HANA cartridges are handcrafted in Tokyo by Excel Sound, a 60-year specialist that hand-wires moving coil cartridges for many of audio's most respected names. The HANA line is Excel's own brand, where the engineers refining that craft put their best work on the table. Hand-wound coils, precision-polished styli, and every cartridge measured before it ships. The name HANA means "brilliant" and "flower" in Japanese, a nod to what is hidden in the grooves.
Four series cover every system. The E Series opens the door to moving coil performance. The M Series adds nude diamond styli. The S Series MK II brings Shibata profiles and extended highs. At the summit, the Umami Series is Excel Sound's flagship, the cartridge-builder's art at full reach.
"Hana, Excel Sound, just one of the gold standards for phono cartridges. Ever since I had my first E/H back in 2015 on my old purple Planar 3, I knew they were something special.
"Low output and high output for every use case; decades of experience building some of the world's greatest cartridges."