Cellule MC Hana Umani Blue

Following the huge success of the Hana ML, the Japanese manufacturer had embarked on the ambitious task of building a very high-end phono cartridge, the Umami Red. It delivers remarkable performance, but unfortunately only appeals to a very small number of listeners given its price. Hana returns with an equally ambitious product, but at a more accessible price. Even if the gap in the range between this new cartridge and the Hana ML does not seem entirely bridged, this new Umami Blue can be considered by a far larger audience.

HANA UMAMI BLUE: body

The Hana Umami Blue MC cartridge has a very ergonomic shape, and its profile looks as though it was designed by an aeronautics firm. Hana's Okada-san designed and developed the Umami's body himself.

It is machined from a block of A7075 aluminium. This alloy is one of the hardest and lightest in the world, most often found in aerospace construction.

The body incorporates a front insert in POM polymer, selected for its vibration-absorbing properties.

Finally, the Auricle™ body integrates the threaded holes directly into its top face for optimal mechanical coupling to the headshell.

The Hana Umami Blue MC cartridge is dressed in a brilliant iridescent blue finish, made from a thermosetting melamine resin (MTP).

This resin, created by DuPont, bonds to the aluminium through a vapour deposition process followed by a 30-minute "bake" at 120°C. The hardness of the resin increases the cartridge's overall rigidity and limits resonances.

HANA UMAMI BLUE: moving assembly

Hana chose to fit this cartridge with a Nude Microline diamond. It appears to be similar to the one used on the Hana Umami Red MC cartridge as well as the Hana ML.

It is mounted on a superb boron cantilever. Boron has a hardness comparable to that of diamond, allowing it to hold the Microline stylus rigidly and precisely. This cantilever lets the smallest audible details and micro-dynamics reach the cartridge's generator with minimal loss.

Paired with it are coils of very pure copper wire. The armature is pure iron and the generator relies on Alnico magnets, comparable to the Hana ML.

Hana also notes that a cryogenic treatment has been applied to most of the components. This "cold re-baking" process, at a temperature close to absolute zero, is used to treat the Hana Umami Blue's generator as well as the gold-plated output pins. This cryogenic treatment alters the material at the molecular level, increasing its rigidity and lifespan.

HANA UMAMI BLUE: box and accessories

Unboxing the Hana Umami Blue MC cartridge holds no surprises.

Like all Hana products, the packaging is very plain, even fairly "cheap" for a cartridge in this range. In their defence, though, it's true that the box doesn't make music. The budget is clearly spent on the technology and materials that make up the cartridge.

Three sets of screws (4, 5, 6 mm), a hex key and a brush are supplied. It's the bare minimum, but it's also the essentials.

HANA UMAMI BLUE: setup

Setup is fairly straightforward, and its shape makes adjustment quite easy.

Its compliance, relatively high for a low-output MC cartridge, and its medium mass allow it to be paired with most quality tonearms of medium/low effective mass.

The loading could quite simply be around 80 ohms, but experience has shown us that, in general, you should instead multiply the internal resistance by 15 to reach the ideal loading with an MCamplifier. This can differ with an MC transformer (step-up).

So, in this case, the ideal loading is around 120 ohms. On some systems, however, it is possible to go a little higher if you want a touch more clarity.

Its fairly comfortable output level of 0.4 mV requires an MC phono preamplifier offering a minimum gain of 58 dB, though 62 dB is recommended.

HANA UMAMI BLUE: testing and listening

Like other high-end phono cartridges, the Umami Blue cannot be judged after 2 tracks, because it is not showy and does not impose an extravagant personality. That is precisely why listening to the first LPs is certainly a little disconcerting. On the other hand, its qualities become apparent fairly quickly, particularly its balance.

It's natural to find some of the Hana ML's characteristics combined with the Umami Red's qualities, since this Umami Blue is clearly an assembly of elements from these two cartridges (give or take a detail or two).

It is therefore the synthesis of nuance and refinement, paired with remarkable neutrality and musicality.

Excellent value for money and musicality.

FAQ: Everything you need to know before buying the Hana Umami Blue MC cartridge

How does the Umami Blue compare with the Umami Red?

After the very high-end but not very accessible Umami Red, Hana returns with an equally ambitious product at a more accessible price. The gap in the range is not entirely bridged, but this Umami Blue is clearly an assembly of elements from the Hana ML and the Umami Red, which makes it accessible to a larger audience. Find it in the low-output MC cartridges section.

Which impedance loading should I choose?

The ideal loading is around 120 ohms, obtained by multiplying the internal resistance by 15 with an MC amplifier. On some systems, you can go a little higher for extra clarity. The value may differ with an MC transformer (step-up); see our MC step-up and pre-preamp section.

What special treatment do the internal components receive?

A cryogenic treatment close to absolute zero is applied to the generator as well as the gold-plated output pins, altering the material at the molecular level to increase its rigidity and lifespan. Our article on why invest in an MC cartridge explains the benefit of this technology.

Which phono preamplifier do I need for the Hana Umami Blue?

Its 0.4 mV output level requires an MC phono preamplifier offering a minimum gain of 58 dB, with 62 dB recommended. It is a low-output MC cartridge, to be connected to an MC input.