Nagaoka MP-150 vs MP-200

Well Chakster, looks like you got "out opinioned."

Hey - not so fast - I had a Nagoka about 25 years ago and I was NEVER completely satisfied with it - I don't recall which model - sorry

Even though Nagoka seems to be a popular recommendation on this forum, I think there are better choices out there for the same/similar $$$

I've since switched to an MC cart with a ruby cantilever and OC contact Line stylus courtesy of Soundsmith, which I love

But if I were to move back to MM it would probably be an AT
- Nagoka are just not well suited to my ears

Sorry - Just another opinion - Steve

Steve, 
Perfectly fine you have your own opinion. We all hear differently. Can be very system dependant too.

From my own experience, I owned  Soundsmith Boheme, $1k cart. The Nagaoka MP-200 I bought for $385 simply sounded way better than the Soundsmith. Also watched  YouTube video where a fellow who owned a small highend shop with many turntables at various price points did a controled, level matched comparison with Nagaoka against cartridges from Ortophon, Denon, Hana, and others which were higher priced than the Nagaoka's and each time he claimed the Nagaoka's as better. He used MP-110, MP-150, and MP-200.

Yes, you can claim it all subjective, but this fellow did his own research just as I did with my own comparison.

@mr_m - unfortunately my comments are based on my experience with a single Nagoka cartridge from 25 years ago, but it left a lasting impression and I've avoided them ever since.

But given the number of positive comments about the Nagoka line-up on this forum and the fact that I had a less than stellar experience with just one Nagoka cartridge I might conclude that my experience could have been due to

• that particular cartridge had some sort of problem
• OR, it was a bad match to the arm it was mounted on
• OR, it was a bad match to the turntable
• OR it was a bad match to the tonearm wire/cable

So I was wondering, could you please post the YouTube video you mentioned in your post
- I would be interested to view it

Many Thanks - Steve
 

I run a 150 with the 200 stylus and like it a lot. I don’t have experience with many carts though so I can’t say much other than I prefer Nags over the Orto Red and Blue I had (and I liked the Blue). Since I’ll be MM/MI only for a while, I keep a list of “carts Chakster likes” and then research the hell out of those..

There is a gentleman, Chinese I think who runs a hifi shop. His YouTube name is hifivinylnews. He does a lot of cartridge comparisons and likes Nagaoka.