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Calling all HANA cartridge fans!

Audio Components Vinyl
#1

Have played with the Hana M series over the past 6 months or so. Was very impressed with the potential I heard and Hana has wound up on my radar screen. Didn’t keep it because I wanted the last bit of sophistication it didn’t quite offer. But the brand has been building its lineup fast and for those of you, like me, who have liked what you’ve heard I have a mouth watering temptation that just popped up on the Musical Surroundings product page:

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The Umami Red MC. 0.4 mV.

Won’t be cheap. But Hana is obviously targeting those of us who might just be willing to stretch a bit, perhaps throw in a trade, to get our mitts on one. Watching this one closely.

5 Likes
#2

Very happy with my SL - a nice step up from my denon 103R in terms of resolution.

#3

That is correct! $3950!

#4

Looks very nice - both the specs and the aesthetics. I like the tapped mounting holes, generates a very clean and neat look. Seems to be still too early to find listening impressions. This is certainly on my radar now, the birthday is coming up…

Post #7 is a comparison of the specs to the specs of a $21k Etsuro Urushi Gold. Fairly promising.

#6

Anybody got any hearing impressions yet? I was told great things about this but they were from my dealer and sounded a bit clisheish so I suspect they were not from an auditioning but from marketing literature.

I have a magnetic bearing, new tonearm and a new tonearm cable on the way and the next upgrade will be the cartridge. Now… where did I put that piggybank and the hammer?

#7

I recently had a Hana ML installed as a long overdue replacement for a Benz Ace SM. My impression is that the Hana has better articulation of sounds throughout the audible spectrum but does present less “heft” in the bass and mid bass frequencies I experienced in the Benz Ace. For me this is not entirely unwelcome and is interesting in it’s own right. This is my conclusion with the Hana ML after 90 hours of use. I look forward to many more.

#8

@matthewnz-2:
Just curious as to what tone arm, turntable and phono preamp ypu are using. I have considered the Hana series on several occasions, but landed elsewhere. I may reconsider it for my next cartridge change on my Linn LP 12 Ittok LVII. Leaning towards a Dynavector XX2 Mk 2 or possibly a Lyra Kleos.

#9

If that question is to me, I have a SOTA Nova Series V vacuum TT fitted with a SME 309 tonearm. Currently in-house two phono preamps: a Modwright Reference PH 150 (hybrid tube) and a Rega Aura (SS), which I swap in and out of my system. I did have a Hana MH (rather than the ML) and it was a glimpse into what Excel Sound Corporation can do when finally distributing cartridges under it’s own brand name (Excel has purportedly been the manufacturer of cartridges for other brands for years). It was darned good by I hankered for better and traded it up for a Sumiko MC. That was before the Umami became available. Based on my experience with the MH I’m looking hard at the Umami now that it is available. It does have a lot of competition in it’s price range from the Lyra Kleos, for one.

#10

@owlsalum:
I was leaning towards a Dynavector as a step up from my Denon DL-304. It is a known match for the Ittok. Local dealer recommends the Hana ML and demos it. Seems a little buttoned down from what I hear. My concern with the Lyra is it may be over reaching in an Ittok. In addition the Ittok is slightly lively in he presence region as it transitions to the low high frequencies, which may make for a sub-par match.

#11

Clearaudio Performance SE with Satisfy tonearm. The preamp is a PS Audio GCPH.

#12

Sweet set-up!

#13

Hanna SL on an Linn LP12 with Ittok LVII here. Feeding a Stellar phono. Sounds wonderful and a nice improvement over the DL103R I had. Local dealer is a long time LP12 guru and this is what he recommended, so I had no worries over matching.

#14

@danm: Thanks I appreciate the comments. Local dealer, Ultra Fidelis, here recommended similar, with an upgrade being the Lyra Kleos. My go to Linn guy going back to 1980 has been Ken Christiansen, Pro Musica, and he has recommended either the Dynavector XX2-mk2 or the LInn Krystal. My thought being the Krystal is rather pricey for what it offers. Both Ultra Fidelis and Pro Musica are stand up guys.