News/ Blog
New TNT Review The Wand tonearm (and Hana cartridge) July 04 2016
New Review! TNT Audio (Italian - English Audio Review site) has a new review of The Wand Tonearm 9.5in Plus model with a bunch of budget cartridges ranging from a Rega Carbon to Hana SL (with the Hana models coming out top)TNT Audio Link
Hana Cartridges score 5/5 with HiFi World (UK) January 12 2016
The first magazine review of Hana cartridges has come out in the UK magazine HiFi World.
They reviewed the Elliptical stylus EL & EH models and awarded both ‘Five Globes’ (of five)
With the verdict (EL); A wholly tolerant cartridge that is smoothing and engaging while praising it for –musical engagement, romantic mids, bass and value for money (at a UK retail of £276)
This is a nice symmetry as it was HiFi World who ran the first The Wand Tonearm® review (again awarding it five globes).
Design Build Listen is the New Zealand Distributor for Hana cartridges.
One of our local customers also commented;
The improvement in 3 dimensional accuracy was immediately obvious. It is a solid and precise sound without being at all clinical. The Hana has great timing and I very quickly forgot about the cartridge and just enjoyed the music. Richard B. New Zealand
Hana Moving Coil Cartridges have arrived! December 30 2015
We are proud to announce the arrival on of the new Hana Moving Coil cartridge range from established Japanese cartridge makers Excel Corp.
華 or Hana, which means “brilliant and gorgeous” in the Japanese. Hana cartridges are produced by Excel Sound Corp from Japan, a long established cartridge making company who produce for many other companies. In picking the best bits for their own cartridges, HANA Phono Cartridges use high rigidity aluminium cantilevers, and cross-shaped armatures with the aim of providing brilliant and gorgeous sound. The Hana “SL” uses a nude natural diamond Shibata-stylus, capable of excellent high frequency response, giving transparency and excellent trackability. Hana cartridges are available as ‘low’ and ‘high’ output versions. The latter being suitable for quieter Moving Magnet inputs but are only available to order.
These cartridges are available directly on this site or ask us about a retailer near you (Retailer enquires welcome) for $595 for the elliptical stylus EL/EH models and $985 (inc GST) for the Shibata stylus equipped SL/SH models.
We are only authorized to sell these in New Zealand but we can help find your nearest Distributor if you struggle to find them.
They sound great on The Wand Tonearm!
The improvement in 3 dimensional accuracy was immediately obvious. It is a solid and precise sound without being at all clinical. The Hana has great timing and I very quickly forgot about the cartridge and just enjoyed the music. Richard B. New Zealand
The Wand at Rocky Mountain Audio Festival (RMAF) Room 465 September 27 2015
Our Dallas, Texas retailer, Mockingbird Distribution is using The Wand Tonearm as part of the release for a new range of moving coil cartridges from Japan, 華 (or hana, which means “brilliant and gorgeous” in the original Japanese). HANA Phono Cartridges use high rigidity aluminum cantilevers, and cross-shaped armatures, providing you with brilliant and gorgeous sound. Hana “SH” and “SL” use nude natural diamond Shibata-stylus, capable of excellent high frequency response, giving you supreme transparency and excellent trackability.
Come and listen at RMAF 2015, in room 465.