Hana MC cartridges?

[CageyH]

Has anybody tried one of these?

http://hifipig.com/hana-s-range-moving-coil-cartridges/

[Marco]

I've not heard of the cartridges or the company, Kevin. However, I like the description:

The Hana range of cartridges is manufactured by Excel Sound Corporation, a 50 year old company based in Tokyo, who started off manufacturing low cost cartridges, such as the highly regarded Excel ES70. By 1978 the company was producing MC cartridges, with particular expertise in high output MC cartridges and specializing in OEM cartridge manufacture.

Excel Sound Corporation are perhaps seen as one of those slightly underground Japanese companies and they will certainly not reveal which cartridge brands they have manufactured for over the years.

Sounds to me a bit like Jelco: a huge and very successful Japanese company, which produce OEM tonearms for many 'famous names', but which also make their own, sold under their name, so you get the same quality of product, as that sold by the 'famous names, without paying for the 'badge'!

That's right up my street, and almost certainly means high SPPV. It should also mean top-notch quality, based on years of experience and the possession of all the right tooling, in order to create economies of scale, thus passing the resulting savings onto customers.

It's the main reason, for example, why the Denon DL-103 is so cheap, and has remained so for years, along with the fact that it was originally aimed at the professional market, which doesn't succumb to often ridiculous 'audiophile pricing'. That's a business model I like

Someone here needs to get hold of one and let us know what it's like - perhaps you? If I were in the market for another low-output MC, the Hana is certainly one I'd be tempted to take a punt on

Marco.

[CageyH]

This is what drew my attention to them - http://audio-forum.gspaudio.co.uk/br...topic2722.html

[RobbieGong]

Yep and the quality in the Shibata stylus profile too makes it very interesting

[Marco]

Interesting, and also not surprising to note that it's competing well with some rather more expensive 'badged' cartridges!

Just what I thought.... I'd defo give one a go. I seriously doubt you'd be disappointed, and just like with the MC-5000s, you might uncover another AoS 'giant-killer'

Marco.

[RobbieGong]

Interesting, and also not surprising to note that it's competing well with some rather more expensive 'badged' cartridges!

Just what I thought.... I'd defo give one a go. I seriously doubt you'd be disappointed, and just like with the MC-5000s, you might uncover another AoS 'giant-killer'

Marco.

Not to mention Yannis' cables and so on and so on...

[Marco]

Oh there are quite a few 'AoS endorsed' products around... It's something that I particularly like to concentrate on and develop

It's at the very core of what AoS is all about!

Marco.

[CageyH]

Reading the reviews, people seem to think that the SL is better than the SH, which again means I would need a head amp/SUT.

I really should stop looking at new stuff, and enjoy what I have!

[RobbieGong]

Oh there are quite a few 'AoS endorsed' products around... It's something that I particularly like to concentrate on and develop

It's at the very core of what AoS is all about!

Marco.

Too right !

[RobbieGong]

Reading the reviews, people seem to think that the SL is better than the SH, which again means I would need a head amp/SUT.

I really should stop looking at new stuff, and enjoy what I have!

What do the reviews say Kev, in terms of traits of the cart(s), presentation and so on ? I'd expect great detail retrieval with the Shibata for starters ...