Hana MH MC cartridge

Hana is a subsidiary of the Japanese manufacturer Excel Sound Corporation. This one gained its reputation with the launch a few years ago of the Hana EH and Hana SH MC cartridges. In a few months, these two models have become uncontested references for music lovers and specialist journalists.

After this well-deserved success, Hana comes back in force with a more high-end and ambitious model: the Hana MH cartridge!

HANA MH: BODY

From the outside, the Hana MH looks rather like its little sisters, even if the shape is more complex and less basic than a Hana SH.

The PVC body has been replaced by a P.O.M (Delrin) version. This material offers excellent acoustic and particularly mechanical properties. The P.O.M. does not resonate in the audible spectrum and perfectly controls the vibrations.

There is gold alloy sole added to this one. This allows the effective mass to be added to the phono cartridge and increased from 7g to 9.5g. This gives it a better coupling with the headshell.

The Hana MH cartridge is attached to the headshell using two screws and two brass inserts attached to the body. The mounting without screw nut is easier and offers a better tightening torque.

HANA MH: STYLUS

Hana abandoned the Shibata stylus of the SH to take a Nude Microline profile. It is a coherent choice with the rest of the cartridge design and is therefore not debatable.

This stylus size offers perfect tracking with almost no surface noise and a high transparency. It is mounted on a rather traditional cantilever made of hollow aluminium.

The generator is made of pure steel that has received cryogenic treatment. It is associated with Alnico magnets and high quality copper coils.

HANA MH: COMPATIBILITY

This Hana cartridge is designed to work on an MM phono preamplifier.

However, its output level of 2 mV is suitable for circuits with a minimum gain of 44 dB and a load of 47 Kohms.

HANA MH: TEST AND LISTENING

The restitution is quite similar to the low output version, the Hana ML MC cartridge.

However, having a phono preamp loaded at 47 kohms and having a higher output level alters the listening experience a little bit.

This Hana MH cartridge seems less nuanced and a little less subtle than the low output version. The sound scene also sounds a little more in front of the Hi-Fi speakers...

However, apart from these "very small" details, we find all the quality and musicality of the low output ML version!

Highly recommended!

AWARDS:

Stereo – Überragend