Thanks for all the kind words guys and girls! It really is appreciated! I don't know if I'll do any more videos, my current circumstances don't really provide the time to create content, and while I haven't had much motivation for audiollama for quite a while, reading your comments has made a feel a little bit more inspired. I'm definitely not promising, but ya'll have put a bit of a smile on my face this weekend. Cheers!
The problem with Nagaoka cartridges is they have more than doubled in price where I live (Canada) in the last decade. The Nagaoka MP300 (not even the top model) goes for almost $1000 Canadian. The MP110 used to cost $125 ($100 at discount) about ten years ago. It's now close to $300 taxes in. They are no longer bargains or budget cartridges. Audio Technica on the other hand has remained stable in price and is far better for buyers on a budget.
The AT-95 is now the AT-VM95 and comes with the option to start with the dirt cheap conical and, by stylus upgrade alone, goes all the way up to Shibata.
I’ve got the Grado on a 1979 Dual 1245 turntable, hooked up to a 35 watt/channel Yamaha Ann Boston Acoustics HD90 speakers. Total vintage! Your description of the acoustic characteristics of the cartridge were spot on. Steve Winwood’s Arc of a Diver LP is a perfect match for bringing out the jazzy warmth of the technology of the Grado. I enjoyed your descriptions of the other cartridges as well. Nicely done!
Aw thought you were making a comeback there, that's disappointing. Really enjoyed your presentation style and even understood every word you said... coz am from Stockton like! :) come back soon, THE WORLD NEEDS LLAMAS!
@HALF MT You are right, it does not look good. On the other way because of its cube its extremely easy to set up. And for the price it sounds really good and there is absolutely no inner groove distortion like on many others for more money. I run it on a 1210GLD in the golden Headshell, so the yellow thing looks ok.
@@SunnyAustria I really haven't heard any cartridge that suffers from Inner Groove Distortion (let's call it "IGD" for short...). I HAVE heard plenty of cartridges that don't track worth a damn, & yes they're mostly far more expensive cartridges: Moving Coils mostly. Denon 103's, EMT, ZYX, & Linn cartridges all track poorly. RUN, don't walk, in the other direction if any of this 💩is recommended to you!🤨🤪🤤🤤🤤 And ANY cartridge with a conical/spherical stylus will also deliver lousy tracking. They're the cheapest to make, the cheapest to buy, & they have the dirtiest sound. Some Tin Ears think the dirty sound they make is "warmth"!🤣🤣🤣🙄🤦 IGD is usually down to 2 things: 1) You haven't set up your anti-skating ("bias") compensation properly. In most cases, especially if you haven't the foggiest idea of what I'm talking about, that means: at all!😳🧟. 2) The above problem is also greatly magnified by not using sufficient downforce ("VTF"). Virtually all cartridge manufacturers are pathological liars who will tell you that your cartridge has a "range" of VTF; say, 1-2g. Since it makes sense that as far as stylus pressure in the groove goes, that "less is more", & that the smallest possible rated VTF *should* yield the lowest amount of groove wear, a common mistake is believing the manufacturers lie & using the 1g VTF in my example. The reality is that the cartridge performs its best near or at the MAXIMUM recommended VTF; or 2g in my example!😳🙄 That usually gets rid of all the audible distortion at any volume level, IGD included! As an added bonus, the HIGHER VTF actually results in LOWER groove wear!😳🤪😵💫 Because, UNFORTUNATELY, when you hear distortion, it means that your cartridge is mistracking. And stylus mistracking results in instantaneous & PERMANENT groove damage!!!🧟😱😱🤬 3) If the VTF & bias ARE set properly, AND audible distortion still occurs on music peaks, then the tonearm itself can be at fault!😕 This is the case when poor and/or over-tightened bearings are used in the vertical & horizontal pivots. It's endemic to the recent Sony USB turntable, as well older Linn budget tonearms (Basik+ is a bad one!). You can test the bearings freedom of movement; best to watch a video on it as there's not enough room here for me to get into it. Suffice to say, over-tightened bearings aren't user-adjustable unless you're a jeweller, & if the problem is poor bearings then the tonearm is JUNK!🧟😱😱😱 Do not pass go, & you will pay more than $200!🤬
@@socksumi Goldring is also a rip-off in Canada, as well as being mediocre performers. I'm in the "It impresses you with its tight bass & big soundstage for about 15 minutes, then you notice the grainy highs & hint of glare because it's a lousy tracker" camp as far as my opinion of the Fartophon 2M Dead is concerned. The next model up, the 2M BOO! 👻 solves all its problems, but at $300CDN it's a flaming ripoff as well! 🤬 Grado has poor QC, don't be surprised if you buy a Prestige Black 3 that you get a defective one!🤨 Spend the extra $20-30 for the next model up, the Green. These are just Blacks that have been selected, so that eliminates the most egregious QC issues. About $150CDN. And its a fine tracker, don't listen to the Llama about that.🧐 But it's a 1965 body, half-plastic half-Metal & therefore only partially shielded. It WILL hum on certain turntables as a result, particularly those that don't use metal platters (like Rega!🙄). Audio-Technica is the 🐝's knees. You can get a VASTLY superior VM-95ML for $50 LESS than the mediocre Nagaoka🥱😴. It has an absolutely SOTA Micro-Linear stylus profile, superior to a Shibata or any Line-Contact stylus. Its complete lack of any audible distortion, fantastic tracking ability (I recommend 2.15g, A-T sez "2g"), & dazzling resolution of fine detail & ultra-wide frequency response performance are SECOND TO NONE!😲 It even outperforms the significantly more expensive VM-540ML & VM-740ML (I've listened to them!) which also have the same stylus & track at the exact same VTF!!!😳🤪🤨 Needless to say, it blows away the $950CDN Ortofon 2M Black with its inferior Shibata stylus, too! Even the $1200+ Nagaoka MP-500 only has a Shibata stylus! But it has a superior Boron cantilever, which probably levels the playing field... for FIVE TIMES THE 💰🤑🤑💸💸!!! But for a "newbie", it's a big jump from $90CDN for the VM-95E to $250 for the ML. But you have the further advantage over the other cartridges mentioned here that when you have $200CDN to spend, you can just replace the stylus assembly & not have to make ANY adjustments at all because all the parameters are otherwise identical: like VTF, Overhang, & VTA...😉😘 But other than all THAT, I think our Llama has his recommendations & sonic descriptions pretty much spot on. Close enough for Rock'n'Roll, anyways. 😂 And I did enjoy his sense of humour, too!😎
the 2M deserves all of the flak it gest. The MP110 though, what a gem at that price point. These days the AT-VM95E would be an awesome call (not MP110 good, but then the MP110 has gotten extremely pricey).
I have a JVC L-E20 turntable that I inherited, big sentimental value. Need to replace the cartridge soon as I think its about time! It seems fine for now, very old but not much use. The current one is labelled Z-5P, I think it's a P-mount, would any P-mount fit it? What's a good budget replacement that is compatible? Not looking for superb sound quality right now just something that won't die right away and destroy my vinyls. Got some rare first editions from the 70s that I love to play and dont want them to get scratched. pls help a noob
I can't say that I LOVE the Nagaoka MP-110. One thing that disappointed me was poor soundstage... Good, very good bass, but poor soundstage.I use it mainly for older records, as it is quieter than my other Ortofon 2M Bronze and AT 440mlb. I know, it's not a fair compairson, but the other 2 are really picky regarding vinyl quality. They capture every single defect, so, on older records, I prefer the Nagaoka. oh, and also for Metal. Anyway, I stated with the AT-95, and it's a very nice cartridge, on my setup has better soundstage than the Nagaoka, but worse trackability and detail. As mentioned on other comments, it's nice to see some new vids from you :)
You must be partially deaf if you like the thin scratchy sounding AT and the 2M red. The Nagoaka sounds the most realistic at its price... If you think its too bassy and heavy sounding, change your amp or speakers.
What arm are you using the mp110 in? Because the AT-440MLB is a way higher compliance than the MP110. These carts will never match the same arm properly. As for the 2M: Just say nay ;).
Does anyone know anything about the Nagaoka C-502 M/P? I've seen them for $73(US), on Ebay, which is less than the MP-110's price. I can find no info on it, anywhere.
Great to see you again...I really started to get into your channel and you disappeared. Nobody can rock a trendy scarf, a cuddly llama and a bottle of lube quite like yourself. :)
Repo man why do you say that? It’s true. It’s output is 5.5mv. Many outboard phono preamps, my MoFi StudioPhono included, only offer +40db as the lowest gain setting. This is probably why so many people like the MP110 with the Schitt Mani, as it has a 30db setting. I tried the Mani, but I got way too much noise from the power supply in my old house.
@@TheAgeOfAnalog 5mV which isn't exactly high. Throw away that phono amp and get a Schitt Mani with decent sheilded cables. I had that set up in the past and it worked great. Changing to an MP200 produces less noise
Repo man cables aren’t the issue, I’ve got really good ones, it’s the Schitty power supply, which can be upgraded but drives the price up considerably, besides, the StudioPhono sounds better. I’ve had both at the same time. That said, the Mani is an outstanding product for the money.
@@TheAgeOfAnalog I did have a swagman power supply for the Mani and it did improve the sound noticeably. Looks like the Mani is location dependant but it did produce a little hiss, that was improved by getting the MP500. An MP 200 has a lower output and sounds waaaay better than the 110. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-O96tQ2Tqa0s.html
These are just the cartridge?? Stylus come with all these cartridges?? I saw the AT 95E at a record store today they wanted 75 dollars and it's just the stylus!!!LOL
