Phono cartridges are fascinating objects. As the first link in the playback chain, they transform mechanical movement into electrical signals – a process that makes them inherently extremely sensitive to their environment. NAGAOKA, a specialist in hard-material processing since 1940, introduced the new MP-700 to mark its 85th anniversary. Like all models, the 700 is manufactured entirely in-house and by hand. The secret behind the MP concept lies in a legendary Mu-metal component – a “soft-magnetic” iron-nickel alloy used within the cartridge’s generator. Technically, the MP-700 is based on a completely newly developed generator featuring softer damping and higher stylus compliance. This allows the cartridge to combine high output voltage with improved channel separation and a highly durable Micro-Ridge diamond mounted on a boron cantilever. Visually, the MP-700 is finished in elegant black. Mounting and aligning this rather large cartridge is certainly not the easiest task, but the effort pays off the moment it is put to use: it offers outstanding tracking ability, velvety-clean sibilance, and absolute silence in the lead-out groove. In listening tests, the MP-700 impressed with immense spaciousness, natural tonality, precise imaging, and effortless dynamics. It resolves even complex arrangements in great detail without losing the musical context. In short: the MP-700 is a triumph – sonically outstanding, versatile, and – thanks to its replaceable stylus – a worthwhile long-term investment.
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