Головки звукоснимателя — HANA EL MK II

The HANA EL MK II, a low-output moving coil design, is part of the E Series in its second-generation form, made by Excel Sound Corporation in Yokohama, Japan, for export markets. Sales started on 22 September 2026 priced at USD 550 in the US, with two years of warranty from the maker. It sits next to the EH MK II, which shares the same body and stylus but is wound for a higher output.

Key specs that matter

An aluminium cantilever carries a nude synthetic diamond tip cut to an elliptical profile. Rated output is 0.4 mV at 1 kHz with a channel balance within 1.5 dB, and channel separation is 25 dB at 1 kHz. The coil has an internal impedance of 8 ohm, and Hana suggests a load above 80 ohm. The frequency range is stated as 15 Hz to 25,000 Hz. Recommended vertical tracking force is 2 g, at which trackability reaches 70 um. The cartridge weighs 8.6 g, and the body is finished in moss green.

Engineering and use context

Inside is an Alnico magnet paired with a low-impedance coil, a combination first seen in the Hana ML and later adopted in the Umami Blue and the SL MK II. For the MK II version the coil received a revised winding design, so the EL now moves to the same arrangement as those models. The housing was reshaped after the M Series and carries a precision-machined brass cap, which adds mass and increases rigidity at the point where the cartridge meets the headshell. The mounting holes are threaded directly into this cap, so screws go in without separate nuts, which simplifies fitting and alignment. An elastomer coating on the body is applied to control resonance. Key parts of the magnetic circuit - yoke, pole pieces and gold-plated output pins - undergo cryogenic treatment, which Excel Sound applies to stabilise the materials and to reduce magnetic distortion in the signal path.

Pairing

The EL MK II calls for a phono preamplifier with an MC input, or an MM stage preceded by a step-up transformer. Hana names MC phono stages set to 100 ohm input impedance as a suitable match, which falls inside its recommended load range. The cartridge mass and tracking force should be checked against the effective mass and counterweight range of the intended tonearm, and the threaded cap makes the cartridge easy to swap between headshells.

Alternatives

The HANA SL MK II is an S Series MC cartridge built around the same Alnico generator type.