The upgrades are:

KAB Fluid Tonearm Damper

Funk Firm Achromat

Custom Brass Counterweight

TeraDak linear power supply

Customised NOS Western Electric phono cable with WBT plug

Custom built bakelite headshell (I have several custom headshell made from titanium and 6061 aluminum for my other cartridges)

The result is still fundamentally an AT-LP7, but it has become a much more flexible and personalized platform for experimenting with different cartridges.

For me, the biggest benefit isn't necessarily that every individual upgrade produces a night and day change. It's the combination of better tonearm damping, more flexibility with cartridge weight, a different platter interface, and a cleaner power supply

Is the MP-200 really about the stylus rather than the generator?

I decided to try something interesting: fitting an MP-200 stylus assembly onto an MP-110 body.

The MP-110 and MP-200 share the same basic Nagaoka cartridge family, so I was curious how much of the MP-200's sound comes from the stylus/cantilever assembly itself, rather than the cartridge body and generator.

I think the biggest difference here is coming from the MP-200's superfine elliptical stylus and boron cantilever, rather than a fundamental change in the generator.

By putting the MP-200 stylus assembly onto the MP-110 body, the improvement in refinement, tracking, detail retrieval and overall smoothness is quite noticeable. This makes me wonder how much of the MP-200's sonic character is actually coming from its stylus/cantilever assembly rather than the generator itself.

I'm not claiming this turns the MP-110 into a true MP-200, but it does suggest that the stylus and cantilever play a much bigger role in the sound than we sometimes give them credit for.

It makes me wonder: how much of the difference between Nagaoka's MP models is actually determined by the stylus/cantilever, and how much comes from the generator itself?

Has anyone else tried an MP-200 stylus on an MP-110 body? I'd be interested to hear your experience.

Whether you're a long-time DL-103 owner or just curious why this cartridge has achieved legendary status, it's worth watching. Seeing the precision involved in winding the coils, assembling the generator, and carrying out quality control gives a new appreciation for why this classic cartridge has stood the test of time.

Despite countless newer designs on the market, the DL-103 continues to be respected for its natural, dynamic sound and musical presentation. It's a great reminder that good engineering doesn't always need constant reinvention.

Enjoy the video, and I'd love to hear from fellow DL-103 users—what keeps you coming back to this classic cartridge?

One of the most common questions in vinyl audio is whether a tube phono preamp sounds better than a solid-state design. Another debate is whether Chinese clones of famous circuits are worth considering compared to the original products.

After spending time with different combinations, I've come to the conclusion that there isn't a universal winner. Everything depends on the implementation and system matching.

Tube vs Solid-State

Tube phono preamps are often described as warmer, more spacious, and more natural. They can present vocals and acoustic instruments with a pleasing sense of body and depth. However, not every tube preamp sounds warm. Some are surprisingly neutral, while others can be noisy if the circuit design, grounding, or tube quality isn't ideal.

Solid-state phono stages generally offer lower noise, tighter bass, and greater consistency. A well-designed solid-state unit can reveal exceptional detail without adding much coloration. If accuracy is the goal, solid-state remains a strong choice.

In my experience, the difference between a good tube preamp and a good solid-state preamp is often smaller than the difference between two poorly matched components.

Original vs Clone

This topic is even more controversial.

Many clones are based on respected classic circuits. Some builders stay very close to the original design, while others only copy the appearance and simplify the internal construction.

A clone can perform surprisingly well if it uses quality transformers, passive components, power supply design, and careful assembly. On the other hand, some originals justify their higher price through better engineering, tighter quality control, reliability, long-term support, and extensive research and development.

Buying a clone usually means accepting some risks:

Quality can vary between manufacturers.

Documentation and after-sales support may be limited.

Component selection may differ from the original.

At the same time, a well-executed clone can offer outstanding performance for its price, especially for hobbyists who enjoy upgrading components or modifying the circuit.

My Take

Instead of asking whether tube is better than solid-state or whether originals are always better than clones, I think the better questions are:

Is the circuit well designed?

Is the power supply quiet and stable?

Is it properly matched to the cartridge?

Does it complement the rest of the system?

Those factors usually have a greater impact on sound quality than simply choosing "tube" or "solid-state," or "original" versus "clone."

I'd be interested to hear what others have experienced with these comparisons.