Hana E Series Mk II – Updated EL Mk II and EH Mk II MC Cartridges

Japanese manufacturer Hana has updated its affordable E Series MC cartridge range with the introduction of the Hana EL Mk II and Hana EH Mk II. The second-generation models retain an elliptical synthetic diamond stylus and aluminium cantilever, but feature a substantially redesigned body incorporating solutions derived from the brand’s higher-end cartridges. The new housing is similar in shape to the M Series and is topped by a precision-machined brass mounting plate with threaded holes, designed to improve rigidity and simplify installation on a headshell. An elastomer coating provides additional resonance damping, while selected parts of the magnetic system and the contacts undergo cryogenic treatment.

The low-output Hana EL Mk II has received the most significant technical changes. Its generator uses an Alnico magnet and an 8-ohm coil, an architecture previously found in the more expensive Hana ML, Umami Blue and SL Mk II. Output voltage is rated at 0.4 mV, with a recommended load impedance above 80 ohms, making the common 100-ohm setting on many MC phono stages a suitable starting point. The Hana EH Mk II, by contrast, is designed for systems without a dedicated MC input: with a 2 mV output and a 130-ohm coil impedance, it can be connected to a standard 47-kohm MM phono input.

Both cartridges now weigh 8.6 g, compared with 5 g for the first-generation models, and are specified for a tracking force of 2 g. The claimed frequency response extends from 15 Hz to 25 kHz, channel separation reaches 25 dB at 1 kHz, and tracking ability is rated at 70 μm. The Hana EL Mk II and EH Mk II are already available, with a recommended retail price of $550 or €549.