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Hana · S Series MK II
$850
Not currently in our rooms. For a serious buyer we will often bring a piece in from the manufacturer for a private session — tell us about your system and what you are weighing it against, and we will advise.
Hana · S Series MK II
Hana's best-selling low-output moving coil, now with the Alnico low-impedance generator from the Umami Blue and ML, a tapered cantilever, cryogenic treatment and a heavier damped body.
Current production is the MK II version.
Authorized Hana dealer · Delivery and installation by Pearl Audio · Trade-ins welcome
The story
The S Series MK II is master designer Masao Okada's update to Hana's best-selling cartridges. The headline change is a new tapered aluminum cantilever with higher rigidity and less mass at the tip, carrying the same nude diamond Shibata stylus. The yoke, pole pieces and gold-plated terminal pins are now cryogenically treated, a process borrowed from the Umami Red, Umami Blue and ML. The body is reshaped along the lines of the M Series, damped with a matte soft-feel black elastomeric paint, and topped with a brass cap that carries threaded mounting holes. That cap raises the weight from the original's 5 g to 8.6 g, which Hana says gives better coupling and compatibility with a wider range of tonearms. The biggest change inside is the generator: the SL MK II uses the Alnico cross-coil design found in the Umami Blue and ML, wound with high-purity 30-micron copper wire for an 8 Ω impedance. Output is 0.4 mV. Hana says the new generator improves signal-to-noise, reduces moving mass for better resolution and tracking, and suits a broader range of phono stages.
The Absolute Sound gave the SL MK II a 2025 Golden Ear Award. Andre Jennings heard admirable harmonic richness, very good transparency and excellent soundstage depth, with bass that is more agile and extends deeper than the original SL, bringing the cartridge a few steps closer to neutral than the old SL's warmer balance. It plays well with every kind of music. Plan on an MC phono stage with about 60 to 66 dB of gain or a step-up transformer, loaded at 80 Ω or higher; 100 Ω is a good starting point. At 8.6 g and 10 × 10⁻⁶ cm/dyne compliance it is a medium-compliance cartridge for medium-mass tonearms. As with any Shibata, careful alignment and adjustable arm height pay off.
The SL MK II is Hana's best seller and sits between the EL and the ML. On a trade-in, Musical Surroundings takes 30% off a new SL MK II for a worn SL, 20% off for any other Hana, Clearaudio or DS Audio cartridge, and 10% off for any other brand.
| Type | Low-output moving coil (MC) |
| Output | 0.4 mV at 1 kHz |
| Internal impedance | 8 Ω at 1 kHz |
| Recommended load | 80 Ω or greater |
| Tracking force | 2.0 g (70 µm trackability at 2 g) |
| Compliance | 10 × 10⁻⁶ cm/dyne |
| Weight | 8.6 g |
| Stylus | Nude diamond Shibata |
| Cantilever | Tapered aluminum |
| Magnet | Alnico |
| Frequency response | 15 Hz – 32 kHz |
| Channel separation / balance | 28 dB at 1 kHz / within 1.5 dB |
| Body | Black, soft-feel elastomeric paint, brass cap with threaded mounts |
| Also available | Hana SH MK II (2 mV high-output version) and SL Mono MK II |
Hana trade-in and re-tip exchange (Musical Surroundings). Trade in a worn SL or SL MK II and a new one is 30% off ($595). Trade in any other Hana, Clearaudio or DS Audio cartridge and it is 20% off ($680); any other brand's cartridge earns 10% off ($765).
| Hana re-tip exchange — SL or SL MK II for a new SL MK II | $595 (Hana does not retip; your worn cartridge is exchanged for a new one at 30% off) |
| Trade in your Hana SL | $595 after trade-in (credit $255) |
| Trade in your Hana SL MK II | $595 after trade-in (credit $255) |
| Trade in your Hana EH | $680 after trade-in (credit $170) |
| Trade in your Hana EL | $680 after trade-in (credit $170) |
| Trade in your Hana EH MK II | $680 after trade-in (credit $170) |
| Trade in your Hana EL MK II | $680 after trade-in (credit $170) |
| Trade in your Hana SH | $680 after trade-in (credit $170) |
| Trade in your Hana SH MK II | $680 after trade-in (credit $170) |
| Other Hana cartridges | 6 more models qualify; use the trade-in selector on this page or ask us |
The 30% re-tip exchange is Hana's replacement for retipping: a worn cartridge of the same series (working or not) is exchanged for a new one. Trade-ins of Musical Surroundings brands (Hana, Clearaudio, DS Audio) need an RA number and must arrive within 30 days of the invoice; other brands need an emailed photograph first. The Umami Blue and Red take other-brand trades only when the trade is worth more than $1,000 retail. Verified 2026-10-28. Source: Hana dealer price list, January 2026 (Musical Surroundings).
The Hana cartridges Pearl Audio stocks, from least to most expensive:
Plan your Hana system with Pearl Audio
Pearl Audio is an authorized Hana dealer. Arrange an audition in our Portland showroom, and ask us about trade-in pricing against your current cartridge. Call (503) 222-2599 or email sales@pearlaudio.com.
Ownership
Trade in a worn SL or SL MK II and a new one is 30% off ($595). Trade in any other Hana, Clearaudio or DS Audio cartridge and it is 20% off ($680); any other brand's cartridge earns 10% off ($765).
Credit is 20% of the new cartridge’s price for a worn SL or SL MK II at 30%; any Hana, Clearaudio or DS Audio cartridge at 20%; any other brand at 10%. The 30% re-tip exchange is Hana's replacement for retipping: a worn cartridge of the same series (working or not) is exchanged for a new one. Trade-ins of Musical Surroundings brands (Hana, Clearaudio, DS Audio) need an RA number and must arrive within 30 days of the invoice; other brands need an emailed photograph first. The Umami Blue and Red take other-brand trades only when the trade is worth more than $1,000 retail. Verified 2026-10-28.
Ask us about this trade-in| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Hana re-tip exchange — SL or SL MK II for a new SL MK II | $595 |
Pricing per Hana - 2026-01 - Dealer Price List (Musical Surroundings, January 2026) and musicalsurroundings.com/faq. Programs are set by the manufacturer and may change.
The Pearl Audio experience
A system at this level should be heard, thoughtfully matched, and properly set up. From the first audition to long-term ownership, you work with the same people, in person.
The Hana SL MK II is not in our rooms at present. When it is the right piece for a client we arrange a demonstration unit from the manufacturer and set it up for a private session.
We deliver and install throughout the Portland area, taking care of placement, connections, ventilation and system configuration ourselves.
We support everything we sell for as long as you own it, whether the answer comes by phone, in your home, or through factory service.
Trade-in assistance and qualifying 100% Trade-Up options give you flexibility when your listening priorities or your system change.
