Hana Umami Black MC Cartridge
HANA UMAMI BLACK DIAMOND CANTILEVER MC CARTRIDGE FROM HANA
Japanese HiFi brand HANA has introduced its latest moving coil cartridge, the HANA Umami Black, designed by master cartridge engineer Masao Okada-san.
The release marks over five decades of Okada-san’s work in cartridge design, with the Umami Black incorporating several technical innovations not found in previous HANA models.
HANA UMAMI BLACK MC CARTRIDGE
A key feature of the HANA-Umami Black is its diamond cantilever, the first in a HANA cartridge. Diamond, being the hardest material available for this purpose, is used to improve signal transfer from the stylus to the generator, offering potential gains in clarity and detail.
HIGH-EFFICIENCY “OKD” MOVING COIL GENERATOR
The cartridge also introduces HANA’s newly developed “OKD” high-efficiency moving coil generator. Hana says it integrates the world’s first Integrated Pole Piece and Rear Yoke with an inverted U-shaped front yoke, optimised to convert energy from the diamond cantilever with greater efficiency.
The HANA Umami Black’s inverted U-shaped front yoke is designed to control mechanical resonance and align the magnetic field precisely. It also supports the diamond cantilever, contributing to the cartridge’s structural and sonic stability.
HIGH-POWER RARE EARTH MAGNET
Unique to the Umami Black is its high-power neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnet. Positioned within the high-efficiency generator, it is intended to improve energy conversion and overall cartridge performance.
HYBRID CARBON ARMATURE
The cartridge uses a 2mm square hybrid Carbon permalloy armature, hand-wound with 30-micron, 4N high-purity copper wire. Made from 78% carbon-infused nickel-iron, this ultra-light moving coil has an output of 0.3mV at 5 ohms, reflecting HANA’s focus on precision engineering and minimal mass.
URUSHI LACQUER FINISH
Aesthetically, the HANA Umami Black features an Urushi enameled finish. The lacquer is applied using a thermosetting process that bonds it to the aluminium body via vapor deposition, combining visual appeal with durability.
HANA UMAMI BLACK MC CARTRIDGE PRICE
The HANA Umami Black is set to retail in the US for $11,500, and in the UK it will be available through Hana distributor Air Audio, with a UK retail price of £7,995.00. In Europe it will be 10,000 Euro, available to purchase (worldwide) from the 22nd Sept.
HiFi PiG Says: We are longtime fans of the Hana Umami cartridges, read our reviews of the Red and Blue.
