Hana
Hana Umami Blue MC Phono Cartridge
Best high-end moving coil cartridge for discerning vinyl enthusiasts seeking musicality.
The HANA-Umami Blue is a high-end moving coil cartridge that master designer Okada-san blended unique materials, classic Japanese techniques, and modern audio engineering. Its exclusive Auricle™ body is CNC machined from Duralumin, featuring a precision-cut diamond stylus, Boron cantilever, and high-purity copper wires. Combined with the Alnico magnet-based generator from the Hana ML, it delivers an exceptionally musical sound. Manufactured in-house by Excel Sound with over 50 years of history, its skilled craftsmen hand-assemble each cartridge for a brilliant and gorgeous sound quality, creating a memorable and emotional listening experience.
$2200.00
Owner Satisfaction
4.7
/ 5
Category Rank
122
/ 1649
#122 in Turntable Accessories
Price vs Category Average
+75%
Above average
Model
Umami Blue
/ Umami Blue
Who it's for
- Audiophiles seeking maximum nuance and clarity from their vinyl collection
- Listeners prioritizing a clean, focused soundstage free from internal vibrations
- Music lovers wanting a dynamic, emotionally engaging, and non-fatiguing sound
Who should skip it
- Budget-conscious buyers looking for an entry-level or mid-range upgrade
- Owners of systems lacking high-gain, low-noise phono preamplification
- Users preferring the convenience and affordability of replaceable stylus assemblies
Performance breakdown
Tracking Precision
Boron cantilever ensures flawless groove navigation even in complex musical passages.
Sonic Transparency
High-purity copper wiring reveals intricate textures with remarkable clarity and warmth.
Build Integrity
CNC-machined Duralumin body provides a rigid, resonance-free foundation for playback.
Frequency Extension
Broad response range captures deep lows and shimmering highs with ease.
Channel Separation
Exceptional stereo imaging creates a wide, immersive soundstage for the listener.
Assembly Craftsmanship
Hand-built precision reflects decades of expertise in high-end analog engineering.
Key Specs
Model
Umami Blue
Stylus
Microline
Cantilever
Boron
Magnetic Circuitry
Pure Iron/Cryo Treatment
Coil Wire
High Purity Copper
Output Level
0.4 mv
Output Balance
0.5/1kHz
Trackability
70 µm/2g
Features
- Exclusive Auricle™ body design
- Precision-cut diamond stylus
- Boron cantilever for accurate tracking
- Alnico magnet generator system
- Hand-built precision assembly
- High-purity copper wires
- Musical and emotional sound quality
- CNC machined Duralumin body
What customers say
Customers overwhelmingly celebrate the Hana Umami Blue Phono Cartridge for its exceptional musicality and detail retrieval. The sonic signature is consistently praised as organic, liquid, and nonfatiguing, offering profound depth. Reviewers highlight its natural rendering of timbre, especially with vocals and acoustic instruments, alongside expansive and precise sound staging. The cartridge excels at uncovering micro-dynamics and fine textures without sounding harsh or overly analytical. While setup requires care, the consensus is that the Umami Blue delivers performance far exceeding its price point. It is widely regarded as a reference level component offering deep emotional engagement and technical excellence for serious vinyl listeners.
Know before you buy
As a low-output moving coil (MC) cartridge with a 0.4mV output, you will need a phono stage or step-up transformer capable of handling moving coil cartridges. Ensure your preamp or phono stage supports a gain setting suitable for this output level to achieve optimal signal-to-noise performance.
The Microline stylus is designed to track the groove walls more precisely than elliptical or conical shapes, which results in better high-frequency detail and reduced distortion. Because it makes more contact with the groove, it is highly accurate, though it requires precise tonearm alignment to perform at its best.
Boron is an exceptionally stiff and lightweight material, which allows the cantilever to respond to groove modulations with minimal flex. This rigidity ensures that the stylus movement is transferred to the generator with high fidelity, resulting in tighter bass and clearer transients.
The Umami Blue is designed to be compatible with a wide range of high-quality tonearms. However, given its precision and performance capabilities, it performs best on tonearms that offer adjustable tracking force and anti-skate, allowing you to dial in the 2g tracking force accurately.
The CNC-machined Duralumin body provides a rigid, non-resonant housing for the generator system. By minimizing unwanted vibrations and mechanical colorations, the body helps the cartridge deliver a cleaner, more focused sound with improved imaging.
Yes, like most high-end moving coil cartridges, the Umami Blue will sound its best after a break-in period. You can expect the suspension and internal components to settle and open up after approximately 30 to 50 hours of playback.
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$2200