Introducing the NAGAOKA MP-700: A New Reference in Moving Permalloy Cartridges

Revealed in advance of its official debut at High End Munich 2025, the NAGAOKA MP-700 sets a new benchmark as the flagship model of the MP Series. With over 85 years of Japanese engineering excellence, NAGAOKA has long been a trusted name in analog audio—its cartridges are widely used by leading manufacturers as OEM and private-label components.

The MP-700 features NAGAOKA’s distinctive Moving Permalloy (MP) design, a sophisticated alternative to traditional Moving Magnet (MM) cartridges. This design uses a lightweight permalloy element affixed to the cantilever, dramatically reducing mass and enabling the stylus to track vinyl grooves with greater agility and precision. The result is cleaner, more accurate sound with heightened musical realism.

At the heart of the MP-700 is a boron cantilever combined with a new micro-ridge nude diamond stylus (0.12 x 0.3 mil). This precision-engineered pairing delivers exceptional detail retrieval and spatial clarity, capturing every nuance from your vinyl records.

Among all MP Series models, the MP-700 incorporates the softest damper, optimized for the boron cantilever and advanced stylus. While soft damping can sometimes compromise stability, NAGAOKA addresses this with a suspension wire integrated into the pivot system. This added feature ensures balanced control of cantilever movement, particularly in the treble range, resulting in enhanced channel separation, clear bass definition, and richly textured mids and highs.

For added durability and electromagnetic shielding, the MP-700’s body is crafted from ultra-duralumin with a three-layer surface treatment: nickel plating, black tin plating, and an insulating top coat. These layers suppress static noise, increase resistance to heat and wear, and maintain the cartridge’s refined appearance over time.

As one of the world’s last independent cartridge manufacturers, NAGAOKA continues to deliver phono products that span a wide range of tonearms, performance tiers, and price points. Every NAGAOKA cartridge is designed, assembled, and tested in Japan under strict quality controls, combining craftsmanship with decades of stylus innovation.

The NAGAOKA MP-700 will be available globally starting May 13, 2025, to commemorate the company’s 85th anniversary. It will be offered in two versions: the MP-700 (€1,299) and the premium MP-700H (€1,399). A replacement stylus, the JN-P700, will also be available.

This model is a celebration of NAGAOKA’s legacy—an ideal choice for audiophiles seeking refined sound reproduction, engineering pedigree, and long-term reliability.

Nagaoka MP-700