Hana S Series MKII MC Cartridges – First Look

All Image Credit: Hana

Master cartridge designer Maseo Okada of Hana fame has released the an upgraded Hana S series of cartridges that promise enhanced musical performance and value. Their latest iteration in the shape of the MKII implements a new, more rigid tapered aluminum cantilever and effective mass reduction at the nude diamond Shibata stylus tip. All of which according to the manufacturer, results in a “remarkable improvement” in transferring the vinyl groove modulation to the cartridge generator.

The S Series Mk II moving coil (MC) cartridges, comprising the SL (low output), SH (high output) and SM (mono), also feature cryogenically treated critical parts, such as pure iron yoke, pole pieces, and gold terminal pins. Meanwhile, as found in the Umami Blue and ML models, the SL MK II generator incorporates an Alnico magnet and cross-coil using high-purity 30-micron copper wire with an 8Ω impedance.

This latest design is said to improve the signal-to-noise ratio and reduces the moving mass for higher resolution and trackability (70µm/2gr ). The SL and SH MkII cartridges offer a channel separation of 28dB/1KHz, along with a 15 – 32,000Hz frequency response.

The MkII S Series also benefits from an improved, non-resonant body shape, that is modeled after the Hana M Series. It is damped with a matte Soft Feel Black elastomeric resin paint, and features a brass cap with threaded cartridge mounting fittings. According to Hana, its heavier mass of 8.6gms should “offer better coupling with expanded compatibility to a wider range of tonearms.”

Editors comment: I purchased the original HANA SL MKI when they first came onto the market to replace my Lentek Entre 1. It is currently used in my Hadcock GH228 arm with a unique, and probably only, 7 ball unipivot bearing, and I have always been very pleased with its overall performance. Read my original SL MKI review below.

• Stylus: Nude Diamond Shibata
• Cantilever: Tapered Aluminum
• Magnet: Alnico
• Yoke & Polepiece: Pure Iron/Cyro treatment
• Coil Wire: High Purity Copper
• Armature: Permalloy/Cross-coil
• Output Pins: Gold Plated/Cyro treatment
• Cartridge Housing/Cap: Elastomeric coated ABS/Threaded Brass
• Cartridge weight: 8.6 grams
• Cartridge color: black
• Output level:
  • 0.4mV/1KHz SL MKII and SL Mono MK II,
  • 2mV/1KHz SH MKII
• Coil Impedance:
  • 8Ω SL MKII, 23Ω SL Mono MKII,
  • 130Ω SH MKII
• Load impedance:
  • ≥80 ohms SL MKII,
  • ≥230Ω SL Mono MKII
  • 47kΩ SH MKII
• Frequency response: 15 – 32,000Hz
• Channel separation: 28dB/1KHz SL MKII and SH MKII
• Output balance: <1.5dB/1KHz SL MKII and SH MKII
• Vertical tracking force (VTF): 2 grams
• Trackability: 70µm/2gr
• Dynamic Compliance: 10×10-6cm/dyne

Fore more information visit the Hana web site.

Related posts:

• Hana SL MC Phono Cartridge Review
• HANA Umami Blue – MC Phono Cartridge
• HANA Umami Red – MC Phono Cartridge