HANA EH Moving Coil Phono Cartridge

The HANA EH is a high-output moving coil phono cartridge with a synthetic elliptical stylus, aluminum cantilever, and a 130-ohm alnico cross-coil generator. Output is 2mV at 1kHz, which lets it plug directly into the MM phono input on most integrated amplifiers and AV receivers, no MC stage or step-up transformer required. The EH is the high-output entry to Hana's moving-coil lineup.

Key Features of HANA EH Phono Cartridge

• 2mV high output, MM-compatible: 2mV at 1kHz with 130-ohm internal impedance and a 47k-ohm recommended load, so the EH lands cleanly on any MM phono input without an extra MC stage or SUT.
• Synthetic elliptical stylus on aluminum cantilever: elliptical contact geometry reads more high-frequency detail per pass than conical profiles, with 70-micron trackability at 2 grams VTF.
• Cross-coil generator with alnico magnets: the same generator architecture Hana uses across the E series, with alnico magnets that hold a stable field over decades and contribute to the warm, organic character reviewers cite throughout the line.
• Hand-built in Japan by Excel Sound Corporation: the same OEM cartridge house that has built moving coils for other recognized brands for more than 50 years.
• 5-gram body, 15mm height, moss green finish: low total mass keeps the EH usable on light or mid-mass tonearms (effective mass roughly 9 to 13 grams) without compliance mismatches.
• Channel separation 25dB at 1kHz, frequency response 15 to 25,000Hz: well-balanced electrical performance, with 70-micron trackability rated at the standard 2-gram tracking force.
• 2-year warranty against manufacturing defects: covered through Hana's US distributor, Musical Surroundings, with re-tip and replacement options when stylus life is up.

High-Output 2mV Design and MM Phono Compatibility

The EH is built for the buyer who already owns a phono stage, but only the moving magnet kind. Most integrated amplifiers, receivers, and standalone phono stages under $500 have an MM input only, expecting roughly 4mV to 5mV from the cartridge. A 0.5mV low-output MC like the EL needs an MC input with at least 60dB of gain, or an MM stage paired with a step-up transformer in the 1:10 to 1:20 turns ratio range. The EH skips that whole path. At 2mV, it falls within the dynamic range of any MM phono input, with a 130-ohm internal impedance loaded against 47k ohms (the standard MM load). What you get is a 2mV high-output moving coil driving a phono stage you already own, not a moving magnet pretending to be more than it is.

Aluminum Cantilever and Synthetic Elliptical Stylus

The cantilever is straight aluminum, common at this price tier and proven across decades of moving-coil designs. The stylus is a synthetic elliptical, which means a bonded elliptical diamond rather than a nude single-piece diamond. The elliptical profile sits deeper in the groove than a conical and reads more high-frequency detail per pass, but it is wider at the contact patch than a nude Shibata or Microline (the line-contact profiles used on Hana's S MK II and M series). Trackability is rated at 70 microns under a 2-gram vertical tracking force, which is enough to handle modulation peaks on most well-mastered LPs. Compared to a $200 moving magnet with an entry-level elliptical, the EH sounds smoother in the upper midrange and tighter on bass transients, mostly because the moving-coil generator is doing the work instead of a heavier MM cantilever assembly.

Alnico Cross-Coil Generator

Inside the body sits a cross-coil armature wound around an alnico magnet. Alnico (an aluminum-nickel-cobalt alloy) holds a stable, predictable magnetic field over decades, and audiophile reviewers have spent years connecting the alnico character to a particular kind of warm, organic, non-mechanical sound. The cross-coil layout (two coils mounted at right angles on a single former) keeps channel separation tight without adding moving mass at the cantilever pivot. Internal impedance lands at 130 ohms for the high-output EH, four times higher than the 30-ohm low-output EL, which is what allows the EH to deliver 2mV from the same magnet structure.

Tonearm Match and Compliance

At 5 grams of total cartridge weight and a 2-gram recommended tracking force, the EH is comfortable on most tonearms in the 9 to 13 gram effective-mass range. We pair it most often with the Rega RB220, the Rega RB330, the Rega RB880, and the Michell T8. The EH's modest weight matches Rega-style low-mass arms particularly well; if your turntable shipped with an OEM Rega, the EH drops in without counterweight gymnastics. Buyers running heavier mid-mass arms can still use the EH, but the next cartridge step (the SH MK II at 8.6 grams) couples to mid-mass arms more positively if that is your direction.

Phono Stage Match and Loading

The EH wants an MM phono input loaded at 47k ohms, which is the default on essentially every MM stage made. Capacitance is less critical than it is for moving magnets (MMs typically want 200pF total, MCs are not capacitance-sensitive in the same way), so cable choice is more forgiving. At this cartridge price, our most common pairings are the Cambridge Audio Alva Duo at $399 (excellent value entry, MM and MC both), the Primare R15 MM/MC at $1,399 (the sweet spot for an EH-driven system, with headroom for a future upgrade), and the Chord Electronics Huei at $1,810 (sweet-spot ceiling, gives you room to grow into a higher-tier Hana later without re-buying the phono stage).

Stylus Life, Setup, and Care

Hana specs the EH with 70-micron trackability at 2 grams of vertical tracking force, and the warranty period is 2 years against manufacturing defects. Stylus life on a synthetic elliptical depends heavily on tracking force accuracy, record cleanliness, and anti-skate setup. The elliptical profile carries less contact area than a Shibata or Microline, which means it tends to wear faster than the line-contact profiles on the S MK II and M series, but it is also less sensitive to azimuth setup error. We can advise on re-tipping versus replacement when the time comes; call or text Mike at 410-239-2020.

Compare in the Hana Lineup

The EH sits in Hana's E series next to its low-output sibling and one tier below the S MK II series:

• HANA EL: low-output 0.5mV version of the same generator, for buyers who already own an MC phono stage and want the deeper soundstage that low-output MCs typically deliver.
• HANA SH MK II: the one-step upgrade. Same 2mV high output and MM compatibility, but with a nude Shibata stylus, the Umami-derived 8-ohm Alnico generator, and a heavier non-resonant body. Cleaner transients, better high-frequency extension, longer stylus life.

The Listening Room Difference

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HANA EH Phono Cartridge Specifications