘spider’ rims on a Versa. :oops:
    .
     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2018
  3. SNDVSN

    SNDVSN Forum Resident

    Location:
    Glasgow
    What are you not liking about the MP-110?
     
  4. Thomas_A

    Thomas_A Forum Resident

    Location:
    Uppsala, Sweden
    I have no problem using a fine cartridge on a lower priced table. The only thing I am worried about is whether the tone arm on the RP1 has adjustable antiskate. Many have reported problems with other cartridges due to unadjustable antiskate force on the cheapest REGA.
     
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  5. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    Especially with finer stylus shapes, the ability to adjust anti-skate is pretty important. Some do better with more and some do better with very little anti-skate. So if you can't adjust it, I would think twice about any cart with such a stylus shape.

    Further, I would think twice about putting a high dollar cart on the RP1. I'd get a better table first, even if that means an older used table. The RP1 is not too hard to beat.
     
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  6. Greg Carrier

    Greg Carrier Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Iowa City
    I actually like the MP-110 a lot. And I'm using an MP-200 stylus on it, which has been a step up. But a while back, I saw a post where somebody had done a needledrop with an MP-110 and, with the same equipment, an MP-500, and the difference was dramatic. Not sure I want to spend the money yet, just starting to think about it.
     
  7. Greg Carrier

    Greg Carrier Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Iowa City
    The RP-1 does have adjustable anti-skate.
     
  8. Thomas_A

    Thomas_A Forum Resident

    Location:
    Uppsala, Sweden
    Then it should be fine.
     
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  9. Greg Carrier

    Greg Carrier Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Iowa City
    Yeah, I get that. I've already upgraded my RP1 with a Groovetracer subplatter, acrylic platter, and counterweight. I probably should have put the money towards a better table, but I enjoyed the upgrade process, and the upgrades have made a big difference. But thanks for the feedback. I know it seems a little crazy to stick a cart like that on it, which is why I was asking for advice.
     
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  10. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    You could try it. Worse case you migrate the cart to a better table later. My main concern would be not being able to fine tune the anti-skating and that you'd run into tracking issues. Is the RP1 less noisy will all those upgrades? S/N ratio on the stock model is not great.

    FWIW I am using a cartridge on a vintage table that retails for over six times what I paid for the table. That said, the table measures well and has a decent tonearm. If I were to convert the original retail price of the table considering inflation they would be more even.
     
  11. sturgus

    sturgus Forum Resident

    Location:
    St. Louis Mo
    I say go for it. Too many times people are reluctant to put an expensive cartridge on a budget table. A large percentage of your sound is coming from the cartridge. Hopefully the Rega arm is capable, if so it should be a nice step up.
    What's the rest of your system?
     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2018
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  12. Greg Carrier

    Greg Carrier Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Iowa City
    The upgrades lowered the noise floor by quite a bit. I've got a cork mat on it that helps some, too. I was surprised at how much difference the subplatter and platter make. It's a completely different table.
     
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  13. Greg Carrier

    Greg Carrier Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Iowa City
    System: Lounge MK III phono stage, NAD 1240 preamp, B&K ST202 amp, a pair of Paradigm Studio 20 v3s, and two Paradigm PDR 10 v3 subs. (And an Onkyo C-7070 CD player and Cambridge Azur 650 bd universal player,)
     
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  14. punkmusick

    punkmusick Amateur drummer

    Location:
    Brazil
    In my experience, an advanced cartridge might show limitations of your turntable you weren't aware of. It can for example pick some noise and than the music may sound congested, some noise that wouldn't show up with an MP-110. Won't hurt to try though. As someone said above, the worst that can happen is that in the future it can be the cartridge of your next turntable.
     
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  15. sturgus

    sturgus Forum Resident

    Location:
    St. Louis Mo
    Nice system, the 500 should sound great in it.
     
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  16. andy_0702

    andy_0702 Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Croatia
    Nagaoka MP-300 and MP-500 share same body and you can upgrade from 300 to 500...
    off course you can put needle from 500 to 110 but it will not sound as you have mp-500 ...
     
  17. octavius

    octavius Forum Resident

    Location:
    Slovakia
    On you tube channel Nothinglikevinyl was needle drop with MP-110 and MP-500 comparison but unfortunately is gone now.
    Vídeo interessante Nagaoka MP-110 e MP-500
    I can remember there were differences but so small that I never spend $700 buck for mp-500.
     
  18. andy_0702

    andy_0702 Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Croatia
    It is hard to say upon yt video how it sound in real life... most yt videos sound very similar because of equipment used for recording (usually very basic recording equipment)...
    And what is more important on low resolution system(low cost system) it is hard to hear any difference.
    On low resolution system even difference between 100$ cart and 10k $ cart would be to small.


    I was just trying to say that i would follow manufacturer's recommendation and put mp-500 stylus only on mp-300 or mp-500 body....
    To put mp-500 stylus on mp-110 it would not get full potential of that stylus....
     
  19. octavius

    octavius Forum Resident

    Location:
    Slovakia
    Yes I can subscribe on this! I would not use the stylus from MP500 into the MP110 it should not sound right. I think styluses from MP150 or MP200 maximum I would try to use in MP110 body. Youtube is not right place for comparison quality of vinyl cartridges...
     
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  20. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    This. Especially when most YT reviewers, even the popular ones, are not putting these carts through torture tests. They play a selection of tame demo tracks and at most you are getting an "interpretation" of the tonality of those tracks as played through the cartridge on their system and A/D converter, then mucked up by YT. It's is telling when these reviewers don't even address things like difficult to track albums and IGD. That's before we get to things like cartridge loading and whether the cart required fine tuning from the manufacturer's spec to perform its best.
     
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  21. octavius

    octavius Forum Resident

    Location:
    Slovakia
    I believe that MP500 will be superior regarding to IGD better than MP110 - MP300 due to shape of the stylus. The big disadvantage is the cart MP500 doesn't coast same money as 3 years ago :):)
     
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  22. Leonthepro

    Leonthepro Skeptically Optimistic

    Location:
    Sweden
    I think I know what video you are talking about.
    You should know that that one is faulty, having the MP-500 louder than the MP-110.
    In reality the difference isnt as big.
    And some prefer the MP-110 over the 200 and 500.

    Also, proper installation will be a problem with the RP1.
     
  23. punkmusick

    punkmusick Amateur drummer

    Location:
    Brazil
    I have a MP-110 and I can't believe it wouldn't sound any different than the MP-500. I also doubt I would like the 110 better than the 500. The 110 is good but it's my last favorite among my cartridges. Anyway, I just bought a MP-500. I should be able to try it next week. I'm curious to see how it performs.
     
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  24. Leonthepro

    Leonthepro Skeptically Optimistic

    Location:
    Sweden
    I think I like my 200 better than the 110 from memory. It does most things better, but not all from how I recall.
     
  25. punkmusick

    punkmusick Amateur drummer

    Location:
    Brazil
    I know the feeling. My 2M Blue is overall better than the MP-110 and I would keep it if I had to choose one of them, but it doesn't have that beautiful bass of the Nagaoka.
     
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