The company proudly states the new MP-700 cartridge honours Nagaoka's 85-year commitment to precision and quality. It has been engineered for "ever more refined and accurate sound reproduction, bringing listeners closer to the original performance."

Nagaoka's signature Moving Permalloy (MP) design, as used in the excellent MP-500, employs a lightweight permalloy piece attached to the cantilever. This, we're told, significantly reduces mass, allowing the stylus to move with greater freedom and precision.

The MP-700 cartridge employs a boron cantilever paired with a new micro-ridge nude diamond stylus measuring 0.12 x 0.3 mil. Furthermore, the design also incorporates the softest damper, allowing the boron cantilever and micro-ridge stylus to perform at their best. Nagaoka says this combination enhances sound accuracy, ensures exceptional detail retrieval from vinyl grooves, and claims a 1 dB or less (1kHz) channel balance.

Meanwhile, a newly integrated suspension wire in the pivot system effectively controls the movement of the cantilever and stylus. The company states this provides stability, enhanced separation ((1kHz): 30 dB), and clarity across all frequencies. We're told to expect "accurate representation of treble, bass tones and timbre for a more vivid and lifelike listening experience."

Frequency response is listed as 20-27,000 Hz alongside a 4 mV (1kHz, 5cm/sec) output voltage.

The 8g cartridge (26.3g including headshell) features a shielded case and cartridge frame crafted from ultra-duralumin, enhanced with a three-layer surface treatment involving nickel plating, black tin plating, and an insulating coating, which minimises static interference, improves heat and wear resistance, and preserves the exterior's longevity. Nagaoka recommends a 1.4g vertical tracking force.

The Nagaoka MP-700 is available from May 2025, priced at £1,149 and £1,249 for the MP-700H cartridge and headshell package. The JN-P700 replacement stylus will sell for £599. We're awaiting confirmed pricing for other territories.

Visit Nagokoa for more information