This is an ex demonstration Hana SH cartridge. It's in great condition, it has been used infrequently - if I had to guess I would say it is reasonable to assume it is approximately 25% through its life or so.
This cartridge had a retail price of £639.00
The SH is a high output MC cartridge that should be connected into a normal MM (Moving Magnet) input. It has an output of 2mV.
The stylus guard and inner box are included.
Here's what I've previously written about this cartridge:
Hana cartridges are made by Excel Sound Corporation, a Japanese company who have been making cartridges for other manufacturers for 50 years, but this is the first ever series to bear their name. The Shibata series are so named because of the shape of the diamond used - a fine line design that is renowned for it’s excellent high frequency resolution as well as facilitating low record wear.
Sonically most ‘budget’ MC cartridges (by that I mean below four figures) tend to be have a blend of strengths that needed to be weighed against some weaknesses (light bass, rising treble and so on), but the Hana cartridges do not seem to do this. They do not sound cheap, or compromised, or of much at all (in the best possible way). They defy their price tag, sounding refined but exciting, well detailed but not overly analytical and just all round very musical. For the price the performance really is excellent, making them highly recommended.
