ANALOG PLANET
Review: HIGH PERFORMANCE, HIGH VALUE - HANA ML and MH CARTRIDGES (REVERSED CHANNELS FIXED)
by Michael Fremer
Hana ML and MH Moving Coil Cartridges Though AnalogPlanet reviewed the low output $750 Hana SL cartridge back in 2017 in a “shootout” with the $999 Ortofon Quintet Black S, we’re kind of “late to the fair” on these two newer Hana models, in part because they’ve been reviewed by others in Stereophile (and of course elsewhere), where I mostly (but not exclusively!) cover the top end of the high performance market.
So, I asked the importer, Musical Surroundings, for these two and have had them in and out of the system for some time, but have not had a chance until now to write them up.
Other than output, which is a function of the number of “High Purity” copper coil turns, the two cartridges are identical. Both cartridges feature nude MicroLine styi attached to aluminum cantilevers, hence the “M”. The ML (low) outputs .4mV (@1KHz), while the MH (high) outputs 2mV (@1KHz). Both feature Cryogenically-treated magnetic circuitry, Delrin (a POM variant) bodies and gold-plated, copper top plates that at 9 grams make these two almost twice as heavy as the aforementioned SL, which will make it more suitable for some arms and less so for others, though since Excel Corp does not specify compliance, it’s not possible to calculate what effective mass arms will best work with these two cartridges. Both worked well in the Kuzma 4 Point and Rega RB3000 arms
Other specs that are provided are output balance of <1dB@1kHz, 70µ “trackability” at the suggested 2 gram tracking force, and frequency response of 12Hz-45kHz. Of course, the coil turns affect internal impedance, so the ML’s is 7 ohms@1kHz with >100 ohms recommended loading, while the MH’s is 130 ohms with the standard 47kOhm loading spec.
Details
The MicroLine stylus has an even narrower “contact patch” than the already “severe” Shibata stylus used on the Hana SL. It more closely resembles the cutting stylus itself and so is theoretically capable of extracting more information from the grooves, particularly the higher frequencies and especially those located closer to the label area. If properly set up (the big “if”) you can also expect lower distortion. A cross sectional view would look almost like a flat-blade screwdriver, with the edges being able to trace even the narrowest groove crevice. Of course accurate set-up is critical for overhang, zenith angle and stylus rake angle.
Cryogenically treating metal is claimed to change its molecular structure and thus change sound quality (for the better).
The gold-plated copper top plate is a big improvement and not just because it increases mass and incorporates threaded hole inserts that runs the length of the opening, so you don’t have to mess with nuts (though that’s not a big problem IMO especially if you put a tiny blob of rubber cement on your index finger and embed the nut into it).
The top plate acts both as a damper for the Delrin body and as a mechanical interface between the cartridge and the head shell. Metal cartridge top to metal head shell should produce very different sonic results than a plastic to metal interface (or from whatever your head shell is fabricated).
Obviously, all of these physical changes from the previously reviewed SL should produce noticeable sonic ones. Unfortunately, I don’t have the older SL here, but that doesn’t matter because the sound produced by the Hana ML is exceptionally fine and clearly leaps ahead of the SL, which as I remember it was “really good”. The ML is remarkable.
I installed it in the Kuzma 4 Point and yes, it’s on the Continuum Caliburn, but a mediocre cartridge would drag that stuff down. And I ran it into the ELAC/Alchemy PP-2A. That’s how I did most of the listening. You’ll get to hear it for yourself at the bottom of the review and compare it to the Ortofon Anna D mounted on the SAT CF1-09 arm driving the Ypsilon VPS-100 preamp.
Firstly, the ML is well-built. It achieved 93 degree SRA with the arm parallel to the record surface and crosstalk was minimized and equalized with the cantilever perpendicular to the record surface. I measure 27dB and 28dB separation L-R, R-L adjusted using a digital oscilloscope, which usually “undercounts” separation but is otherwise an accurate method for setting azimuth and for measuring inter-channel output balance. Using Ortofon’s test record the cartridge’s “trackability” matched the spec’d 70µm.
read Part 2 here
by Michael Fremer - Analog Planet, April 1, 2020