Hana Umami Black

Hana Umami Black

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 vapour deposition, combining visual appeal with durability.

Specifications: Hana Umami Black

Body

Material Duralumin (A7075)

Shape Auricle open air

Finish Urushi lacquer through thermosetting process

Cantilever

Diamond

Stylus Microline Nude Diamond

Magnetic Circuit

Structure – “OKD” generator with Inverted U Front Yoke and Integrated Pole Piece and Rear Yoke

Armature Material – Permalloy, 78% carbon-infused nickel-iron

Armature Shape – 2mm square plate

Parts Material – Pure iron

Magnet – Neodymium (NdFeB

Coil

Coil Impedance – 5Ω

Output voltage – 0.3mv

Load Impedance – ≥ 50 Ω

Treatment

Cyrogenic – “OKD” generator with U Front Yoke, Integrated Pole Piece and Rear Yoke, Gold-plated Output Pins

Specs

Frequency Response – 15-50,000Hz

Output Balance – 0.5dB/1KHz

Channel Separation – 30dB/1KHz

Tracking Weight – 2g

Trackability – 70μm/2g

Dynamic Compliance – 10 x 10-6 cm/dyne (100Hz) Estimated at 17 x 10-6 cm/dyne at 10Hz

Cartridge Weight – 11.3g