Hana MH High Output MC Cartridge Review

[OranFoster]

Theoretically, with more mass in the cantilever assembly, the MH would sound a bit sluggish compared to the ML. But with the potential noise-floor much lower due to the greatly decreased amount of amplification called on by your phono-pre, the MH might even have a better over-all sound in your system. That being said, I don't think my analog front end has ever sounded better and I've had some pretty nice low-output MC's in my system before. The Hana is just a fabulous cart. As HiFi Guy points out in his review, the microline cut diamond tip might be the biggest factor in the sound of the M series, having more of an influence than any mass differential.

~Oran

 

[psemeraro]

i hear many say low output is better but I don't think i'd have a step up transformer for the mani

Hi. For what it's worth, my Pickering/Stanton low impedance body run directly into the Mani didn't sound great to put it mildly. My Mani is modded and sounds quite good, but at it's highest gain the Mani was noisy (hiss, not hum or buzz, I use either external lab supply or battery) grainy, lacking in tone and just didn't sound good. Understand that at lower gain settings with MM cartridges it sounds full, dynamic and has a nice big stereo image.

I grabbed a set of 20:1 SUTs from ebay based on Shure transformers, it was less than $50 for the xformers on the circuit card. They are very high quality transformers for peanuts. Soldered on some interconnects and good to go. MUCH MUCH better sound using the transformers. Tone, width, depth, quiet... all the good stuff. I have an Ortofon T-10 SUT and that didn't sound very good either, not sure if it's low quality or not a good match but that setup was worse than running directly into the Mani.

Based on my experience, in my system, the Mani was NOT a great candidate for a low output cartridge, even with mods and running on battery power.

Pat

 

[HiFi Guy]

Hi. For what it's worth, my Pickering/Stanton low impedance body run directly into the Mani didn't sound great to put it mildly. My Mani is modded and sounds quite good, but at it's highest gain the Mani was noisy (hiss, not hum or buzz, I use either external lab supply or battery) grainy, lacking in tone and just didn't sound good. Understand that at lower gain settings with MM cartridges it sounds full, dynamic and has a nice big stereo image.

I grabbed a set of 20:1 SUTs from ebay based on Shure transformers, it was less than $50 for the xformers on the circuit card. They are very high quality transformers for peanuts. Soldered on some interconnects and good to go. MUCH MUCH better sound using the transformers. Tone, width, depth, quiet... all the good stuff. I have an Ortofon T-10 SUT and that didn't sound very good either, not sure if it's low quality or not a good match but that setup was worse than running directly into the Mani.

Based on my experience, in my system, the Mani was NOT a great candidate for a low output cartridge, even with mods and running on battery power.

Pat

The settings for MC cartridges are all but useless on the Mani. Following the 1:10 rule and the fact that MC loading is 47 ohms.you’d want a low output cartridge with really low coil resistance- 4.7 ohms or less. The MC side of the Mani looks to be added on as a feature set. It isn’t really usable. And that’s before the noise issue comes into play.

Had they made the Mani quiet and set the loading at a more useful 100 ohms, it would have been compatible with more low output MCs.

For those who want to venture into low output MCs, I’d recommend something other than the Mani.

 

[isslewis]

I installed the Hana MH Cartridge and played it to break it into my system yesterday. I was looking for dynamics similar to the
Dynavector 20x2. It got better the longer it played. I made some adjustments to the Sub-woofer and the Phonostage, may be time to
replace the tubes in the Phonostage. Hana has a good detailed sound by light on the bass side.

 

[Jango]

My Dynavector 10x5 collapsed a couple of weeks back, just 30 minutes into my first listening party since the pandemic started. My Soundsmith Zephyr was still sitting at SS HQ waiting to be retipped (7 months and counting), and the 10x5 was my backup cart. Anyway, a friend of mine was able to get me a Hana ML at cost, and even at 15 hours in it's pretty great. It's also my first shibata/contact line/microline stylus. As has been said, it seems more quiet than what I've used in the past. Detail is there in spades, but not in any way clinical. Looking forward to hearing how it settles in.

 

[isslewis]

The settings for MC cartridges are all but useless on the Mani. Following the 1:10 rule and the fact that MC loading is 47 ohms.you’d want a low output cartridge with really low coil resistance- 4.7 ohms or less. The MC side of the Mani looks to be added on as a feature set. It isn’t really usable. And that’s before the noise issue comes into play.

Had they made the Mani quiet and set the loading at a more useful 100 ohms, it would have been compatible with more low output MCs.

For those who want to venture into low output MCs, I’d recommend something other than the Mani.

Thanks!

 

[kvetcha]

My Dynavector 10x5 collapsed a couple of weeks back, just 30 minutes into my first listening party since the pandemic started. My Soundsmith Zephyr was still sitting at SS HQ waiting to be retipped (7 months and counting), and the 10x5 was my backup cart. Anyway, a friend of mine was able to get me a Hana ML at cost, and even at 15 hours in it's pretty great. It's also my first shibata/contact line/microline stylus. As has been said, it seems more quiet than what I've used in the past. Detail is there in spades, but not in any way clinical. Looking forward to hearing how it settles in.

Boy, those lead times at Soundsmith have me wondering if I should have a backup option handy.

 

[Jango]

Boy, those lead times at Soundsmith have me wondering if I should have a backup option handy.

The lead time is exceptionally long right now. Covid swept through the SS office over the summer and Peter is pretty high risk. Fortunately they all made it through, but he’s still not able to work a full day at this point and he does all the SS retips himself. The lead time is typically 3 months. Judging by my cart, which arrived last week, they’re about six months behind.

 

[isslewis]

I have listened to the Hana MH for two weeks now. The phono stage used was the ARC PH 5 and played on the Rega P7 turntable. The detail is very good, but even better after re-adjusting the cartridge on the tone arm. Bass has issues here If you compare it to Dynavector 20x2. The Dynavector hits a home run! Once my 20x2 gets re-tipped, it’s go back on the Rega.

 

[isslewis]

I was right about the Hana H vs. the Dynavector 20x2 cartridge. The power of the 20x2 blows the Hana out of the water. Just got my 20x2 back from be retipped.
I call it a great $370.00 investment over buying a new cartridge. You‘ll pay $1500.00 for 20x2 now.