Nagaoka may not be a familiar name to many readers, but this Japanese brand has an impressive and unusual heritage. It was formed in 1940 to make precision parts for clocks and watches, subsequently going on to specialise in machining fine jewels. Over time, this led to an expertise in making diamond stylus tips and ultimately, complete cartridges. Look at the company’s website and you will find it now has fingers in all sorts of pies including headphones, microphones and digital cameras, alongside manufacturing moving magnet cartridges and various hi-fi accessories.
The MP-200 moving magnet cartridge is the step-up model in the company’s long-running MP range. Unpacking this cartridge sends a wave of nostalgia over us, as distinctive colour aside, it looks just like the highly-rated MP-11 we craved in the early ’80s. But, appearance aside, this is a significantly more capable cartridge than that much-loved budget favourite.
