TRAVELING TO JAPAN! Recommendations for shops for cartridges?


Hi all,

 

I'll be traveling somewhat unexpectedly to Japan this week. I will be spending a couple days in both Kyoto and Tokyo. 

 

I'm wondering if anyone has any recommendations for shops I should stop into? Record Stores? 

Specifically i'm seeking a new cartridge under $1500 along with records and cds.

I'm good with both new and vintage cartridges that would pair with with a VPI Prime Scout. 

As for what kind of sound I'm looking for from my cart, I've only ever run the Ortofon 2m Bronze and Black on the VPI, both of which I've liked. Between them I prefer the detail, space and speed from the black over the warmer rounded edges of the bronze...but it could be fun to get two carts with different sound signatures. I'm all ears!

Thank in advance!

 

Sammy

128x128sammyshaps

I preferred the MP-200 over the 500 in my system, either are wonderful cartridges and I am sure they could be acquired for a reasonable sum in Japan vs US. 

There you go; Yodibashi sells Nagaoka, too.  In fact, I bought an MP500 there in May for about 60% of US price.  Don't know why I forgot Nagaoka in my post above. The bargain price is mostly because of the very favorable exchange rate, yen to dollar, that still prevails, not because of a greedy importer.

it is also necessary to evaluate the price ratio in the country of origin/and price in the country of residence.
When years ago I went to the USA for some time I had brought with me a list of cartridges with the costs in my country; arrived in N.Y. I inquired about the costs at a large and well-known shop in the city.
I bought some top-of-the-range Grado for me and some friends and a Krell, the cost was about 7 times lower than in my country, the savings were considerable; it would not have made sense to buy European or Japanese cartridges in the USA.
If you go to Japan, the savings are on Japanese-made cartridges, not imported American or European brands.