Still looking for a new Moving Coil Cartridge

My Hana SH has blown me away more than once on many of my older rock albums.  I have maybe 100 hrs on it now and I think it took about 10-20 albums to come into its fullest potential.  

Tonearm and set up are a big factor. I used a high end stylus gauge to set it at 2g and then went though a couple of test records to get some anti skate and other adjustments corrected.  If someone does not have proper tools then I think best to have it done by a pro.

I do find the Hana SH amazing! Very solid imaging with fine detail, no perceptible coloration and not favoring or flavoring any particular type of music.  Of course bad recordings sound... bad.

For me this opens the imaginary door to wondering how much better something like the Umami Red is...  I'm tempted!

Lively discussion on this one! The Hana cartridges are great. I had an ML and really enjoyed it. I’ve since upgraded a couple times but the shibata stylus in the SL will be a good match for your listening habits and is somewhat forgiving regarding noise. Another great option would, as others have said, be an Ortofon MM, perhaps the LVB. This is a little more than you were speaking of but I’d a great match to that table.

+1 for the Grado

If you haven’t listened in a while to a MM cartridge in your system, I encourage you to give the Grado a spin. I currently have the Hana ML mounted on my TT. I like it, but it demands a good deal more of my phono pre than the Grado to which I am comparing it. Unless you have a really well designed and implemented phono section, you may find the Grado more satisfying than the Hana. Bear in mind, I’ve always preferred MM to MC, so my bias is showing. I’m sorry I can’t make useful comparative statements about the Grado and Hana because the Hana has only about 20 hours on it right now. I can say that potentiated by a PS Audio Stellar phono pre the Hana is warmer and more coherent, two features of MM that strongly appeal to me, than I expected. Very promising.

MC carts have fundamental problem of coil wire' affecting moving part resonance etc. that’s why MC carts typically require higher tracking pressure, which is no good for diamond needle etc. try to find M Audio Technica AT-ML170 for heavier on bass content cart, or AT-ML180 for Jazz/Classical music, and if you're lucky, you will discover huge improvement in overall “air-ness” and accuracy of sound! Other MM cart to try is AT-150MLX.

Near me, come listen, bring yours 07062

Thank you, but I'm in Nova Scotia. I send my cartridges for re-tips to a zipcode near yours, but that's as close as I get!