"I Love It," Says Stereophile
Hana EL and EH moving coil cartridges represent the best way to upgrade from 'starter' cartridges that typically come packaged with turntables. Weighing in at only 5 grams, and possessing great tracking ability, the Hana EL and EH cartridges feature a distinctive moss green body which houses a sophisticated generator with an aluminum cantilever and synthetic elliptical stylus.
Stereophile magazine's Herb Reichert reviewed the Hana EL moving coil cartridge in the August 2016 issue. Herb listened to the Hana through an extensive variety of tonearm and phono stage combinations and a plethora of program material, all to great results.
Herb's initial reaction to the cartridge was that "the EL's basic sonic character was highly musical and exceptionally non-mechanical." He continues, "[The Hana EL] demonstrated technicolor mids, liquid (but not overly extended) highs, and a delightful way with plucked double bass." Additional listening yielded more great results, with Mr. Reichert touting its "easygoing musical magic" and its "inexorably real" sound.
Herb's conclusion: "I love it."
"Terrific Value for the Money"
Reviewing the EL and the EH, Paul Rigby at TheAudiophileMan.com reports that both cartridges "performed well and both bring genuine advantages to any listening session, while both offer terrific value for money."
"If the vinyl revival continues I see a bright future for the new Hana brand, its excellent price to quality ratio should ensure that," notes René van Es in a February 12, 2016 review for The-Ear.net
Choose Low Output or High Output Versions
The EL cartridge, in case you were wondering, is the low output version. Not totally unexpectedly, the EH is the high output version. EL has an output voltage of 0.5mV, while EH has an output voltage of 2.0mV.
Hana cartridges use the best materials, including alnico magnets, cross-shaped armatures, and proprietary manufacturing processes. Hana has excelled at creating MC cartridges noted worldwide for their sound and value, which retain their 'musical magic' regardless of their phono stage pairing.
