I’m going to up grade my current cartridge on my P6 currently I’m using a Rega Exact 2. I’m thinking of a Rega Ania pro or Hana Ml. I’ll be changing my Rega phono mm MKV for the mc MK IV. What say you?
Thanks in advance.
M
I have no experience with the Hana MI but I can say the Ania Pro was a significant upgrade over the Exact 2 in my system. I’m very pleased with the combo of Ania Pro/Aria and plan to move both over to a P8 that I hope to have as early as this week!
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Years ago I had an Exact on my RP6 in an otherwise all-Naim system (SN2/Stageline/FC2/Powercords and all Naim ICs). The Exact was happy and polite enough until I heard pretty much any other cartridge in my system. I tried a MM Hana along the way; better, but still had me wanting for better dynamics. I read about the Grace F9E MM cartridge and snapped one up off the used market. I have yet to read a negative remark about the Grace F9E. The Grace cartridge bodies are now expensive and increasingly rare, and for good reason. Replacement styli of varying levels are available from Soundsmith in New York state, USA. The lone positive aspect about the Exact I would mention is its ability to attenuate vinyl snaps and pops, but this it does at the expense of dynamic punch.
I had a Grace (I don’t remember the model) on an old TD160 circa 89. I had that set up until I got my LP12 in 96.I used that table and cart with my first Naim gear. I still have the Linn in my main set up.
Why not stay with MM ?
The new ND7 (I have it fitted to my new P6) is excellent…
Also, I am hearing great things about RigB and AT540ML combinations…
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What did you have on the P6 before you put on the ND7?
I’d get a better turntable first, hardly known no their QC
Martin
Thought this might help?
Good luck
R
I can’t comment on your proposed change from experience. However I’m a huge Rega fan and intend to audition a Rega Nd7 when the current MC on my Rega Planar 8 needs replacing.
C.
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I am happy with the Hana MH on my P8 with Naim amplification and Cyrus Signature Phono w PS.
The Hana ML is a great cartridge but the P6 and the arm may not get the best out of it. It is worth listening to and find what you think. The Hana SL mk2 is well worth considering too. It has recently been released and has some of the features of the ML and sounds superb/fantastic but is a lot cheaper than an ML.
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Actually you might get a s/h P8 for the same price as the Hana and new phonostage.
Then resell P6, buy a Nd5 or Nd7 and pocket the remaining cash.
I’m not aware of bad QC with Rega. Maybe I’m just not in the know. Also the P6 in question is for my second system (an all Rega setup). My main system is Naim with a LP12.
I don’t think I’m going to find a used P8 for $1700 usd .
Maybe I just had bad luck but I ran Rega TT kit for maybe 3-4 years & had 2 cartridges that failed & one arm on my RP6 (the distributor at the time was top notch for getting me fixed up).
I went from from Exact to Hana SL on my RP-6 & while it was an upgrade as others have mentioned, going from the RP6 (had some mods) to a different deck was a far more substantial upgrade then the cartridge swap. I then went from the Hana SL to ML on my current deck & its a great cartridge, the Umami Blue would be next on my radar.
As a SL user, I would be interested in the differences between the SL and the ML. I don’t want to go brighter.
Sorry for the thread hijack. Cheers.
I also have a P6 in a second system. IMHO the Excalibur Black is the best cartridge that the P6 can handle.
The Excaliburs were developed by the German Rega distributor especially for Rega turntables and fit ideally with Rega arms. l think they and based on the Hana range.
I preferred the P6 with Excalibur (with Silvercore SUT and Rega Fono MM) to the P8 with Exact (and Fono MM). The Fono MC wasn‘t a good match for the Excalibur.
I made the change over 3 years ago now, so the memory might be a bit foggy but at the time I don’t recall thinking the ML was brighter.
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I think if you enjoy the sound of the SL you will love the new SL Mk2 it sounds similar in tone but much better in all areas. It keeps the Shibata tip but has other construction attributes as the ML weighs more at 8.6g mainly due to the metal plate on top of the cartridge like the ML and a little lower output at 0.4mv, tapered alu shaft, self threaded mounting. The generator is the same as in the ML and Umami Blue now too.
I would not be surprised if there is an ML Mk2 soon as the SL Mk2 gets very close to it in present form.
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