Hana SH Phono Cartridge

Did high output moving coil cartridges morph into some kind of oddball niche product when I wasn't paying attention? Despite the considerable press attention paid to the relatively new line of Hana cartridges, nearly all of it has focused on the low-output versions. The precious few reviews mentioning the high-output versions treated them as, at best, afterthoughts. I have no doubt the low-output cartridges are superior...but there's something to be said for plugging your turntable into any good moving magnet phono preamp and enjoying 75% of the magic that moderately priced moving coils have to offer, at a fraction of the price and hassle of low outputs.

Hana cartridges are made by the Excel Sound Corporation in Japan, an old and esteemed OEM manufacturer for several highly respected brands. To the best of my knowledge, this represents their first attempt at penetrating the US market directly with a brand of their own. Excel's lineup goes like this: the entry-level E series with elliptical styli ($475), followed by the S series with Shibata styli ($750), and finally the M series with Microline styli ($1250). All of them are available in low and high outputs, and there's a mono version lurking somewhere in there, too. Sucking up all the rarified air is their $3950 Umami Red, which is out of my league so I didn't research it.

I picked the Hana SH (Shibata, high output) over the SL not because I'm a champion of the audiophile working class, or as a dig at people who can get a little snobby about their preference for low-output models. Nor did I choose it due to a lack of compatibility, since my Avid Pulsus phono stage handles just about any cartridge type with ease. No, I simply have a soft spot for high-output MCs. The sadly discontinued Denon DL-160 had a big, smooth sound I dearly miss (though its little brother, the DL-110, is still available and offers a similar character). Dynavector's 10x5 is super musical and engaging at a fair price. There have been many others as well, from Ortofon's old X1/X3/X5-MC series to the Benzo Micro MC20 and Ace families and so on, all of which I liked and owned.

I'll be the first to admit, low-output moving coils generally do offer a more nuanced and delicate performance, and sure, it's worth the effort to extract. However, high-output versions also do things I'm equally partial to: they tend to be more forward, both in terms of where they place the performers as well as having a more upfront character. They also tend to be more forceful and immediate, at least in my experience. If you like that, why bother hauling any extra baggage?

And so it is with the (mostly) unfussy Hana SH. At 5 grams, it's not too heavy or light for most suitable tonearms. The 2mV output is plenty healthy enough for even the onboard phono stages in today's convenience-oriented turntables like the Technics SL-1500C. In fact, it behaves pretty much like any moving magnet cartridge except for a stylus that's not user replaceable, as is the case with nearly all moving coils (and a few moving magnets.) I wish it had threaded inserts for the mounting hardware as opposed to fiddly, old-fashioned screws and nuts, but otherwise the Hana's square-ish form factor and unobstructed view of the cantilever makes it easy to mount and align.

While the Hana looks great on paper, it does fall down slightly when contrasted with a low-output alternative like the Audio-Technica AT-OC9XSH. Both use Shibata stylus profiles for improved tracking and detail retrieval versus standard elliptical shapes, but the $100-less expensive Audio-Technica mounts theirs on exotic Boron cantilevers as opposed to the Hana's standard aluminum. The Audio-Technica also has the pre-threaded body I prefer for ease of installation. Based on my experience with the previous generation AT-OC9ML/II, it might be a tastier proposition for those equipped to take advantage.

I'm sure this next part will irritate some people, but I mounted the Hana first on Audio-Technica's discontinued, direct drive, AT-LP1240-USB DJ table. I don't care. The AT is a bitchin' table, even more so with a few tweaks like a better mat, upgraded cable and record weight. Plus, I know it well. The detachable headshell and precise arm height adjustment ring make setup very simple... AKA, not for those who hate doing things the easy way. It's also clean sounding, controlled and propulsive, though not especially subtle, so the wrong cartridge can make for too much of a good thing. Perhaps, I guessed, the Hana SH would be the perfect foil, with its promise of "brilliant and gorgeous" sound, at least according to Excel.

It certainly sounded big (but not larger than life) right out of the gate. I wasn't prepared for the wide, but not quite as deep soundstage that belies its price by a good margin. Retrieval of fine detail and textures is superb, but without spotlighting the upper registers. I'd describe it overall as "enthusiastically accurate." Bass wasn't notably ample, so if you prioritize a full, round bottom end, you might look elsewhere. However, low notes were very well controlled. If you're looking to minimize risk while leveling up the resolution quotient of your current rig, the Hana seems like a safe bet.

There's also genuine breath-of-life realism on offer here. You don't just hear the notes rendered with timbral and tonal accuracy; you appreciate the warm exhale in every human voice, the tickle of each brushed string, and the cool, crisp shimmer of every cymbal tap. The Hana SH makes music that's impossible to ignore. Sometimes, I'd walk away from my chair during an uninteresting passage, only to be dragged back by the sheer musicality it displays. Pop, rock, classical, jazz...changing genres didn't matter. These impressions held true when I mounted the SH on my Technics SL-1200MK7 and Avid Diva II tables, both of which easily coaxed out even more sophistication and performance.

I compared it with my identically priced Dynavector 10x5, although it wasn't quite apples-to-apples. That's because I own the immediate previous generation with an elliptical tip, not the current MkII which has a Shibata profile like the Hana. That caveat aside, the Hana retrieves more detail—as I'd expect—but it also offers more color, and that wider, deeper soundstage. It felt like there was a more fundamental difference between the cartridges than stylus shape. In the Dynavector's plus column, it seemed to plumb the depths better, and was also a more energetic, dynamic performer. I'd audition both, if possible.

I wish I still had a Denon DL-160 to also compare, since that was my favorite HOMC for years. Laughably underpriced at $180 until its discontinuation, it rendered a huge stereo image that was smooth yet detailed. Going strictly by memory and my notes, the Hana gives me everything I adored the Denon for, and much more. If you miss the DL-160 like I do, maybe the cure is to buy one of these. While the Hana isn't nearly the bargain the Denon once was, it's still a great value. I hope they can maintain the $750 price point, because competition gets a lot fiercer north of $1000.

As it stands, the Hana SH is the most sophisticated HOMC I've experienced at the price. It's easy to understand why the brand was an immediate sensation upon arrival. This little guy has a remarkably rich personality, splashing a coherent, engaging and vibrant sonic picture across a canvas that extends well beyond the physical boundaries of my speakers. At the same time, it doesn't exaggerate, which is a neat trick.

Technically, it's similarly unassailable, with seemingly perfect build quality and deft tracking. However, be forewarned: if you don't have patience for fine-tuning the stylus rake angle, you not only won't be hearing the Hana near its best, but also dealing with unpleasant artifacts like sibilance. Finally, this cartridge likes mass. It sounded slightly dull and less dynamic in the Audio-Technica's stock headshell, but stepping up to a heavier, more rigid model paid huge dividends and elicited a much more complete performance.

Winter is always a little bleak and depressing in the northeast US, and even more so with a pandemic to endure. Music was one of my personal bright spots, a rescue inhaler for the battered soul. The Hana SH made my favorite records that much more nourishing at a time when a little cheering up went a long way indeed. It's a really good cartridge. Highly recommended.

Hana SH high-output moving coil phono cartridge