Hana SL MK II Cartridge

$850 Music Maker

Hana introduced its S Series cartridges in 2014. They have become popular in many audio systems worldwide. Garth Leerer, President of Musical Surroundings, the US importer and distributor of Hana Cartridges, and Excel Sound Japan, the manufacturer of Hana cartridges, decided it was time to refresh their best-selling S Series cartridges, which include the high output SH, the low output SL and the mono SM. Designer Masao Okada-san aimed to incorporate the knowledge gained from developing the company's highly acclaimed Umami Red and Blue cartridges into the new S Series MKII. This is an excellent example of how advancements in technology can benefit everyone. Maybe “trickle down” really does work.

 This article focuses on the details of the upgrade of their most popular version, the low output SL. The original Hana SL cost $750.00, and the new SL MK II version will cost $850.00. I want to clarify that this isn't a situation where the manufacturer has just "refreshed" the product and increased the price. The new version has so many upgrades that Hana could have easily marketed it as an entirely new model.

 The most significant upgrade in the new MK II design is the replacement of the straight aluminum cantilever in the original SL with a tapered aluminum cantilever with increased rigidity. The stylus remains a nude diamond Shibata. This is the first time Hana has used this part, and Okada-san believes that the reduced tip mass will improve the cartridge's dynamic expression and significantly impact the sound. As you will read, he was correct.

Other important upgrades include using the same Alnico generator as the Umami Blue and ML cartridges. The lower impedance 8-ohm coil (compared to the SL's 30 ohms) improves the signal-to-noise ratio and allows loading down to 80 ohms, which is more compatible with phono stages that default to 100 ohms for MC loading. All essential generator parts are cryo-treated, like the Hana ML and the two Umami models. The body shape is now the same as the Hana ML, coated with an elastomeric paint for better resonance control, and includes a brass top plate with threaded holes for easier mounting. The MK I weighed 5g, but the added mass of the brass top plate takes the MK II to 8.6g, making it more compatible with a broader range of tonearms and providing better coupling to the headshell. Another meaningful change is a reduction in the output level of the MK II to 0.4mV, a slight drop from the MK I's 0.5mV output.

 I asked Garth for some background about developing the new S series MK II, which was well over a year in the making.

"The S series MKII is part of Hana's long term plan with specific development starting in April 2023, after the release of the Umami Blue. Masao Okada-san, president of Excel Sound and chief designer of all Hana cartridges, develops product concepts with a small team of colleagues. Despite the SL being the global best seller of the Hana brand for the past 10 years, the idea was to address its "market limitations" including cartridge weight, improved affixing, resistive loading, and furthering its overall sonic performance. In Japan, Okada-san and Hiroshi Ishihara of Youtek, who represents Hana globally, oversaw development. Meetings between Hiroshi-san and key distributors at shows in both USA and Europe further refined the product. At the Japanese factory outside of Tokyo, Okada-san was pleased with the tests of the new tapered cantilever mounted with a Shibata stylus. The updated body design, resembling the ML with threaded metal plate, required new manufacturing processes. The SL MKII generator was originally designed for the ML over 7 years ago. Back in 2018, numerous iterations of the coil windings underwent measurements and listening tests to determine the 8-ohm coil impedance with .4mV output to be ideal. This successful generator was also implemented in the Umami Blue, released in March 2023. A small quantity of color-coded SL MKII production samples were sent out for audition in spring 2024 to the team. Given Okada-san's 54 years of experience in cartridge design, combined with proven Hana sub-assemblies and hand-made techniques, the production samples garnered quick approval and production commenced."

 In my reviews, I often focus on two areas that are pet peeves of mine: remote controls (ergonomics) and stylus guards (ease of use). I have encountered some stylus guards that are so difficult to install that you need to be a yoga expert. In those cases, they increase the potential for damage as you try to put the stylus guard on a delicate, costly component.

I had hoped that the SL Mk II version would employ a version of the stylus guard design that is used on the Hana Umami series, which I was very complimentary of in my review of the excellent Hana Umami Red. Sadly, the decision was made to continue using the same guard as the original SL, which I find considerably more contentious to deal with. Opportunity missed.

Evaluation procedure …. Leveling the Field

I wanted to evaluate the original MK I version of the Hana SL before considering any improvements the MK II version offers. So, I asked Garth to send me both versions to compare. I have the AMG Viella V12 Turbo turntable, which can accommodate two tonearms, but I only own one. I called Michael Fajen, owner of Sierra Sound and USA distributor of AMG turntable's, to request a loan of another AMG JT 12 Turbo arm. I aimed to reduce as many variables as possible for comparison. Fortunately, Michael had a second arm pod and arm available, which he had recently demoed at AXPONA, and he generously offered to send them to me, allowing me to have each cartridge mounted in an identical arm. Thank you Michael!

Luminous Audio Silver Reference DIN cable

After addressing the tonearm issue, the next step was to use identical phono cables. My reference phono cable is the Luminous Audio Silver Reference DIN cable. I contacted Tim Stinson, the designer and owner of Luminous Audio Technology, to request a second Silver Reference DIN cable on loan. A week later, the second cable arrived. Thanks, Tim!

 This phono cable has captivated me over the past year with its balance of dynamic expression and tonal evenhandedness. It has exceptionally low noise and a vanishing, grain-free top end. It also possesses an alluring "sweetness" in the upper frequencies, which is quite addicting. While $1299.00 is not cheap, its performance could easily jetson it into a higher price range. I am finding it difficult to knock off of my listening pedestal.

 I asked Tim if he would reveal any details about the cable. He replied:

"Our cables are pretty simple honestly. Just super high quality silver is what sets them apart. We keep pretty tight-lipped about the exact process but we start with a 4/9's silver and we process it and draw it very slowly into our finished 5/9s wire. Virgin teflon insulation and then twist it with a very , very accurate twist of 2.5 twists per inch. That was a result of a lot of samples until we found the magic number. In the shielded version we use for the phono cable is all handmade. With silver that pure it is fragile. By hand making the shielding, the wire is handled gently. We use a mesh tube made of krypton over the twisted pair to create a large air gap between the braided shield and the wire reducing the capacitance tremendously.   We use a military spec double shield product That creates a 99.5% shield factor. Ultimately cover all with a fiberglass sleeve for durability and a cool "feel." Regarding the connectors we use the no compromise Furutech DIN plug and the Eichman pure silver bullet plugs. We have found nothing that works better."

The same cable is available as an interconnect in a shielded or unshielded version, starting at $649.00. The unshielded version was the clear winner in my environment. However, if you have a router/wi-fi or a lot of RFI in your listening area, you may need to opt for the shielded version.

Sharp-eyed readers may have noticed the Massif Audio Designs Prime Reference Mpingo SE record weight on my turntable. Owner Trevor Doyle started Massif Audio Designs in 2015, hand-making audio racks, amplifier stands, record weights, and more.

Yes, I have taken a trip down the record weight rabbit hole, and all I can tell you is that every weight makes a difference in the presentation of the music and that a weight that works well on one table may not work well on another. But that could be the subject of an entire article on its own.

In my case, the Prime Reference SE weight “locked in" on my table, adding just the right amount of organic quality and coherence to my sound, which my ears appreciated. I got the second-best sound from a standard porcelain electrical insulator—the kind you see on your electric pole outside.

Yep… It's a rabbit hole, indeed.

 

Final details

I installed the SL MK I on one arm and the MK II on the other. Then, I used my Wally Tools cartridge setup regime to dial them in. Using a 1k tone on a test album, I noted the volume control positions on my VAC Master Preamp/Phono combo needed to level match the slightly different output voltages mentioned earlier. I settled on a tracking force of 1.95g and a load of 150 ohms on the MK II and 2g and 400 ohms on the MK I. I let them both run for 75 hours on a test album with locked grooves. The VAC Master preamp fed my SMc Audio DNA 0.5 GT23 monoblocks, powering my Acora SRC-2 speakers.  

Using an $850.00 cartridge with a 40K preamp/phono combo might seem strange, but I wanted to stick with what I was used to and not change the phono stage. After I felt confident in the differences I heard between the two cartridges, I tested several other phono stages that are more commonly used with the SL MK II, including the $200.00 iFi Zen Phono and the $500.00 AudioKultura Iskra 1. The differences I heard between the cartridges were consistently apparent, although to varying degrees, through all three phono stages.

 

The Comparison

As reviewers, we often spend significant time ferreting out minute nuances in sound that impact our engagement with music, which involves tedious and repetitive listening sessions to confirm what we hear and its cause. But now and then, the Audio Gods throw us a bone, and we get to review a product that is so obviously better than what we are comparing it to that our job becomes very easy. That is the case when comparing the Hana SL to the SL MK II.

The original Hana SL cartridge is a versatile performer that tracks music well and effectively conveys it. It's a popular choice at its price point. How does it compare to the new SL MK II? The difference is stark. In every aspect, the Hana SL MK II outperforms the original SL, offering a larger soundstage, better macro and micro dynamics, more openness on the top end, retrieval of more information, and better separation of instruments. In my listening notes, I equated the difference in sound quality was similar to the difference between using worn-out tubes and installing new ones. The MK II outshone the MK I from the first track.

I have been playing this album on my turntable with my Benz Micro LP-S cartridge for the past few months and have gotten to know it well. The second track on Side B, recorded live, features some impressive drum work by Steve Gadd. I noticed that the SL felt slower and had less impact during the drum solo, and along with the Hammond organ work, it sounded "closed down" compared to the MK II, who, on the other hand, came to life during the drum solo and opened the entire soundstage. It also revealed much more information about the saxophone playing and the tone of the Hammond organ.

  

When I listen to Graceland, I feel like I am on a bus tour that makes three stops. It is a superb album for assessing vocals and the bassline, as the music genres change throughout the album. The SL Mk II showed its metal on this album, rendering the vocals with a natural feel and impressive coherence. The bass line was dynamic and detailed and had the punch and flow I have come to expect from the album. The SL MK I finished a distant second with an overall slower and much less dynamically involving and sounding boring by comparison. It simply could not hold my interest.

I could provide more examples, but there wasn't a single album on which the MK II did not significantly outperform the SL MK I. Case closed.

 The overall sound of the SL MK II can be described as slightly warm, with good dynamic expression and a spacious soundstage. It unravels complex music, conveying a musical flow that can get your foot tapping. However, it falls short in terms of ultimate openness on the top end and probing the depths of a bassline. Despite these limitations, it presents a coherent picture with great dynamic expression and good musical flow and holds my interest in the music. Let me be clear: this is a very fine-sounding $850.00 cartridge. I enjoyed it in my system and didn't feel the need to rush back to my Micro Benz LP-S.

 While the MK II easily outdistances its ten-year-old sibling, how does the Hana SL MK II compare to its similarly priced competition?

I am in the process of gathering some likely suspects in the Hana SL MK II price range for a cartridge "cage match," such as the Sumiko Songbird Low priced at $899.00, the revered DL 103 with The Cap priced at under $700.00, and the Ortofon Quintet Black priced at $999.00. I'm eager to hear how these contenders stack up against the SL MK II.

I have had the chance to listen to all of these cartridges over the years, although on different turntables and with various phono stages. I can confidently say that they will all face very stiff competition from the new Hana SL MK II. Stay tuned for the showdown.

 While I have heard the Hana ML, I did not have one on hand during the review period. From my memory of it, the saying "objects in the mirror are closer than they appear" comes to mind.

Logic would dictate that an ML MKII is already in the works and may be seen in 2025. That is pure speculation on my part. I have no inside info.

 Conclusion

 Designer Masao Okada-san and the Excel design team's efforts have paid off, with a significantly improved cartridge in the SL MK II. The $100.00 increase is a bargain compared to the magnitude of the improvement in sound.

When it is time to replace their cartridges, current SL owners will enjoy a significant upgrade in sound, and first-time buyers will be treated to exceptional musical value in the new SL MK II.

In a time when "shrinkflation" has become common and customers are conditioned to get less and pay more, the Hana SL Mk II moves the needle (no pun intended) in the other direction by dialing up a considerable performance increase for a modest price increase.

While the original Hana SL was an adequate music purveyor, by comparison, the new Hana SL MK II is a quantum leap in performance in every aspect of sound.

This is a no-brainer recommendation for your consideration in this price range. 

Hana SL MK II   $850.00

Remaining Hana SL inventory will be lowered to $600.00.