Hana Umami Black Flagship Cartridge

The HANA Umami Legacy

The HANA-Umami Black continues the brand’s legacy of “Brilliant and Gorgeous” sound. In 2020, the HANA-Umami Red introduced the concept of Umami Sound to the world, earning widespread acclaim. The 2023 arrival of the HANA-Umami Blue
further proved that these core design principles can offer a singular and emotionally powerful experience to more music lovers. Okada-san’s latest vision comes to life with the HANA-Umami Black, the new flagship, offering an even more profound expression of the Umami philosophy.

HANA-Umami Black – A New Reference in Analogue Playback

The HANA-Umami Black is Okada-san’s new masterpiece. It features a diamond cantilever and a new “OKD” High-Efficiency Moving Coil Generator and delivers pure musical enjoyment that elevates the listener’s experience to new heights.

Diamond Cantilever

In a category first for HANA, the Umami Black incorporates a diamond cantilever, the hardest possible material, ideal for signal transfer. Its exceptional rigidity ensures direct and precise transmission of groove modulations to the generator, preserving every detail and dynamic shift with astonishing clarity.

High-Efficiency “OKD” Moving Coil Generator

Another category first, the Umami Black uses the newly developed “OKD” with the world’s first “Integrated Pole Piece and Rear Yoke” and Inverted U-shaped Front Yoke, optimising energy transfer from the diamond cantilever while reducing unwanted
resonance. The breakthrough OKD Generator is cryogenically treated to increase signal purity.

Inverted U Front Yoke

The U-shaped (bifurcated) inverted front yoke is engineered for both mechanical resonance control and magnetic field alignment, while also providing precise support for the diamond cantilever. This U-shaped structure minimises resonances, channelling significantly less energy into overtone modes due to its shape and proportions. The open-bottom design of the U Front Yoke creates a more homogenous flux field for the magnetic generator, reducing saturation, and precisely locates the diamond cantilever, eliminating tracing error. 

High-Power Rare Earth Magnet and Hybrid Armature

Unique to the Umami Black, the rare earth neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnet is used for the high-efficiency generator, delivering superior energy conversion. A 2mm square hybrid Carbon permalloy armature, comprising 78% carbon-infused nickel-iron, is precisely hand-wound with 30-micron, 4N high-purity copper wire on Excel’s proprietary machinery. This ultra-light moving coil has an output of 0.3mV at 5 ohms, ideal for both modern MC
phono stages (both voltage and current amplification circuits) and step-up transformers.

Auricle™ Cartridge Body

At the heart of the Umami series lies the exclusive Auricle™ body design, engineered to rigidly support the “Open Air” Moving Coil generator. Inspired by the shape of the human outer ear, it is machined from A7075 aircraft-grade aluminium, among the strongest and lightest alloys available. The Umami Black body features a black zirconia inlay on its facia for added damping and visual elegance. Tapped and threaded mounting holes ensure optimal tonearm integration, enhancing focus, dynamics, and low-frequency definition.

Special Urushi Enamelled Finish

The HANA-Umami Black features an exquisite Urushi lacquer finish, inspired by traditional Makie Japanese artistry. Applied through a specialised thermosetting process at 120 C, the lacquer bonds to the aluminium body via vapour deposition, creating a durable, high-gloss surface. This multi-stage treatment not only adds visual elegance—it also serves a functional purpose: by controlling resonances, it enhances clarity, imaging precision, and bass definition, contributing to the Umami Black’s uniquely rich sonic signature.

Microline Stylus

The ‘nude’ natural diamond Microline stylus mirrors the shape of the original cutting head stylus used in mastering vinyl records. With a .22mm square profile and precisely mounted to the diamond cantilever, it captures the subtlest musical nuances.

Cryogenic Processing

Cryogenic treatment enhances metal properties by subjecting them to extremely low temperatures, typically below -300°F (-184°C), to refine their microstructure for enhanced conductivity, reduced distortion, and remarkable tonal purity. All magnetic and signal path components— U front yoke, integrated pole piece/rear yoke, and 24k gold-plated brass output pins are subjected to deep cryogenic treatment