Nagaoka MP500
High-end moving magnet cartridge from Nagaoka, with a rigid carbon body and Super Fine Line Contact diamond, for demanding turntables.
Description
The Nagaoka MP500 is a high-end moving magnet (MM) cartridge, designed to be fitted to a turntable's headshell and track the grooves with an output level compatible with most MM phono preamplifiers.
The body combines plastic and carbon fibre, giving it great rigidity and limiting parasitic resonances liable to colour the sound. The boron cantilever, treated to reinforce its rigidity, reduces the transmission of vibrations to the diamond, a Super Fine Line Contact profile known for its precise groove tracking. The Samarium-Cobalt magnet and the anti-magnetic shielding of the housing round off this design focused on signal stability.
- Output level: 3 mV, compatible with the majority of MM phono stages
- Channel separation of 27 dB and channel balance of 1 dB, for a coherent stereo image
- Frequency response from 20 Hz to 25 kHz
- Dynamic compliance of 8.5 x 10⁻⁶ cm/dyne and tracking force of 1.3 to 1.8 g
This cartridge is aimed at vinyl enthusiasts with a quality turntable and tonearm, seeking precise and stable tracking, with a cartridge weight of 8 g and a recommended load of 47 kOhms to be observed to correctly pair it with their phono preamplifier.
Technical specifications
| Housing | Plastic and carbon fibre |
| Diamond | Super Fine Line Contact |
| Output level | 3 mV (1 kHz, 5 cm/sec) |
| Channel separation | 27 dB (1 kHz) |
| Channel balance | 1 dB (1 kHz) |
| Frequency response | 20 Hz - 25 kHz |
| Dynamic compliance | 8.5 x 10-6 cm/dyne |
| Cartridge weight | 8 g |
| Recommended load | 47 kOhms |
| Tracking force | 1.3 to 1.8 g |
What to check before buying used
The Super Fine Line Contact diamond and boron cantilever are the most sensitive points of this cartridge: check for any signs of wear or damage on the tip, as well as the correct alignment of the cantilever, which must remain perfectly straight. Also check the condition of the carbon body, which can develop micro-cracks if handled roughly during mounting or removal. A gentle cleaning of the stylus with a soft brush, without aggressive solvents, is recommended before putting it back into service.
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