Hana EL MK II Low Output Moving Coil Cartridge

Hana EL MK II Low Output Moving Coil Cartridge

Low-output moving coil cartridge with the same 8Ω generator used in Hana’s Umami Blue and ML, now built into the brass-cap E Series body for a wider range of MC phono stages.

The EL MK II is the low-output cartridge in Hana’s new E Series MK II, and the most significant change from the outgoing model isn’t the body – it’s the generator. Where the old EL used a 30Ω coil, the MK II moves to the 8Ω design first developed for the Hana ML and carried through the SL MK II and Umami Blue. That lower impedance is a better match for the 100Ω-ish input impedance most dedicated MC phono stages are set to, so you’re less likely to be fighting an impedance mismatch straight out of the box.

The body construction follows the rest of the MK II range: a brass cap with threaded mounting holes, used by Hana on the ML and SL MK II, replaces the previous composite body for a more rigid fit to the headshell, with an elastomeric coating over the top for further resonance damping. The generator’s yoke, pole pieces and gold-plated terminal pins get the same cryogenic treatment used across the current Hana line-up, aimed at material stability and signal transfer rather than a change to the underlying coil geometry.

Output stays low at 0.4mV/1KHz, so the EL MK II needs a proper MC-capable phono stage or step-up transformer – it won’t work into a moving magnet input. Suggested loading is ≥80Ω. As with the EH MK II, cartridge weight has risen to 8.6g with the added brass mass, so it’s worth checking your tonearm can carry the extra weight before ordering.

Features

• Low-output (0.4mV/1KHz) moving coil generator with 8Ω coil impedance
• Shares its generator design with the Hana Umami Blue, ML and SL MK II
• Brass cap body with threaded mounting holes, shared with Hana’s ML and the SL MK II models, for a more rigid tonearm fit
• Elastomeric body coating for additional mechanical resonance control
• Cryogenically treated yoke, pole pieces and gold-plated terminal pins for improved signal transfer
• Classic Alnico magnet and aluminium cantilever construction
• Synthetic elliptical diamond stylus
• Hand-assembled by Excel Sound Corporation in Yokohama, Japan