Nagaoka MP-200 Upgrade

There never was a bargain to be made there.

 

$379 on eBay is about the best you'll see for the MP-200.

 

I got mine at the end of August for $300. But I checked Ebay every day, sometimes 4x a day, for a month and found one. When I checked completed listings, there always seemed to be one for that price. Also, Turntableneedles, which is a great dealer, has the MP-200 on sale right now. When I added it to my cart an additional 10% was applied bringing it down to $346.5o! If you're on the fence, I would jump on it for that price. Also, they deliver quickly. I always received my styli and carts from them in 3-5 days.

Nagaoka MP-200

 

I ordered on eBay for that amount.

 

Thanks for the tip! Been wanting to try this out, ordered!

 

Sweet! Report back on the sound. I loved mine from day one on my Technics SL-1200mk5 but I just installed it on my Planar 3 and that's a match made in heaven.

 

Frequent reader but just signing to make it official.

I have a MP-110 and love it but, like most of us, wanted more.
I upgraded to the MP-200, purchased through LPGear as the MP200 premounted set.

Configuration:

Receiver: Onkyo RZ-610
Speakers: Polk Signature Series (S20 fronts, C30 center. S15 sides, HTS 10 LFE)
Headphones: Sony MDR-7506
Table: Technics SL-3350
VTF: 1.8g


I now have about 25 hours on the new MP-200 cart.
Playing Elton John's "Song For Guy",
- I hear the tight bass starting to come out as the cart breaks in but still not as expected
- I hear the highs right where I expect them at this point of break-in (a bit bright but not painful)
- I cannot hear Elton's vocal. It's there in the 'mud' and grossly overpowered by the highs

I switch to the MP-110, which has has been in use for 8 months now, and everything is there.
Yes, it's more "two dimensional" but it's all there.

In another test: I played Stevie Wonder, Songs in the Key of Life LP and got distorted bass which I presume is the cart being still too tight to really play effectively.

My question therefore is simple: Am I expecting too much of the cart too soon or might there be a problem somewhere ?

All thoughts and opinions welcome.

Thanks,
C.

 

There is no audible break in for MMs. Doesnt sound like how I would describe my 200. The 110 is the muddy cart if anything.
Post clips of what you mean, impossible to tell if something is wrong otherwise. Are you sure the pre mount is the perfect alignment for your table?

 

I don't believe the sound would change much more now that the cartridge has 25h on it. It's likely a set up problem. Sounds like misalignment or too much VTA, or like you have a dirty stylus, or a defective one.

 

Yes. I think those premounted Nag carts are not aligned for Technics overhang. The MP-110 I bought was off 3mm or so. Get your Technics gauge out if you have it and double check. Also, the tip on MP-200 is not the same length as the MP-110, meaning if you have the MP-110 aligned perfectly and then swapped in the stylus from the 200, it would be off by a few mm.

 

Does the Technics SL-3350 have the same overhang as the SL-1200?

 

Good question. Yes, both have 52mm overhang.

 

Coincidentally I was messing about with my camera last night and got a photo that illustrates what an mp200 looks like on a Technics shell.

 

Exactly! Whereas the MP-110 would be flush with the tip of the headshell, the 200 extends a few mm beyond it.

 

I think they’re about to release a new range designed around the Technics shell so you can just mount it at the front and you’re good to go.

 

Depends on what alignment also.

 

A new range of Naga carts? Is that correct? Any links/further info?

.

 

They’re going to be based on this design apparently. Not released yet, the JP-1210 was the first incarnation

 

Any Specs?

 

Thank you all for your prompt replies.

From what I have learned from you all so far:
1. It seems clear I have a mounting length issue but, given I've aligned with the protractor, would that not still be ok?
2. My headshells aren't matching what you have and I should probably get genuine replacements (if any still exist)
3. I cannot find my mm rule so pulled out my other engineering one. I appear to be aligned between 51-52mm (converting english to metric). Not sure how to be more precise mounting it.
4. Photos attached so you can see what I'm dealing with.

5. I experimented a bit.
a. MP-110 stylus on the MP-200 body - more midrange vocals
b. A break-in time issue?

Photos:

Cartridges and headshells.
CART-1.jpeg

CART-2.jpeg

CART-3.jpeg
CART-4.jpeg

Cartridge alignment - MP200
(my manual dexterity is limited in left hand due to CVA. Easy methods to make this perfect welcomed.)
ALIGN-1.jpeg
ALIGN-2.jpeg

Thanks,
Chuck


PS: Regarding audio clips; I've tried using iPhone XR and it doesn't cut it. I am waiting for Behringer to be in stock locally so I can digitize the Onkyo's line outputs via Audacity (Linux)

 

Not yet, it was all pretty cryptic that is literally all the info that was given out.

 

As mentioned, break in is not a thing for MM carts, especially after 20 hours.

Is that a Baerwald protractor? In any case, it looks close enough. Shouldnt have such issues because of slight misalignment.

Ill have to wait for samples before more can be said.

 

Nagaoka JT-1210 (and the rest of their new product line)
.

 

Damn, still Elliptical styli. It tracks pretty light though. Dont like the look however.

 

It's a Baerwald protractor. (got on amazon)
https://www.amazon.com/Cartridge-Alignment-Protractor-Phonograph-Magnifier/dp/B07FG7R7VN

As for the "no break-in required", I'm starting to wonder how much of this is "ear retraining" given I've jumped up quite a bit. I am hearing sibilance where I wouldn't expect it / didn't hear it before.

Upgrade path over this past year was AT-433E (my Kenwood KD-4100 -- gifted to local record shop) -> (pulled out the SL-3350 and cleaned it up) -> MP-110 -> MP-200