Hana Umami Blue Moving Coil Cartridge

A Microline MC cartridge, combining modern engineering with classic Japanese design

Another brilliant product from Hana master cartridge designer, Maseo Okada-san. Like the acclaimed Umami Red, the Blue combines brilliant materials and classic Japanese techniques with modern audio engineering.

The “Auricle” design body, exclusive to the Umami series, is CNC machined from Duralumin. As with Red, the Blue has a precision-cut diamond stylus, boron cantilever, high-purity copper wiring, combined with the Alnico magnet-based generator found on the Hana ML. 

All the major parts in an Umami Blue are manufactured in house by Excel Sound with its rich history spanning over 50 years. Excel’s highly trained craftsmen skillfully hand assemble the Umami series ensuring an intensely musical experience furthering the Hana “Brilliant and Gorgeous” sound quality.

Special Body Finish

The Umami Blue uses a special melamine thermosetting process (MTP) to impart the brilliant blue glossy finish to the Auricle™ body. This vapor deposition and baking process results in increased hardness and resonance control. It’s not just for good looks: The lustrous blue finish also results in increased clarity, better imaging, and bass definition. 

Specifications

Body: Duralumin (A7075), MTP finish

Stylus: Boron cantilever, Microline nude diamond

Coil Impedance: 8 ohm

Load impedance: >80 ohm

Output: 0.4 mV

Frequency response: 15-50,000 Hz

Tracking weight: 2 g

Cartridge weight: 10.8 g