Hana EH MKII

A moving-coil cartridge generally requires a dedicated phono preamp or a step-up transformer because its output voltage is too low. This Japanese cartridge gets around that obstacle: its output level allows it to connect to the MM phono input found on most amplifiers. The second generation retains the E series formula, with an elliptical diamond stylus and an Alnico magnet, and adds several improvements from the more expensive models in the Hana range.

A moving coil that connects to an MM input

In a moving-coil (MC) cartridge, tiny coils attached to the cantilever move within the field of a stationary magnet, whereas a moving-magnet (MM) cartridge does the opposite. The moving mass is lower, and the stylus follows the groove’s undulations more freely. The usual trade-off is a very low output voltage, often a few tenths of a millivolt, which requires a dedicated amplification stage.

The EH MKII belongs to the high-output MC family: its coils have more turns, bringing the voltage to 2 mV at 1 kHz with an internal impedance of 130 Ω. With a recommended load above 47 kΩ, it connects to a standard MM phono input, without any special settings or additional accessories. These extra turns make the moving assembly slightly heavier than in a low-output MC cartridge; that is the compromise of this approach. The 2 mV output also remains below the 3 to 5 mV of a typical MM cartridge: the volume needs to be set a little higher, and the quality of the phono stage, especially its noise level, has a greater bearing on the result. An MM preamp with around 40 dB of gain is sufficient.

Contributions from the M and Umami series

This MKII version adopts the body developed for the M series, with the same shape as the M and S series. A brass cap adds mass to better control vibrations, and incorporates threaded holes that simplify mounting on the headshell. The generator’s key components and the output pins undergo cryogenic treatment, a process applied throughout the range up to the Umami models, intended to improve conductivity. The moss-green body, the E series’ distinctive colour, receives an elastomer coating that dampens resonances.

The specifications published by Hana improve on those of the original EH: channel separation rises from 22 to 25 dB, channel imbalance falls below 1.5 dB compared with 2 dB previously, and tracking ability reaches 70 µm at 2 g compared with 60 µm. Weight, however, increases from 5 to 8.6 g, a direct consequence of the brass cap.

Elliptical diamond stylus, aluminium cantilever and Alnico magnet

The “E” in the name refers to the synthetic diamond stylus’s elliptical profile. Narrower than a conical stylus along the groove, it follows the fine modulations that carry treble and detail more closely, while remaining less demanding to set up than the Shibata or MicroLine profiles of the brand’s S and M series. This diamond stylus is mounted on an aluminium cantilever connected to a cross-shaped armature carrying the coils, a construction shared by Hana cartridges.

The magnet remains Alnico, an alloy of aluminium, nickel and cobalt that the brand has associated with its cartridges’ sonic character from the outset. Frequency response extends from 15 Hz to 25 kHz, and the 70 µm tracking ability measures the groove amplitude that the stylus can read without mistracking: a heavily modulated passage, a bass drum or a powerful brass instrument is still tracked cleanly at the nominal tracking force.

Mounting and adjustment on the tonearm

Mounting follows the two-screw half-inch standard. Thanks to the body’s threaded holes, the screws tighten directly into the cartridge, with no nut to hold with your fingertips beneath the headshell. At 8.6 g, the EH MKII is among the heavier cartridges in its category: you need to check that the tonearm’s counterweight can balance it and that its weight falls within the range accepted by the turntable manufacturer, particularly with lightweight tonearms.

The recommended tracking force is 2.0 g, best checked with a scale rather than relying solely on the counterweight’s markings. The elliptical profile is more forgiving of a small alignment error than a fine-line stylus, but careful adjustment of overhang using a protractor, and of azimuth, brings out the best in channel separation. Turntables with a fixed cartridge or a non-removable integrated headshell cannot accommodate it.

Hand-assembled in Yokohama

Hana is the own brand of Excel Sound, a manufacturer founded in 1970 by Masao Okada in Yokohama. For decades, the company produced cartridges for other brands before launching its own, whose name, 華, evokes the splendour of a flower in Japanese. Excel Sound manufactures its cartridges’ main components, and its craftspeople assemble every model by hand, from the E series to the range-topping Umami Black. The E series is the entry level, below the S, M and Umami series, and replaces a cartridge originally fitted to a turntable when moving to a moving-coil design.

Technical specifications

Type and construction

• Type: moving coil (MC) phono cartridge
• Stylus profile: synthetic elliptical
• Cantilever: aluminium
• Magnet: Alnico
• Finish

Electrical specifications

• Output level: 2 mV at 1 kHz
• Internal impedance: 130 Ω
• Recommended load impedance: > 47 kΩ

Audio performance

• Channel separation: 25 dB at 1 kHz
• Channel balance: < 1.5 dB at 1 kHz
• Frequency response: 15 Hz – 25 kHz

Tracking force and tracking ability

• Recommended tracking force: 2.0 g
• Tracking ability: 70 µm at 2 g

Weight

• Weight: 8.6 g