RMAF 2015

Hana Introduces A Pair of Low Cost Moving Coil Cartridges

Michael Fremer  |  Oct 5, 2015

“Hana” means brilliant and gorgeous.

Two low cost Hana cartridges were introduced at RMAF 2015. Designed and built in Tokyo by the veteran cartridge manufacturer Excel Sound Corporation and exported to America by Sibatech, Inc., they are imported to America by Mocking Bird Distribution.

The $400 Hana EL is low output MC cartridge featuring an elliptical stylus fitted to an aluminum cantilever. The $600 Hana SL is also a low output MC cartridge but features a Shibata stylus fitted to an aluminum cantilever.

$600 for a Shibata stylus fitted low output MC cartridge? I’d say that’s brilliant!

COMMENTS
mraudioguru's picture
Submitted by mraudioguru on Tue, 2015-10-06 10:46

According to their website, these are also available in a high output version with an output of 2mv. Same price.

The models are EH & EL and SH & SL.

The website lists the price of the SH/SL carts at $650, not $600?

I might just have to try one of these.

John Macca's picture
Submitted by John Macca on Wed, 2015-10-07 04:50

Better than classic DL-103?

Engelsstaub's picture
Submitted by Engelsstaub on Wed, 2015-10-07 16:25

"Low Cost."

...wot...

mobileholmes's picture
Submitted by mobileholmes on Thu, 2015-10-08 13:03

Yes, $650, not $600. And $400 for the low output elliptical. I compared it to a modified DL103r, and they sound very different. Don't they all sound very different?

It's made by Excel Sound Corporation, a 40 year old company, based in Tokyo, one of those slightly underground, secretive, Japanese companies (they won't reveal which cartridges they have made over the years). I think they decided to produce their own design, much like Jelco did a few years ago when it started promoting its budget tonearms, which are excellent values.

plakey's picture
Submitted by plakey on Sun, 2015-12-20 16:12

I've been listening to it for about 2 months, more or less. It sound great to me. Really nice. It's on a Rega RP-6, and I'm going from a Rega MM so of course it sounds better, but I'm very happy with this for the sub-$1000 price.

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