Choices: Nagaoka MP-50, MP-300, or Garrott P77i?


Visitor (now ex-friend! ... just kidding ... kind of) castrated my beloved Nagaoka MP-30.
It had an unknown amount of hours on it and was probably due for a new stylus... none-the-less, I'm now in the market for a new stylus. Thank goodness I've got the Jico SAS-MM1 on hand as a backup.

Anyhow - for Rock + Jazz listening, any thoughts on these three?

I can buy a complete MP-50 cartridge, a brand new MP-300 stylus to fit the MP-30 body, or go completely off the deep-end and try a Garrott P77i all for about the same amount of money.

I really liked the Nagaoka MP-30's sound, so the MP-300 stylus SEEMS to make the most sense. A part of me, however, says while I'm doing this I may as well upgrade to the MP-50 or try the Garrott.

The only Garrott I've ever heard was the Optim-S and, while I liked part of it A LOT, I found it a bit laid back in the high-end. Not sure how the P77i would compare and if it might be a bit more "open".
vinyladdict
Dear Vinyladdict: Now that Hesson11 ( thank you, could you give me the right word? even out of the thread. ) put things in prerspective I only want to confirm that that USA means was not my intention.

Btw, many times my form to post/write made/makes think the people that my opinion is and " absolute/universal " opinion but no it is not either my intention, my opinion is only that an opinion like the opinion of any one else.

Normally through my posts I try to help people and that's why I suggest to you the Azden cartridge over the Garrot and not because the Garrot was not a good cartridge ( because is a good one. ) but because the Azden IMHO is way better.

In the last two and a half years many people were testing/trying several vintage MM/MI cartridges ( including the Garrot ), today we know due to those experiences where belongs almost any of these vintage cartridges and the Azden is a newcomer with very high " credentials ". Unfortunately all of these great vintage cartridges are out of productioso when I test one of them and saw it on the net I share/give the great opportunity to other persons to own it because maybe that was the last time we have to do it and this was what I try to share with you.

Why do you have to belieave in one person like me?, you don't. In this regard I want to add that through all these last years on the MM/MI alternative my " sole " recomendation ( normaly the first person that try a cartridge in that thread was(is me. ) almost always was precise and fullfill the expectations on other people. Please I'm not saying that always I'm right or that I'm the " Bible ", no because there are many other opinions on that cartridge subject.
What I can say you is that I'm extremely caress of what recommended to any person on any audio item, my target on any recomendation is that the person lower at minimum his mistake risk that always exist when we add any audio item on the audio system.

Almost always my opinions had/has foundation on facts, I don't like to post based on " imagination " or ignorance,

Certainly I don't compare with Mr. Fremer in anyway.

regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.
We're good - don't misunderstand me, I really appreciate what you're doing and there's a lot of good information in that thread.

It just really bothers me when so many "audiophiles" think they've figured out the one and only trail to happiness and openly scoff others who don't see it their way. The "best ever" tag gets thrown on a lot of stuff too. This goes on A LOT here and on other forums!

I guess my point is that if an audio enthusiast finds that a Sumiko Blue Point Special makes beautiful music in *his* system to *his* ears, who am I to challenge that?!?

As far as recommendations go - all I can say is I look for a consistent appraisal of a piece of gear before I buy it. If 20 listeners all agree that the P77 is a fantastic cartridge, I'm game for spending some money to see if it works for me. I've been burned in the past by "flavor of the month" recommendations.
The subject of the Garrott P77 cartridge is rather interesting.
Brian and John Garrott committed suicide (together with their wives) in 1991.
I believe that they began modifying the English A&R P77 cartridge (which was manufactured in Japan) around 1985-6 with Brian selecting and carefully mounting, specially procured styli from their various homes around Sydney.

The last supplies of Brian's hand mounted replacement styli were exhausted by 1993 (I obtained one of the last at that time).
There was a long hiatus whilst the brothers' business and personal affairs were settled and it was not till about 1995 (I seem to recall), that a new company appeared bearing the brothers' name.
That company, formed in Melbourne (600 miles from Sydney), has an unknown (at least to me) relationship to the original Garrott Brothers who worked alone and had no other visible collaborators whenever I visited them.

That means that for approx. 7 years original Garrott P77 cartridges or styli were produced whist since then, 15 years of NEW Garrott P77 cartridges have been produced without John and Brian's hand-made involvement.

The original Garrott P77 cartridge quickly garnered a solid reputation and following both in Australia and England and achieved a kind of legendary 'fame' even during their lifetime.

I have two ORIGINAL Garrott P77 cartridges but have never heard or compared the new so-called Garrott P77 cartridges however, as there are probably at least twice as many NEW Garrott P77s around the world compared to ORIGINAL Garrott P77s, and no way I know of determining which is which, it leaves us in a quandary when people pass judgement of 'their' P77?

The fact is, that Brian and John had certain skills and secrets to their 'modification' processes (otherwise it would have been cheaper and easier to have them performed in Japan), and these 'secrets and skills' perhaps died with them?

So Raul, I don't know how old your P77 or its stylus actually is or if you even know for sure?....and thus your evaluation and ranking of the Garrott P77 cartridge should bear this in mind.
With all the hype over ORIGINAL Garrott P77s, it may be relatively easy for any past or recent 'sellers' to 'age' their cartridges to suit the market place?

Regards
Henry
Dear Halcro: As I always say: every single day is a learning one.

I remember that you posted some of the Garrot history in the MM/MI thread but I can't remember about Original P77 against the " other " P77.
Things are that I own(ed) two P77 samples and I sold one of them. I can't say if mine is Original or not, how can I confirm? only through listening?, for what you posted the real Garrot ( I mean the ones where Garrot brothers put their hands. ) must be better: how much better?

Anyway I like my P77 but as you know there are other cartridges than the P77 ( original or not ) that are great performers too.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.