Fluance RT85N: Nagaoka MP200 Stylus on MP110 Body (JN-P200)

Comments · 82

• VI

  @Videobeard · 2 years ago

  Just read Herb Reichert’s article where he enthusiastically agrees with you.  I love my MP110, but I do get an inordinate amount of static and always looking for an affordable and noticeable sonic upgrade.  Will be ordering a MP200 soon.   Nice video, very helpful.

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• RO

  @robertshanks3674 · 7 months ago (edited)

  I noticed the fine details, in the MP200 and cleaner and more literate sound stage, thank you for all the research that you have invested ......I really appreciate your effort!

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• NO

  @northwoods70 · 2 years ago

  Thanks for your video. I made the same upgrade to the MP110 cartridge with an MP200 stylus about a year ago. I found there was an immediate difference in the clarity of the sound, and in the sound stage (much better stereo separation ). I hear the same results listening to your video.  That confirms for me that the improvement with the MP200 is not just in my imagination.  I have not experienced the static problems with the MP110 stylus when playing my older records. However, the last three new albums I have bought all had surface noise even after a careful but thorough cleaning. I've pretty much given up on new recordings since quality control in the vinyl manufacturing plants seems non-existant.  One thing I would mention for the benefit of anyone considering this upgrade. Obviously moving from the bonded diamond chip to the nude diamond on the MP200 is a huge change. Equally huge is the switch to a boron shaft, which is more rigid (and fragile) than the aluminum shaft on the MP110. This definitely improves sound for the better as vibrations are better managed by the boron shaft. But be aware that the MP200 is more fragile than the MP110. Treat it with extra care. You don't want to damage a $170 stylus!

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• AU

  @Audiotestvinylpress · 12 days ago

  If you're running the JN-P200 stylus (from the MP-200) on an MP-110 body, you're only getting about 50% of what that stylus is actually capable of. Here’s why: while the nude diamond and boron cantilever of the 200 stylus definitely improve tracking over the stock 110 stylus, the generator "heart" inside the two cartridge bodies is fundamentally different. The MP-200 body features superior internal shielding and pole pieces made with higher-grade materials (including high-permeability nickel alloys), along with tighter coil specifications. This design provides a level of transient response, micro-detail, and channel separation that the MP-110 body physically cannot produce. Essentially, you've put a top-tier engine into a chassis that acts as a bottleneck: you'll hear an upgrade, but you aren't hearing what a true, complete MP-200 can actually do.

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• OB

  @obre9523 · 2 years ago

  Very enlightening. Thanks for your effort

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• CH

  @chrismosquad1056 · 2 years ago (edited)

  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwiNUnw4HCE&amp;t=512">8:32</a> | <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwiNUnw4HCE&amp;t=698">11:38</a><br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwiNUnw4HCE&amp;t=558">9:18</a> | <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwiNUnw4HCE&amp;t=743">12:23</a><br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwiNUnw4HCE&amp;t=589">9:49</a> | <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwiNUnw4HCE&amp;t=775">12:55</a>

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• ME

  @megangokangz6834 · 6 months ago

  Thanks so much helped me Mae my upgrade decision

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• JO

  @johnlockier1998 · 2 years ago

  Excellent. This was exactly what I needed to know. Thanks

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• PD

  @PDXborn · 4 months ago

  I just put this stylus on my MP110. &nbsp;What a difference in sound quality. &nbsp;Crisp highs, smooth midrange and tight bass. &nbsp;Side one of Dark Side of the Moon never sounded so good. &nbsp;Hearing the reverb trails on this album like they were never really there before. &nbsp;The difference is so large I didn&apos;t have to A/B them to find the nuance. &nbsp;A deaf person could hear the difference. &nbsp;There is a level of granularity in detail that the MP110 cannot match. &nbsp;YouTube compression on these videos makes these differences seem minimal when nothing could be further from the truth. &nbsp;I&apos;ll keep the MP110 stylus for older, worn records where a more musical, slightly veiled stylus plays better. &nbsp;Thanks for this video.

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• JE

  @JeffAguilar68 · 1 year ago

  Thank you so much for posting this video. I was getting a lot of popping noises with the 110. After watching your video I went and looked for the needle replacement with the 200. I decided to spend $150 more and got the 500. I popped off the needle of the 110 and mounted the 500. It sounds much better than the 110. Comparing it to my Music Hall 2.2 with the Denon 301 MKII, I think the Fluance 85N now sounds better. It was a worth while upgrade!

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• CR

  @Craneskin · 2 years ago

  I bought the RT85N a few months back, and I had a similar feeling about its performance as you did, to be honest, and I&apos;ve also had the same problem with static pops. I think that has a lot to do with the dry air here in eastern Washington State, though. The static buildup is sometimes so bad that I actually get tiny lightning arcs between my fingers and the headshell when lifting the tonearm (ouch!). I had a stupid accident with the cartridge just before Christmas and accidentally ripped the bonded diamond tip right off the cantilever when it snagged on my shirt, so I decided to do exactly the same upgrade as you did and bought the JN-200 stylus to replace the ruined one. Now that it&apos;s thoroughly broken in, I&apos;m a lot happier with the sound overall: there&apos;s a lot more detail, and the high end in particular is much better defined than the stock MP-110 stylus, which I felt could be very muddy and &quot;crowded&quot; in places. I&apos;m still having the same problem with static, but I think that&apos;s got more to do with the climate than the cartridge.

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• DA

  @dansharkey5218 · 2 years ago

  I have the RT85n with the MP110 &amp; &nbsp;I’m happy with it; find it very sensitive &amp; get some occasional snap, krackle &amp; pop on older lp’s. I definitely hear the different with the MP200 more clarity &amp; the sound is definitely what I call jumping out of the speakers. It will be my next purchase to replace my MP110 in the near future. Thanks for sharing your experiences &amp; knowledge.

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