Umami Sound - Wonderful Taste in Music

Umami Sound is a uniquely captivating musical experience—an exceptional sensuality

that immerses you in the performance and leaves a lasting emotional impression. It is music that brims with harmonic richness, delicate textures, pinpoint imaging, sweet highs, solid bass, rhythmic vitality, and lifelike dynamics. Most of all, it offers the rare “you-are-there” presence that elevates music listening into something unforgettable.

Just as umami in cuisine describes a deep and satisfying flavor created through a perfect blend of ingredients and techniques, Umami Sound represents this same concept for your ears—a harmonious, synergistic fusion that delivers more than the sum of its parts. It’s the wonderful taste in music.

perfecte mix van ingrediënten en technieken, vertegenwoordigt Umami Sound ditzelfde

concept voor je oren – een harmonieuze, synergetische fusie die meer oplevert dan de

som der delen. Het is de heerlijke smaak in muziek.

HANA means “brilliant and gorgeous” in the Japanese language, “華” Moving coil cartridges by HANA, bestow the most “brilliant and gorgeous” analog sound for audiophiles and music lovers regardless of their budget. 

Handmade in Japan

HANA-Umami Black – Een nieuwe referentie in analoge weergave

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

cantilever and a new "OKD" High-Efficiency Moving Coil Generator, and delivers

pure musical pleasure that takes the listening 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.

for direct and accurate transmission of groove modulations to the generator, making each

detail and dynamic shift are preserved with stunning clarity.

Microline-stylus

The "nude" Microline stylus with natural diamond echoes the shape of the original cutterhead stylus used in mastering vinyl records. With a square 0.22mm profile and precision-mounted on the diamond cantilever, it captures the subtlest musical nuances.

High-Efficiency “OKD” Moving Coil Generator

A world first, the Umami Black employs the newly developed “OKD” generator featuring an Integrated Pole Piece and Rear Yoke together with an Inverted U-shaped Front Yoke. This innovative architecture optimizes energy transfer from the Microline stylus/diamond cantilever to the

moving coil system.

The OKD generator’s compact, rigid structure minimizes magnetic power loss while suppressing unwanted mechanical vibrations to vanishingly low levels. The result is a dramatic improvement in transducing the vinyl groove modulations that carry the musical signal, ensuring the hybrid armature moving coil responds with unprecedented accuracy and musicality.

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 is the exclusive Auricle™ enclosure design, engineered to securely support the "Open Air" Moving Coil generator. Inspired by the shape of the human ear, it is crafted from A7075 aircraft-grade aluminum, one of the strongest and lightest alloys available. The Umami Black enclosure features a black zirconia inlay on the front for enhanced damping and visual elegance. Screw-in mounting holes ensure optimal integration of the tonearm, enhancing focus, dynamics, and low-frequency definition.

Cryogenic Processing

Cryogenic treatment enhances the properties of metals by exposing them to extremely low temperatures, typically below -184°C (-300°F), to refine their microstructure for improved conductivity, reduced distortion, and remarkable sonic purity. All magnetic and signal path components—the U-shaped front yoke, integrated pole piece/rear yoke, and 24k gold-plated brass output pins—are deeply cryogenically treated.