HANA EH MK II Moving Coil Phono Cartridge

The HANA EH MK II is the high-output half of the second-generation E series, a moving coil cartridge that plugs into an MM phono input. Output stays at 2mV into a 130-ohm generator loading above 47k ohms, so no MC stage or step-up transformer is needed. What changed is the body: an M series brass cap with threaded mounting, cryogenically treated generator components, and an elastomeric coating.

Key Features of HANA EH MK II Phono Cartridge

• 2mV high output into an MM input: a 130-ohm generator loading above 47k ohms, which is the standard MM input on almost every integrated amplifier, receiver and entry phono stage.
• Brass cap body borrowed from the M series: the updated body adds mass for vibration control and brings threaded mounting, so the cartridge bolts to the headshell without loose nuts.
• Cryogenically treated generator components and output pins: the same treatment Hana applies across the Umami series and the rest of the range, for conductivity and signal purity.
• Elastomeric body coating: shared with the whole Hana line, damping the body for resonance control.
• Synthetic elliptical stylus, alnico magnet: the elliptical diamond profile the E series is named for, driven by the alnico generator Hana has kept through every generation.
• Output balance inside 1.5dB, separation 25dB at 1kHz: tracking at 2 grams with 70 microns of trackability and response from 15Hz to 25,000Hz.
• Hand-built by Excel Sound in Yokohama: founded by Masao Okada-san in 1970, still handcrafting every model from the E series MK II up to the Umami Black.
• 2-year warranty: covered through Hana's US distributor, Musical Surroundings.

2mV Output and MM Phono Compatibility

The EH MK II exists for the system that has a moving magnet phono input and nothing else. At 2mV it produces roughly the same output as a good MM cartridge, so it runs into the 47k-ohm input on an integrated amplifier or receiver without an MC stage, a step-up transformer, or an outboard phono preamp. The 130-ohm internal impedance is the high-output half of the E series design, sitting alongside the low-output EL MK II's 8 ohms. What the buyer gets is the moving coil generator, with its lower moving mass at the cantilever, without having to rebuild the front end of the system to use it.

Brass Cap Body and Threaded Mounting

The MK II body comes from the M series design, with a brass cap that adds mass. Extra mass at the top of the body is there for vibration control, and the second half of the change matters just as much on setup day: the body is threaded, so the mounting screws thread straight into the cartridge instead of needing nuts held in place above the headshell. Total cartridge weight rises to 8.6 grams from the original EH's 5 grams, which moves the EH MK II into the same mass bracket as the S series MK II and suits mid-mass tonearms more readily than the lighter first-generation body did.

Cryogenic Treatment and Elastomeric Coating

Two refinements arrive from the top of the range. The critical generator components and the output pins are cryogenically treated, which Hana applies across the Umami series and the entire current line to improve conductivity and signal purity through the connections that carry the smallest voltages in the system. The body is then finished in an elastomeric coating, the same treatment used across the range for resonance control, which is also what gives the E series MK II its moss green textured surface.

Synthetic Elliptical Stylus on Aluminum Cantilever

The E in E series stands for elliptical, and that is still the stylus profile here: a synthetic elliptical diamond on a straight aluminum cantilever, tracking at 2 grams with 70 microns of trackability. The elliptical sits deeper in the groove than a conical and reads more high-frequency detail per pass, while staying less sensitive to azimuth error than the line-contact profiles used on the S MK II and M series. Channel separation is rated at 25dB at 1kHz and frequency response runs 15Hz to 25,000Hz.

What Changed From the Original EH

The electrical side is carried over: 2mV output, 130-ohm impedance, load above 47k ohms, all unchanged from the first-generation EH. Every change is in the build. The body gained the M series brass cap and threaded mounting, taking weight from 5 grams to 8.6. The generator components and output pins are now cryogenically treated. The body carries the elastomeric coating used across the Hana range. Stylus profile, cantilever material, alnico magnet, tracking force, trackability, channel separation and frequency response all carry over unchanged.

Where the EH MK II fits in the Hana line

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HANA EH MK II Phono Cartridge Specifications