Home / Phono Cartridges / Hana EH Mk II Moving Coil Cartridge

About the Hana EH Mk II

The EH Mk II is the high-output cartridge in new E Mk II Series from Hana, and it’s designed to solve a specific problem: getting proper moving coil performance out of a system that only has a moving magnet phono stage. At 2mV/1KHz, it drives an MM input directly, no step-up transformer or MC head amp required.

What’s changed from the outgoing E Series is the construction. The old E Series used a plastic composite body; the Mk II adopts the brass cap and body shape used on the Hana MH and the Hana SH Mk II, with threaded mounting holes for a more rigid fit to the headshell. That rigidity is what a brass cap actually buys you here – less energy lost to unwanted body movement, which shows up as tighter bass and cleaner transient response rather than smeared low-level detail. An elastomeric coating over the body adds further resonance damping.

The generator itself has also had the cryogenic treatment applied to its yoke, pole pieces and gold-plated terminal pins – a process used across the rest of the current Hana range, including the S Series Mk II and the Umami series, and intended to improve material stability and signal transfer rather than change the fundamental coil design. The EH Mk II keeps the classic Alnico magnet, aluminium cantilever and synthetic elliptical stylus that have defined the E Series since it launched, at 130Ω coil impedance and a suggested 47KΩ loading.

Cartridge weight has gone up from 5g to 8.6g with the added brass mass, so it’s worth checking your tonearm’s effective mass and counterweight range can accommodate it before ordering – we’re happy to talk this through if you’re not sure.

Features

  • High-output (2mV/1KHz) moving coil generator, wired for direct use with a standard MM phono stage
  • Brass cap body with threaded mounting holes, shared with the Hana M Series, for a more rigid tonearm fit
  • Elastomeric body coating for additional mechanical resonance control
  • Cryogenically treated yoke, pole pieces and gold-plated terminal pins for improved signal transfer
  • Classic Alnico magnet and aluminium cantilever construction
  • Synthetic elliptical diamond stylus
  • Hand-assembled by Excel Sound Corporation in Yokohama, Japan

Specifications

StylusSynthetic elliptical
CantileverAluminium
MagnetAlnico
Output level2mV/1KHz
Output balance<1.5dB/1KHz
Vertical tracking force2g
Trackability70µm/2g
Channel separation25dB/1KHz
Frequency response15–25,000Hz
Coil impedance130Ω
Suggested loading47KΩ
Cartridge weight8.6g
Body colourMoss green

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a step-up transformer or MC phono stage for the EH Mk II?

No. The EH Mk II is a high-output moving coil cartridge, designed to plug straight into a standard moving magnet phono input. That’s the whole point of the “H” in EH – it gets you moving coil sound without the extra box.

Can I fit the EH Mk II to any tonearm?

The brass cap adds mounting rigidity but also adds weight – 8.6g versus 5g on the outgoing E Series. Check your tonearm’s effective mass and counterweight range can accommodate the extra mass before ordering. Get in touch and we’ll help you check compatibility.

Is the EH Mk II a straightforward upgrade from the outgoing EH model?

Yes, in terms of fitment and phono stage requirements – output level and impedance are unchanged. The upgrade is in construction: the brass-cap body, elastomeric damping and cryogenic treatment are new to this generation and weren’t part of the previous E Series.