Audio T Verdict
The Hana Umami Red is where the company's cartridge engineering becomes properly exotic, but thankfully the technology serves a clear purpose rather than simply adding impressive-sounding materials to the specification sheet.
At the groove is a nude MicroLine diamond mounted to a solid Boron cantilever. The combination provides an exceptionally light and rigid connection between the record groove and moving-coil generator, helping very small stylus movements reach the cartridge motor with minimal unwanted flex or stored mechanical energy.
The generator is considerably different from the Alnico-based design used by Umami Blue. Red combines a powerful samarium-cobalt magnet with a square Permalloy armature and high-purity copper moving coils, producing 0.4mV from a very low 6-ohm internal impedance.
Hana recommends loading above 60 ohms, so this is firmly a cartridge for a capable low-output MC phono stage, suitable current-input design or correctly matched step-up transformer. A conventional moving-magnet input is not appropriate.
The open Auricle body is CNC-machined from A7075 aluminium and incorporates Ebony wood as part of its resonance-control structure. A multi-layer red Urushi lacquer finish completes what is one of the most distinctive cartridge bodies available without enclosing the generator inside a conventional shell.
At 10.5g, with a recommended tracking force of 2.0g and a fine MicroLine stylus, accurate tonearm matching and setup are worth taking seriously. Overhang, offset angle, tracking force, azimuth, vertical geometry and phono-stage loading can all influence the final result.
Umami Red therefore makes most sense on a genuinely capable turntable where the cartridge, tonearm and phono stage are all being treated as one system. Give it that foundation and it represents a significant step beyond Umami Blue rather than merely a more expensive version of it.
Hana Umami Red Moving Coil Cartridge
The Hana Umami Red is a reference-level low-output moving-coil cartridge designed by master cartridge designer Masao Okada-san and manufactured by Excel Sound in Japan.
It combines a nude MicroLine stylus and solid Boron cantilever with a low-impedance samarium-cobalt generator, open A7075 aluminium Auricle body, Ebony resonance-control element and multi-layer Urushi lacquer finish.
Key features include:
- Reference low-output moving-coil cartridge
- Hana Umami Series
- Designed by Masao Okada-san
- Nude natural-diamond MicroLine stylus
- Solid Boron cantilever
- Samarium-cobalt magnetic system
- Square Permalloy armature
- High-purity copper moving coils
- Pure-iron magnetic components
- Deep cryogenic treatment
- Gold-plated output pins
- 0.4mV output
- 6-ohm internal impedance
- Greater than 60-ohm recommended loading
- A7075 aluminium Auricle body
- Open-air generator architecture
- Ebony wood resonance-control element
- Multi-layer red Urushi lacquer finish
- Threaded cartridge mounting
- 15Hz–50kHz frequency response
- Greater than 30dB channel separation at 1kHz
- Less than 0.5dB output balance at 1kHz
- 70µm trackability at 2.0g
- 2.0g recommended tracking force
- 10 x 10-6cm/dyne dynamic compliance at 100Hz
- 10.5g cartridge weight
- Hand-built in Japan
Low Output Moving Coil Design
Umami Red is a low-output moving-coil cartridge.
Small coils attached to the cantilever assembly move within a stationary magnetic field as the stylus follows modulation within the record groove.
Keeping this moving structure light helps the cartridge respond rapidly to changes within the groove, but the resulting electrical signal is extremely small.
0.4mV Output
Hana specifies:
0.4mV at 1kHz.
This requires substantially more phono-stage gain than a moving-magnet or high-output moving-coil cartridge.
A Low-Output MC Phono Stage Is Required
Umami Red is not suitable for direct connection to a conventional MM-only phono input.
Use a suitable moving-coil phono stage, appropriately matched step-up transformer or another phono solution designed for a 0.4mV cartridge.
6-Ohm Internal Impedance
The Umami Red generator has an internal impedance of:
6 ohms.
This extremely low generator impedance gives useful flexibility when partnering the cartridge with suitable voltage-gain MC stages, current-input designs or appropriately selected step-up transformers.
Greater Than 60-Ohm Loading
Hana recommends a load impedance of:
Greater than 60 ohms.
This should be treated as the lower end of Hana's recommended operating region rather than assuming that exactly 60 ohms is automatically ideal in every system.
100 Ohms Is a Logical Starting Point
A conventional 100-ohm MC setting sits comfortably above Hana's greater-than-60-ohm requirement.
If your phono stage provides further loading options, it can be worthwhile experimenting within the recommended range once gain and the rest of the turntable setup are correct.
Gain and Loading Are Different
Loading determines the electrical resistance presented to the cartridge generator.
Gain determines how much the cartridge's 0.4mV output is amplified.
A phono stage can therefore offer an appropriate loading value while still being unsuitable if its available gain or noise performance is not appropriate for the cartridge.
Consider the Complete Phono-Stage Match
Umami Red deserves a phono stage capable of providing sufficiently quiet gain as well as appropriate electrical loading.
Audio T can help check the complete combination rather than looking at one specification in isolation.
Using a Step-Up Transformer
The combination of low output and low internal impedance can also make Umami Red suitable for use with an appropriately matched moving-coil step-up transformer.
The signal path becomes:
Turntable ? MC step-up transformer ? MM phono stage ? amplifier.
Transformer Matching Should Be Calculated
The transformer's turns ratio affects both voltage gain and the effective load presented to the cartridge.
Do not select a transformer solely because it is described as suitable for moving-coil cartridges.
Samarium-Cobalt Magnetic System
Umami Red uses a powerful:
Samarium-cobalt magnet.
This is one of the important distinctions between Red and the Alnico-based Umami Blue.
The magnetic system works with the cartridge's low-mass moving coils and armature to generate its 0.4mV electrical output.
Square Permalloy Armature
The moving coils are wound around a square Permalloy armature.
This forms the moving element at the centre of the generator and provides the mechanical link between cantilever movement and the cartridge's electromagnetic system.
High-Purity Copper Moving Coils
Hana uses high-purity copper wire for the Umami Red moving coils.
Keeping the coil assembly both electrically efficient and mechanically light is particularly important in a low-output moving-coil design.
Pure-Iron Magnetic Components
Pure-iron components form part of the cartridge's magnetic circuit, directing the field around the moving armature and coils.
These precision magnetic components work together with the samarium-cobalt magnet to create the Umami Red generator.
Deep Cryogenic Treatment
Hana applies deep cryogenic treatment to key metal components within the magnetic and signal path.
This includes generator components and output connections.
The process involves taking the metal to extremely low temperatures before gradually returning it to normal temperature.
Nude Natural-Diamond MicroLine Stylus
At the groove, Umami Red uses a:
Nude natural-diamond MicroLine stylus.
The fine contact profile is designed to trace very small groove modulation while maintaining an extended area of contact with the groove walls.
What Does Nude Mean?
A nude stylus uses the diamond itself for the complete stylus tip and mounting shank rather than attaching a smaller diamond tip to another supporting material.
This removes unnecessary material from the moving assembly and eliminates an additional mechanical interface between stylus and cantilever.
Why Use a MicroLine Stylus?
When correctly aligned, a MicroLine profile can provide:
- Fine groove-detail retrieval
- Excellent high-frequency tracing
- Extended groove-wall contact
- Reduced tracing distortion
- Strong inner-groove performance
- Precise retrieval of complex groove modulation
MicroLine Rewards Precise Alignment
A fine stylus profile makes accurate cartridge geometry increasingly worthwhile.
Correct overhang, offset angle, azimuth and vertical setup should all be considered when installing Umami Red.
Solid Boron Cantilever
The MicroLine stylus is mounted to a:
Solid Boron cantilever.
Boron combines very high rigidity with low mass, providing an extremely effective mechanical link between the stylus and moving-coil generator.
Why Cantilever Rigidity Matters
The cantilever must transmit extremely small and rapid groove movements while introducing as little unwanted flex as possible.
A rigid, lightweight cantilever reduces the opportunity for groove information to be lost through mechanical deformation before reaching the generator.
Auricle Cartridge Body
Umami Red uses Hana's distinctive:
Auricle body architecture.
The shape takes inspiration from the human outer ear and creates a rigid supporting structure around the moving-coil generator without completely enclosing it within a conventional cartridge shell.
A7075 Aluminium Construction
The main cartridge body is CNC-machined from:
A7075 aluminium.
The high-strength alloy allows Hana to create the complex open Auricle shape while maintaining a rigid connection between generator and tonearm.
Open-Air Generator Architecture
Much of the generator remains exposed rather than being surrounded by a large enclosed body.
This reduces enclosed cavities where unwanted mechanical energy could otherwise accumulate.
Handle the Open Generator Carefully
The generator, internal wiring and Boron cantilever are less protected than they would be within a conventional enclosed cartridge shell.
Handle the cartridge only by its appropriate body and mounting surfaces.
Ebony Wood Resonance Control
Umami Red incorporates Ebony wood within its body construction.
Combining natural wood with the rigid aluminium structure introduces materials with very different resonance characteristics.
Hana uses this arrangement as part of the complete mechanical damping and resonance-control strategy.
Traditional Urushi Lacquer Finish
The distinctive deep-red finish is created using multiple layers of Japanese Urushi lacquer.
The finish is closely associated with traditional Japanese craftsmanship and provides the cartridge with its distinctive gloss appearance.
Hana also treats the coating as part of the cartridge body's overall mechanical construction rather than purely decorative paint.
Threaded Cartridge Mounting
Umami Red uses threaded mounting holes within the Auricle body.
The mounting bolts therefore screw directly into the cartridge without requiring separate nuts around the headshell.
Why Threaded Mounting Helps
Threaded mounting provides several practical advantages:
- No loose mounting nuts
- Easier physical installation
- Simpler cartridge alignment
- Secure mechanical coupling
- Reduced risk of dropping hardware near the Boron cantilever
Use the Correct Screw Length
Do not force excessively long screws into the threaded cartridge body.
Use appropriate mounting hardware and tighten only sufficiently to secure the cartridge.
10.5g Cartridge Weight
Umami Red weighs:
10.5g.
This makes checking tonearm counterweight adjustment worthwhile before installation.
Check Tonearm Counterweight Range
Some tonearms need an alternative or supplementary counterweight when used with cartridges above approximately 10g.
Physical mounting compatibility does not automatically mean the arm can balance and correctly track the cartridge.
Dynamic Compliance
Hana specifies dynamic compliance of:
10 x 10-6cm/dyne at 100Hz.
This should be considered alongside tonearm effective mass and cartridge weight when assessing mechanical compatibility.
2.0g Recommended Tracking Force
Hana specifies:
2.0g vertical tracking force.
The suspension and moving generator have been designed to operate correctly at this force.
Tracking Lighter Is Not Automatically Safer
Running below the correct tracking force can cause mistracking and unstable contact between stylus and groove.
Correct tracking force is safer for both record and cartridge than deliberately setting the stylus too lightly.
Use an Accurate Stylus-Force Gauge
Set the tonearm according to its manufacturer's procedure and verify the final 2.0g tracking force using an accurate stylus-force gauge where possible.
70µm Trackability
Hana specifies:
70µm at 2.0g.
This figure is measured at the cartridge's recommended tracking force.
Bias or Anti-Skate
After establishing tracking force, set bias or anti-skate according to the tonearm manufacturer's procedure.
Different arms apply compensation differently, so there is no universal dial number that applies to every installation.
Accurate Overhang and Offset Angle
The MicroLine stylus makes accurate horizontal geometry particularly worthwhile.
Use the alignment geometry specified by the turntable or tonearm manufacturer, or an appropriate cartridge-alignment protractor.
Precision Cartridge, Precision Setup
Approximate visual alignment wastes much of the engineering incorporated into a cartridge of this level.
Take the time to set overhang and offset angle accurately.
Azimuth
Azimuth describes the side-to-side orientation of the stylus between the record groove walls.
Incorrect azimuth can affect:
- Channel balance
- Channel separation
- Stereo image stability
- High-frequency tracing
- Distortion
If your tonearm allows azimuth adjustment, it can form part of the final setup.
Tonearm Height and Vertical Setup
On tonearms providing height adjustment, final vertical geometry can be optimised after tracking force, overhang and offset angle are correctly established.
The extended contact profile of the MicroLine stylus makes careful vertical setup particularly worthwhile.
15Hz to 50kHz Frequency Response
Hana specifies:
15Hz–50kHz.
This extended bandwidth reflects the behaviour of the complete MicroLine stylus, Boron cantilever and moving-coil generator system.
Greater Than 30dB Channel Separation
Channel separation is specified at:
Greater than 30dB at 1kHz.
Strong separation helps preserve information recovered independently from the left and right groove walls.
Less Than 0.5dB Output Balance
Hana specifies channel balance of:
Less than 0.5dB at 1kHz.
Close matching between the channels supports stable stereo positioning and consistent left-to-right output.
No User-Replaceable Stylus
The MicroLine stylus, Boron cantilever and moving-coil generator form an integrated precision assembly.
The stylus is not designed to be removed and replaced by the user.
Do Not Attempt to Remove the Stylus Assembly
If the stylus or cantilever becomes worn or damaged, contact Audio T to discuss the current UK service and replacement options.
Stylus Care
The nude MicroLine stylus and Boron cantilever deserve careful handling.
Useful habits include:
- Keep records properly cleaned
- Remove loose surface dust before playback
- Use a suitable stylus-cleaning product
- Clean gently from back to front
- Never apply sideways pressure to the Boron cantilever
- Use the tonearm cueing mechanism where possible
- Keep fingers away from the open generator
- Turn amplifier volume down when working around the cartridge
Umami Red or Umami Blue?
Umami Blue
- 0.4mV output
- 8-ohm internal impedance
- Greater than 80-ohm loading
- Nude MicroLine stylus
- Solid Boron cantilever
- Alnico magnet
- Permalloy cross armature
- A7075 Auricle body
- White POM damping insert
- Blue MTP finish
- 10.8g cartridge weight
Umami Red
- 0.4mV output
- 6-ohm internal impedance
- Greater than 60-ohm loading
- Nude MicroLine stylus
- Solid Boron cantilever
- Samarium-cobalt magnet
- Square Permalloy armature
- A7075 Auricle body
- Ebony wood resonance control
- Multi-layer red Urushi finish
- 10.5g cartridge weight
The two cartridges share the MicroLine stylus, Boron cantilever and overall Auricle design philosophy, but their generators and resonance-control structures are different.
Red moves to a lower-impedance samarium-cobalt generator with square armature, while Ebony and Urushi replace Blue's POM insert and MTP finish.
Compare the Hana Umami Blue at Audio T.
Umami Red or Umami Black?
Umami Red
- 0.4mV output
- 6-ohm internal impedance
- Greater than 60-ohm loading
- Nude MicroLine stylus
- Solid Boron cantilever
- Samarium-cobalt magnet
- Square Permalloy armature
- Ebony damping element
- Red Urushi finish
- 10.5g cartridge weight
Umami Black
- 0.3mV output
- 5-ohm internal impedance
- 50-ohm or greater loading
- Nude MicroLine stylus
- Diamond cantilever
- Neodymium NdFeB magnet
- Hybrid carbon-Permalloy armature
- New OKD generator
- Black zirconia damping inlay
- Black thermoset Urushi finish
- 11.3g cartridge weight
Umami Black represents a much larger departure than its appearance might suggest.
It replaces Red's Boron cantilever and samarium-cobalt generator with a diamond cantilever and completely new neodymium-based OKD generator architecture.
Compare the Hana Umami Black at Audio T.
Umami Red or Hana ML?
Hana ML
- 0.4mV low-output moving coil
- 8-ohm internal impedance
- Greater than 100-ohm loading
- Nude MicroLine stylus
- Aluminium cantilever
- Alnico generator
- Delrin and brass cartridge body
- 9.5g cartridge weight
Umami Red
- 0.4mV low-output moving coil
- 6-ohm internal impedance
- Greater than 60-ohm loading
- Nude MicroLine stylus
- Solid Boron cantilever
- Samarium-cobalt generator
- A7075 Auricle body
- Ebony resonance control
- 10.5g cartridge weight
The ML already provides an excellent MicroLine groove-reading system, but Red changes the cantilever, magnetic architecture and complete mechanical support structure.
Compare the Hana M Series at Audio T.
Where Does Umami Red Sit in the Hana Range?
Hana's current stereo moving-coil progression broadly runs through:
- E Series
- S Series MK II
- M Series
- Umami Blue
- Umami Red
- Umami Black
Umami Red is therefore the penultimate model in Hana's current range, sitting above Umami Blue and below the diamond-cantilever Umami Black flagship.
Does Umami Red Need an Expensive Turntable?
There is no meaningful minimum turntable price, but the analogue front end needs to be capable of exploiting the cartridge.
Useful attributes include:
- A high-performance tonearm
- Suitable effective mass
- Sufficient counterweight range for a 10.5g cartridge
- Precise cartridge alignment adjustment
- Azimuth adjustment where useful
- Tonearm-height adjustment where appropriate
- Stable speed performance
- Very low mechanical noise
- Effective isolation
- A high-quality low-output MC phono stage
A sophisticated cartridge cannot compensate for inaccurate tonearm geometry or inadequate phono amplification.
The Phono Stage Is Critical
Umami Red produces just 0.4mV, meaning the phono stage must provide substantial amplification before the signal reaches normal line level.
That gain needs to be provided with very low noise while also presenting a suitable electrical load to the cartridge's 6-ohm generator.
Do Not Treat the Phono Stage as an Afterthought
A cartridge of this capability deserves equally capable phono amplification.
Cartridge, tonearm and phono stage should be treated as one analogue system rather than three unrelated products.
A Phono Stage Is Essential
The conventional signal path is:
Turntable ? MC phono stage ? amplifier line input.
A correctly matched step-up transformer feeding a suitable MM phono stage is another possible arrangement.
Browse phono stages at Audio T.
Hand-Built in Japan
Umami Red is manufactured by Excel Sound in Japan, where Hana's cartridges are assembled by specialist cartridge technicians.
The design comes from veteran cartridge engineer Masao Okada-san, whose experience with moving-coil cartridge development spans several decades.
Professional Installation Is Recommended
Correct Umami Red installation can involve:
- Checking tonearm effective-mass compatibility
- Checking counterweight range
- Careful physical mounting
- Using suitable threaded mounting screws
- Setting overhang accurately
- Setting offset angle accurately
- Checking 2.0g tracking force with a stylus gauge
- Setting bias or anti-skate
- Checking azimuth
- Optimising tonearm height where appropriate
- Matching MC phono-stage gain
- Optimising phono-stage loading
- Checking grounding and system noise
At this level, professional installation is a sensible part of making sure the cartridge is operating as intended rather than simply an optional extra.
Who Is the Hana Umami Red For?
Well Suited To
- Reference-quality analogue systems
- High-performance turntables and tonearms
- Customers upgrading from Umami Blue
- Customers wanting a Boron cantilever
- Customers wanting a nude MicroLine stylus
- Systems with genuinely capable MC phono amplification
- Systems able to reveal fine cartridge differences
- Customers prepared to optimise setup carefully
Check Before Buying
- 0.4mV low-output moving coil
- 6-ohm internal impedance
- Greater than 60-ohm recommended loading
- Requires suitable MC gain
- 10.5g cartridge weight
- 10 x 10-6cm/dyne compliance at 100Hz
- 2.0g tracking force
- MicroLine stylus requires accurate alignment
- Open-body construction requires careful handling
- Stylus is not user-replaceable
Key Features
- Hana Umami Red
- Umami Series
- Reference low-output moving coil
- Designed by Masao Okada-san
- Nude natural-diamond MicroLine stylus
- Solid Boron cantilever
- Samarium-cobalt magnetic system
- Square Permalloy armature
- High-purity copper moving coils
- Pure-iron magnetic components
- Deep cryogenic treatment
- Gold-plated output pins
- 0.4mV output
- 6-ohm internal impedance
- Greater than 60-ohm loading
- A7075 aluminium Auricle body
- Open-air generator architecture
- Ebony wood resonance control
- Multi-layer red Urushi lacquer
- Threaded cartridge mounting
- 15Hz–50kHz frequency response
- Greater than 30dB channel separation
- Less than 0.5dB output balance
- 70µm trackability at 2.0g
- 10 x 10-6cm/dyne compliance at 100Hz
- 2.0g tracking force
- 10.5g cartridge weight
- Non-user-replaceable stylus
- Hand-built in Japan
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Hana Umami Red moving magnet or moving coil?
Umami Red is a low-output moving-coil cartridge.
What is the output?
0.4mV at 1kHz.
What is the internal impedance?
6 ohms.
What loading does Hana recommend?
Greater than 60 ohms.
Will a 100-ohm MC input work?
100 ohms sits comfortably above Hana's greater-than-60-ohm recommendation and is therefore a logical starting point, provided the phono stage also provides suitable gain.
Does Umami Red require an MC phono stage?
Yes. Its 0.4mV output requires suitable low-output moving-coil amplification or another correctly matched phono solution.
Can I use it with an MM phono stage?
Not directly. A suitable step-up transformer can potentially be used ahead of an MM phono stage.
What stylus does Umami Red use?
A nude natural-diamond MicroLine stylus.
What is the cantilever made from?
Solid Boron.
What magnet does Umami Red use?
A samarium-cobalt magnetic system.
What armature does it use?
A square Permalloy armature.
What is the cartridge body made from?
The Auricle body is CNC-machined from A7075 aluminium and incorporates Ebony wood as part of its resonance-control structure.
What is the Auricle body?
Hana's open Umami Series cartridge-body architecture, inspired by the human outer ear and designed to rigidly support the generator without enclosing it inside a conventional shell.
Is the red finish real Urushi lacquer?
Yes. Umami Red uses a multi-layer Japanese Urushi lacquer finish.
Does Umami Red have threaded mounting holes?
Yes. The cartridge screws thread directly into the body.
Does Hana cryogenically treat Umami Red?
Yes. Critical generator and signal-path components receive deep cryogenic treatment.
What is the frequency response?
15Hz to 50kHz.
What is the channel separation?
Greater than 30dB at 1kHz.
What is the output balance?
Less than 0.5dB at 1kHz.
What is the trackability?
70µm at 2.0g.
What tracking force should I use?
Hana specifies 2.0g.
What is the dynamic compliance?
10 x 10-6cm/dyne at 100Hz.
How much does Umami Red weigh?
10.5g.
Will my tonearm work with a 10.5g cartridge?
That depends on the tonearm's counterweight range, effective mass and adjustment facilities. Some arms may require a heavier or alternative counterweight.
Does Umami Red have a replaceable stylus?
No. The MicroLine stylus, Boron cantilever and moving-coil generator form an integrated precision assembly.
Is Umami Red just a different-coloured Umami Blue?
No. Although both use Boron cantilevers, MicroLine styli and Auricle bodies, Red uses a different 6-ohm samarium-cobalt generator and square Permalloy armature together with Ebony resonance control and an Urushi-finished body.
What is the main difference between Umami Red and Umami Black?
Black replaces Red's Boron cantilever with diamond and introduces a new 5-ohm OKD generator using a neodymium magnet, hybrid carbon-Permalloy armature and new yoke architecture.
Where is the Hana Umami Red made?
It is hand-built in Japan by Excel Sound.
Can Audio T fit and align the Hana Umami Red?
Yes. Contact your local Audio T store to discuss tonearm compatibility, professional cartridge fitting, MicroLine alignment, tracking force, azimuth and moving-coil phono-stage matching.
Related Hana Products and Audio T Guides
Why Buy From Audio T?
- Reference-level turntable and cartridge matching
- Low-output moving-coil cartridge advice
- MC phono-stage matching
- MC gain and loading optimisation
- Step-up transformer guidance
- Tonearm compatibility checks
- Effective-mass and compliance guidance
- Professional cartridge fitting
- Precision MicroLine alignment
- Accurate tracking-force setup
- Bias and anti-skate adjustment
- VTA and azimuth guidance
- Stylus-care guidance
- Turntable setup and optimisation
- Part-exchange options
- Ongoing after-sales support
Contact your local Audio T store to discuss whether the Hana Umami Red is the right match for your turntable, tonearm and moving-coil phono stage, or to arrange professional cartridge fitting and alignment.