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A wood body made of ebony for a Nagaoka cartridge (such as MP-110, MP-150, MP-200, or MP-500) gives the sound a more controlled, refined, and darker tonal character, enhancing the cartridge’s natural strengths while adding a touch of tightness and authority.
| Sonic Aspect | Effect |
|---|---|
| Bass | Deep, tight, and well-defined — more slam, less bloom |
| Midrange | Clean, slightly restrained, more focused |
| Treble | Smooth, silky, slightly rolled-off — removes harshness |
| Dynamics | Controlled, not hyperactive — more composure than excitement |
| Soundstage | Deeper and more layered — less wide but more dimensional |
| Tonal Balance | Slightly darker and more neutral than stock plastic body |
High density (~1.1–1.3 g/cm³) → excellent mechanical damping
Hard and stiff → suppresses unwanted resonances
Natural damping → smooths treble and calms upper mid glare
Inertial stability → helps stylus ride deeper grooves with less fuzziness
Refined and audiophile-oriented
Takes away some “zing” or edginess typical of stock Nagaoka cartridges
Makes the sound more relaxed, authoritative, and “black background”-like
You may lose a bit of "liveliness" compared to lighter, livelier woods (like birch or walnut), but you gain precision, body, and balance
Want maximum control and quiet backgrounds
Prefer a mature, laid-back presentation
Listen to jazz, classical, acoustic
Dislike treble glare or edge
Adds mass: make sure your tonearm can handle the slightly increased weight (especially on lower compliance Nagaokas like MP-500)
Ideal with medium-mass tonearms
Pairs well with tube phono stages or warmer electronics
An ebony body elevates the Nagaoka’s warmth and smoothness to a more audiophile, composed level. It’s not a “wow factor” wood like cocobolo or snakewood, but it's extremely musical, stable, and natural-sounding — perfect for longer listening sessions and balanced systems.
Ships within 48 hours · Estimated delivery Jun 24 - Jun 29
US$40
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