Another Cart opinion thread....

Great report.  Thank you.   I was already leaning toward the Nag.  My only experience with AT is my current cart.  For the price it's very good, but I find some of the highs a bit piercing and it seems to be missing something in the mids, but I like its soundstage and separation of instruments.  There's also a lot of headroom when it comes to solos.   I didn't know if those characteristics are throughout the AT lineup.

I don't have any experience with Nag, but I like what files I've heard that were recorded with the 300.

Here's a different idea.  Don't invest any money in that table.  If you're not happy with the way it sounds now, buy a better turntable.

I started out with a Music Hall 2.2, added a the speed box, put on an acrylic platter, and put a couple of better cartridges on it, including the current one, a Nagaoka MP-500.

A Music Hall 5.3 or 7.3 with an inexpensive cart like the AT95 will sound much better than the 2.3 will with an upgraded cartridge.  I currently have a Music Hall 7.1 and with an old Shure V15 with a JICO SAS stylus it sounds way better than the 2.2 with all the upgrades I did to it.  I had an AT95 from another table I had and have mounted it on the 7.1 and it also sounded better than the 2.2.

The 2.3 is an entry level table - it doesn't have good motor isolation, it doesn't have much mass, it has a cheap tonearm, and the feet are pretty cheap.  Either be happy with it as is or get a better table.   I'm not saying it's a bad table, but buying a better table will give you more bang for your buck if you're looking for an improvement in sound quality.  

Thanks for the advice.  It's a good suggestion, and thinking out of the box.

However, I'm not unhappy with the way my set up sounds, I'm just trying to achieve a more rounded sound.  I don't want to head down the rabbit hole.  There's always a better sounding this or that.

(and with 2 kids in college........need I say more)

I would hope a 1,300+ TT would sound better.

Not really out of the box, just trying to help save someone from wasting a bunch of money based on my own experience. 

You can usually pick up used Music Hall 5.X and 7.X for around $400-$600 for the 5.x and $700-$900 for the 7.X and probably find one with a decent cartridge already on it.

I’m looking for something with great detail, not too bright, tight bass and smooth mids.

The cartridge you’re looking for is Victor X-1II
and of course my all time favorite AT-ML series from the 80’s, anything from model 150 and higher.

So many users of these cart left this forum, but you can find feedbacks in archive of the forum for sure.
Fantastic cartridges for those you're looking for fidelity.