Post by Citroen on Dec 1, 2020 16:43:56 GMT 12
Another review
theaudiobeatnik.com/review-the-hana-umami-red-moving-coil-cartridge/?fbclid=IwAR3AH0WVjczXxFq0UyG31h9OAErIr6x24XbLLdC6gZ_sL8Vfj66VoOiuKe4
In the cartridge brochure, they say HANA in Japanese means “brilliant and gorgeous”. Umami refers to a special sense of taste in food that results from a synergy of ingredients that create a final flavor that is more than just the sum of the ingredients. What initially seems like a bit of colorful advertising verbiage actually turns out to be relevant to this cartridge. The first words I wrote in my listening notes were “Subtle but yet Complex” followed by “Balanced and Calm”.
This is a cartridge that will appeal to a listener with a sophisticated audio palette. Why do I say that? Initially, nothing in this cartridge’s sound “jumps out at you,” and I mean that in a good way. So many cartridges editorialize the sound and, in some ways, impose their personality. This seems to make them work better for one type of music over another.
After a while, you find that you keep playing the music that sounds good with that cartridge and then ultimately grow tired of it. That is not the case with this cartridge. This cartridge will grow on you like the way you come to appreciate the complexity and depth of a good 18-year-old single malt Scotch or a fine Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon.
An Excellent Balance
The Umami Red’s excellent balance allows you to enjoy all types of music, and you will be driven to play many different types of music to fully experience this cartridge. It does a very nice job of retrieving detail and is excellent at rendering complex overtones. Make no mistake about it, like the Koetsu, the Umami-Red builds the sound from the midrange on out. It is an experience to hear a piano with this cartridge, not because it is spotlighted, but because its tone is fully revealed.
Don’t misunderstand what I’m saying here. I’m not implying that the extremes are lacking. The bass provides a firm anchor to the music, and the top end has a sweetness and openness that is simply disarming.
Another thing that stands out with this cartridge is its ability to maintain its poise. No matter what groove I threw at it, it remained calm and never showed its teeth.
Finally, this cartridge has a very low noise floor and lacks any perceivable grain. This may be attributable to the cryogenic treatment applied to many of its components and the meticulous level of attention paid to the reduction of resonance in the cartridge body.
theaudiobeatnik.com/review-the-hana-umami-red-moving-coil-cartridge/?fbclid=IwAR3AH0WVjczXxFq0UyG31h9OAErIr6x24XbLLdC6gZ_sL8Vfj66VoOiuKe4
In the cartridge brochure, they say HANA in Japanese means “brilliant and gorgeous”. Umami refers to a special sense of taste in food that results from a synergy of ingredients that create a final flavor that is more than just the sum of the ingredients. What initially seems like a bit of colorful advertising verbiage actually turns out to be relevant to this cartridge. The first words I wrote in my listening notes were “Subtle but yet Complex” followed by “Balanced and Calm”.
This is a cartridge that will appeal to a listener with a sophisticated audio palette. Why do I say that? Initially, nothing in this cartridge’s sound “jumps out at you,” and I mean that in a good way. So many cartridges editorialize the sound and, in some ways, impose their personality. This seems to make them work better for one type of music over another.
After a while, you find that you keep playing the music that sounds good with that cartridge and then ultimately grow tired of it. That is not the case with this cartridge. This cartridge will grow on you like the way you come to appreciate the complexity and depth of a good 18-year-old single malt Scotch or a fine Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon.
An Excellent Balance
The Umami Red’s excellent balance allows you to enjoy all types of music, and you will be driven to play many different types of music to fully experience this cartridge. It does a very nice job of retrieving detail and is excellent at rendering complex overtones. Make no mistake about it, like the Koetsu, the Umami-Red builds the sound from the midrange on out. It is an experience to hear a piano with this cartridge, not because it is spotlighted, but because its tone is fully revealed.
Don’t misunderstand what I’m saying here. I’m not implying that the extremes are lacking. The bass provides a firm anchor to the music, and the top end has a sweetness and openness that is simply disarming.
Another thing that stands out with this cartridge is its ability to maintain its poise. No matter what groove I threw at it, it remained calm and never showed its teeth.
Finally, this cartridge has a very low noise floor and lacks any perceivable grain. This may be attributable to the cryogenic treatment applied to many of its components and the meticulous level of attention paid to the reduction of resonance in the cartridge body.
